The ingredients finally all assembled in my kitchen, I double checked the recipe for Grandma’s cinnamon rolls. New-to-me type of yeast, German butter, flour, zimt (I think my brain has erased the English word ‘cinnamon’ and permanently overlayed it with this German vocabulary word), salt, milk, and Zuckerrübensirup in place of dark Karo syrup. It’s an adventure to try to make familiar recipes on foreign soil and a pretty solid example of what the past year has been for our family.
Often our days here are spent hunting for things. Ingredients for meals & household items in stores, addresses/locations via public transport, the correct translation of a word or phrase, a cheerful heart, and searching hard to try to find Jesus & the heart of the Father in the midst of difficult situations & challenging circumstances.
We had a test run-thru of Thanksgiving this weekend in our family flat. This Friday, we’ll celebrate and help host the American holiday with 40 guests from our base staff, DTS students, and a few visitors. We figured it would be a good idea to test out the shopping, cooking, baking, and presentation in advance. Plus, now there are a few delicious & familiar leftovers in our fridge to fill in meals through the coming week.
It’s easier sometimes for me to focus on the hard things. Lack, pain, missing family, and home, sacrifices made, hurt & broken relationships, failures, and temptation to move towards bitterness and allowing virus-like resentment towards others to form.
And yet, as we enter into this holiday season and prepare for the coming Advent season, my heart is honestly & humbly grateful to God. We are warm. We are healthy. We have food on our table. We have each other. And most of all, I have a loving Heavenly Father who doesn’t let me stay broken and wounded for long. He picks me up & brushes me off. He heals and fills in the broken places and helps me see things from His perfect perspective through the lens of Jesus saving work on the Cross.
Happy Thanksgiving, friends. We do so wish we could celebrate the holiday with each of you, eating pie and going around the table to hear what God is doing in your lives. We remain grateful to God for you. For your love, camaraderie over the miles and the innumerable ways you bring encouragement to us.
Bless you,
Angie & family
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Happy Thanksgiving to each one of you!
And to you, Carla.
Dear Angie,Everything looks very delicious…I can imagine the difficulties you have with the ways of other peoples culture. Sometimes I am lost with you Americans… Sometimes it is hard to figure what to answer, to understand… But I am glad that even we have many differences, I love my friends, your family included.Happy Thanksgiving day. Nely Shih
Thanks for the encouragement, Nely.
Thanks for your transparency. Your precious heart shines through. God is stretching and you are yielding. His glory can go forth and touch so many as you are His hands and feet, and reach out in Hiis love. We love and pray for you and yours, and for those who are on your heart. Even as I am caring for my dying Mom here at home, I can share your heart feelings and seeking after God’s perfect ways. I love you, Angie! And those you love, as well❤️