The last few weeks have been full of devotions and sermons on practicing an attitude and spirit of gratitude. To be grateful for everything and in everything. I've also learned a lot about trusting God and giving everything to him, so that I am on solid footing alongside Him. He will help me. He will be with me always. I am actively trying to be grateful for everything He gives me. Especially the people he has given me here, the people I can share verses with, my struggles with, and the little blessings I find daily.
Isaiah 41:13
For I am the Lord your God
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
Through conversations across the miles, M and I have been digging deeper into our daily and weekly God moments. Small things where we see God: like the stars at night, happy students, making tortillas. Cities like Chicago and Seoul, walks through fields to the subway, finding lakes that are exactly 5k around and perfect for running, beautiful bridges, board game nights, kimbap, anticipating yoga outside, finally not wearing a coat in school, morning iced lattes, catching the early bus and being able to see the sunrise and enjoy it. It's funny how we can be in the same place in two completely different worlds and on completely different schedules. Those moments where we overlap are a blessing.
I have so many happy memories from the last few weeks: teaching my co-teachers how to play Cranium and trying to act out the Berlin wall, having all the Koreans I know make March Madness brackets (and taking hours to explain it and look at all the mascots), learning how to make tortillas and playing board games afterwards with people who aren't afraid to look ridiculous, going to Seoul for St. Paddy's day and having Koreans jig and remembering marathon River dance viewings with brother M, spending Sundays in Cheonan; at church, outside, drinking lattes, watching basketball, playing cards. Days at school where we do puzzles and sew and knit and maybe one day quilt and just hope that the principal doesn't walk in while we're doing it. And hermit days where I get home from school and I read books and drink tea and cuddle with (or get attacked by) Nimbus, or days I binge-watch documentaries I've downloaded, or days I clean and clean and the cat follows me around knocking things down again. I relish these days.
This is the perfect time and weather for walking. J and I have been walking more on our way to and from school. Intentionally getting off the bus earlier in order to walk further. I like it. I like the time we spend outside. I like anticipating: spring, warmer weather, blooms, hikes, weekends south, the beach. But I also like seeing that life has gone on at home without me: people have gone, birthdays have been celebrated, Oberon day was yesterday, graduation is approaching for some, spring breaks, the future, grad schools, things are happening and I like seeing that. At first it was really lonely, and I wished I was there, experiencing it all again. But now I'm grateful to see my friends go through it, and learn from it, and enjoy it as much as I did. And I'm grateful that I'm changing and learning and growing too.
And I can still enjoy March Madness and watch the games live in another time zone, country, continent, language, place. March Madness is almost the same. And God is the same, here and there. For my friends and for me. He is the same and He is there and He is here.
Also, it's Cary Grant March here in Korea on my man-candy calendar. And I'm grateful for that.
Also also, I've had this song on repeat:
My Dear, by Bethel Worship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5ftKclNtUo
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