Lately I've been thinking about how hard relationships are. As in any relationship-parent/child, friends, boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife, co-workers. You get the picture. It requires a lot of work to be in relationship with someone. I think that's a pretty obvious statement-definitely something that I've known. That part is not new to me. But what is new or newer anyways, is that all relationships require this and it's up to me to decide if I want to put in the effort. Because the reward is great:
The best part of relationships are when you reach that level of familiarity-you know, when it is just comfortable and easy and there's not as much work required as there is in the beginning. Of course there is still work in order to maintain what is good, but it's just so great- the inside jokes, the not needing to explain a certain back-story, the ease of jumping right in to deep conversation because all the surface level stuff has already been talked about, the feeling of being known and still loved. This is the reward of all that hard work at the beginning. And it is so worth it!
So in Vickery, just like in life, there are some relationships that are so easy. There are kids who I feel like I have known for forever. Like they have always been a part of my life. I feel like their second mom and I know without a doubt that these kids trust me fully. There is no doubt in their mind that I want to spend time with them, that I want to play games, that I know them and the details of their life. And then there are the other kids... the ones that are hard to love. The ones that annoy me and that I have little patience for because their not "my" kids. But the funny thing about Vickery is that it is such a transient culture. People are always picking up and moving to the next best place. For whatever reason-they have family there, they heard about lower rent, someone told them it was better than where they are now. One of my very favorite families that I have known for two and a half years is moving soon. I can't even begin to imagine life without them here and yet I have to because they are really moving. After talking about it for the last year, they finally bought plane tickets and they are out of here on March 5. I love this family so much. I could tell you a million reasons why, but then we'd be here forever. Mostly they just have found a way into my heart and I don't think they'll ever not be a part of my heart. I've taken them to doctor's appointments, been with Arjun when he got his cast taken off of his broken arm, visited Indra in the hospital when Angelica was born (helped decide how to spell her name!), eaten dinner in their home so many times, been invited to celebrate their holidays, taken Arjun and Manisha to church, talked with Beda about who Jesus is, prayed for them oh so much. And so much more. But they are leaving. And I will still be here. A little more heartbroken but blessed beyond belief to have known them. Because God didn't call me to Vickery to love one family and although I can't imagine life here without them-it will go on. And there are other families and other kids who need love and friendship. And I need them too. And it will require work and awkward, hard to understand conversations and funny food and patience... It requires me playing Go Fish with the hard to love kid so that he knows that I want to spend time with him and maybe one day he'll be my favorite. And maybe I'll get to know his parents and become friends with them and share Jesus. That will be a good day. So I will work at it because as much as I can't imagine Vickery without the Dhungana family, even more I can't imagine not living here. I thank God every day that I live here. I see God at work and feel his presence here. I see things that hurt him but I also see situations that bring him honor and glory. I see people that he loves!
So all this to say that relationships are hard but they are worth fighting for. And on the days I want to be lazy and not work at a new relationship, I pray that God would remind me what it is I'm working toward. That he would remind me of this little family that has stolen my heart. I can't wait for all the phone conversations that I will get to have with Arjun and Manisha in the coming months! If you know them too, please keep praying for them, to know Jesus, to make friends, to settle in to their new home easily.
Thankful for this life I live!
So one of my favorite Christmas presents in 2012 was a book called "The Jesus Storybook Bible." Our pastor told us about it probably over a year ago and I always wanted to go get a copy, but never did. Anyways a sweet friend of mine bought it for me and I absolutely love it! Every page is completely fun and artsy and the stories of the Bible are told simply and honestly. And the theme that runs through it, is that Jesus is our Rescuer. That God has always had a plan to Rescue us. Something that God has been bringing to my attention over the last couple of years.
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| crazies :) |
In the weeks leading up to Christmas all of our neighbor kiddos were super excited of course about all the holiday stuff going at school and at home. My awesome roomie bought a real, Evergreen tree and put it up in the house and we invited kiddos over to help decorate it. Thankfully Michael's had these awesome foam ornament decorating kits which made it really easy for the kids to make the ornaments. So we made ornaments, ate cookies, sang Christmas songs and decorated the tree. We also read the Christmas story from The Jesus Storybook Bible (my roomie had a copy-this was before I got mine). So Katie Joy (the roomie) and I took turns reading to the kids, telling them about when Jesus was born, how angels sang, how shepherds traveled far, and that just like several of them Jesus didn't live in the best neighborhood and at one point in his life he and his family were refugees. The kids listened pretty well and asked tons of awesome, crazy theological questions afterwards like "is God more powerful than the devil?" and "what are we gonna do in Heaven, will we be bored?" It was a fun discussion. :) My awesome roommate shared the gospel and we talked about that a little more then we prayed - it was just so much fun. There was a part that I got to read from the story about the wise men following the star, looking for Jesus:
"They followed the star through the streets of Bethlehem, out of the nice part of town, through the not-so-nice part of town, into the really-not-nice-at-all part of town, down a little dirt track, until it stopped right over...a little house. But wait. It wasn't a palace. And there weren't any guards. Or servants. Or flags. Or red carpets. Or trumpets. Or anything. Did they get it wrong? Or was this what God had meant?"
And, of course, Jesus was exactly where God had planned for him to be. In this tiny little stable, a tiny baby, helplessly dependent on Mary and Joseph-these two imperfect people that God chose to raise his Son. Man, I just can't imagine. I got choked up reading it to the kids. I'm sure they didn't notice. But I was just overwhelmed with how much God loves them, how much he loves this area called Vickery and how even though it is considered "the not-so-nice part of town," it's an amazing place where miracles happen all the time. Sometimes you have to really look for it and sometimes they are blatantly in your face!
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| Road trip! |
Another really great thing about this past Christmas was that two of my neighbors were able to come home with me and have Christmas in East Texas. Jamuna and Khagen, two of my favorites from Nepal, who live in my apartment complex had been asking about coming home with me and it just worked out that Christmas was the best time with Jamuna's work schedule. Jamuna and Khagen are two of the sweetest teenagers you will ever meet! Khagen had already met everyone in my family at some point or another through visits to Vickery but Jamuna had only met my brother I think. So they were super excited about their first "real Christmas." Jamuna and Khagen are from a Hindu family so they don't celebrate Christmas typically although Khagen did celebrate Christmas the year before with some other friends who live here in our complex by cutting down a tree and decorating it in their home.
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| I love them so much |
Of course I let my parents know that they were coming home with me and everyone in my family was really awesome about it. My mom made up a new Christmas bingo game and she also made sure that Jamuna and Khagen had their own personalized stockings. And I just love Jamuna and Khagen-they are some of the most welcoming kids-they just jumped right in and called my mom and dad- "mom and dad." Jamuna was a little worried about the food, but she did great and even loved my mom's chicken and rice casserole, which is our favorite family meal ever. It was just so much fun to have them be part of our family for several days. It would have been fun to see things from their perspective- the way we play games and are super competitive, how we pray before meals, how my Uncle Dana is so redneck and how he has the best laugh in the world, just all the little things that make up your family that you don't even notice until someone else is there watching. We also read the Christmas story from The Jesus Storybook Bible(because we always read the story before opening presents)-Britt read it and I got choked up again just listening to her-she did so great.
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| Sweet family |
It was also an emotional Christmas because it was the first one without my grandpa. So thankful to have my grandma and Britt both there from Florida. I know it was hard for them and especially for my dad. It's always hard when you realize again that he's not here right now, but there really is this peace and joy in knowing that he's with Jesus. And I just think my life and so many others would be so very different if my grandpa had not been just who he was, who God called him to be and lived a life striving to love Jesus. This Christmas would have looked different if not for my grandpa's faithfulness. That's a pretty awesome legacy to leave behind.
Christmas was really special this year (last year?) and again, I'm so thankful to live where I live and experience Christmas in new ways. Through the eyes of my neighbors. Through the eyes of shepherds and wise men. Through Mary's eyes.
Here's one other quote from The Jesus Storybook Bible that I love:
"But this child was a new kind of king. Though he was Prince of Heaven, he had become poor. Though he was the Mighty God, he had become a helpless baby. This King hadn't come to to be the boss. He had come to be a servant."
So thankful for our servant King!!
