Tithes

"Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' In tithes and offerings... Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heavens and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it!" Malachi 3:8, 10

This verse has been on my mind for a few weeks. I kept wondering what God has for me in this verse... I thought to myself, "well, Ryan and I have our tithe set up on a bank draft so we can't forget it, so I don't think that God is saying I am robbing from him..." Then the thought occurred that maybe it was not about a weekly tithe, or even about money at all. God doesn't just ask for our money, but also our time, energy, and attitudes. My offering to him is not limited to money, but it is all about living a life of service that pleases HIM. God wants my time. He wants my friendship. He wants me to desire to serve Him. And sometimes, I just get focused on myself and my own problems, that often seem bigger than they really are. As I sat in an auto traveling to a poor part of my city to help with a B study, I was tired and worn out by the stresses of living in this culture, and I frustratedly wanted to shake my fists and ask, "How much more are you going to make me go through, Lord? Seriously, I don't know how much more I have to give?!" He gently reminded me that if I bring an offering of my life and service and leave it before his throne, He wants to show me HIS blessings... straight from the FLOODGATES of HEAVEN! WOW! God wants his blessings to be poured out on this WHOLE city, country and world... but he tells us to test Him... to give him our best and through this, He can teach us what HIS blessings really are. The blessings He gives may not look like material blessings, just like the tithe is not only material things. But He tells us to test Him... so I really want to do it! Then I thought about robbing God. Does He really need my money, or energy, or time? Are we robbing Him by not giving Him things, OR are we robbing Him of His opportunity to be proven TRUE by our service and HIS pouring out of HIS blessings! Again WOW! I know as a teacher, I couldn't give students special treats unless they showed me they were making right choices... And parenting is the same way. You hate taking away privileges because they did not do what they were told, but you know that it is necessary. If we really believed that God has the floodgates of HEAVEN waiting for to be poured over us, would we change the way we view our everyday life?

Our House!

Well... our "house" is really an apartment, but it is totally home, so we call it a house anyway! We found a flat, as they are called here, extremely fast, and PTL all the paper work was completed in record time! Ryan is the one of us that gets things done quickly, so he really gets all the credit. I had been pr-ing that when we saw the house, we would just KNOW. We liked the house, but I did not feel that I knew yet. The next morning we thought we would check out the neighborhood around the apartment, since we had only had time to see the inside before. When we walked on the street and saw the people and little shops... and we just KNEW! It was so clear, and then everything worked so quickly! We are on the 4th floor of 16. It is close enough that we can take the stairs, or wait for the elevator when we come home from the store with all our stuff!

 Here are some photos: 

Outside

 

 Our living room Before and After!

 Our Guest Bedroom. The rest of the rooms are still awaiting their furniture deliveries!

 Our Kitchen

 The view from outside our windows

 Our little park complete with music note benches!

Our playground!

Ryan cleaning the floor. I like the jump prints made by the dirt on his feet!

Without Grumbling...

Some days I like to blog because something amazing has happened, or I had a cool insight... just for fun or something insightful God is teaching me. Today I am blogging to remind myself of whats really important and to remember that its NOT about me...

Ryan and I moved to our new city and we are TOTALLY in LOVE! Its such a great place to find just about anything, and there is no lack of people anywhere you go! We found a great little place on the 4th floor of a 16 floor apartment building. It is on a cute little street that is walking distance from a few malls and outdoor markets. These last few weeks have been filled with goodbye's of our friends in our city where we have been learning language... and then figuring out a whole new city. Most of the exploring has been on our own since we know the language well and can find our way around without help. We have really enjoyed being with each other and shopping for all the things to fill our house with together. We have also enjoyed the times that we have gotten to spend with out teammates in the city as well.

This week we have spent lots of time waiting around trying to get our house set up. I really dislike waiting... so does Ryan, but we do what we have to do. Several days he has had to just stay home waiting on a delivery of a fridge or couch, or for the internet guys to come set up our connection. Our kitchen had no cabinet or anything when we moved in, so our landlord said he would get them put in for us. I understood that they were going to make them be pretty awesome like some I saw in the stores or other peoples homes. We have waiting all week, not putting anything out in the kitchen yet (which has been hard for me!) and when they started putting in the cabinets, it was all I could do to not cry in disappointment. The workers were supposed to do all the work and just install them in a few hours. But these guys have been here for two days, coming in around 10am and staying until 10pm (with a lunch and nap break). It has made it hard on us. We cannot both go out and leave them here working, so Ryan has let me go out some and get some groceries. But in spite of the cabinets not being what I hoped, they will work... I just keep reminding myself that it is not about a kitchen being set up perfect or a house that has everything just right.... its about serving our King. We really love our house, but when you can't set anything up yet, it is hard. Everything is covered in concrete dust from the installation of the cabinets and the bed for our room and our dining room table is not being delivered until the end of the month. It really is not the big things that knock you down, it is the little things... the things that just don't work like you think that they should that make you get frustrated and upset. So I have been fighting the frustration and anxiety all weekend. I should be excited that I get any cabinets at all! My kitchen that is far less modern than I expected, but it will work... I want it to be used for the glory of God, and really the most important part is serving HIM, not how cool everything works. Ryan and I were reading this morning and talking through Philippians 2:1-18. The part that really struck me was about no grumbling. This is hard. In a culture where things do not work like you plan, or even the way or the time they tell you, but the Word says, "No grumbling." If we do this, we will shine as lights in a dark world. And our world sure is dark and in desperate need of the LIGHT. Verse 17, "even if I am poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice of service... I rejoice." I think I feel the strain of being poured out like a drink offering... but we are told to rejoice. I then looked back up to verse 13, "It is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good pleasure." As I help a cup of coffee in my hand, it hit me. ... I get used, poured out... and then it is GOD who works IN ME. He refills me anytime I ask him to! He pours His goodness and grace into me so I can share that with others. I have been filled with HIS spirit... and I have a choice. I can choose to keep it all to myself, and sit there, full. OR I can let Him pour me out for HIS glory and let HIS goodness not stay in one place. Today I felt like I was poured out and empty. And He gently reminded me that I need to stay in HIS presence so he can constantly keep me filled. Instead of becoming lukewarm coffee on the counter, I have the giver of all Life who refills my cup everyday... and not just filled, but OVERFLOWING! (Psalm 23:5)

Christmas FUN!

Seriously, I can't stop laughing about this picture! We are at a big mall and I was pretty excited about the Christmas decorations! Then we saw the Santa... creepy mask and all...These I have seen before, but the elves... wow! These guy came up and asked us in very low voices, "Hey... what country you from?"
Ryan and I were amazed by the fact that they were employing actual dwarfs as the elves... but, you know, anything goes in over here! We got our laughing quota for the day...

It's all about expectations...

I am one of those people who gets easily excited, but I can also get extremely disappointed... I know my Ryan thinks that my life is an endless roller coaster, but I am thankful that he is willing to ride along with me. One of the first times I think he realized this was when right before we were married, we went along with my family to Silver Dollar City in Branson. It was the Christmas season, and it had been years since I had been there, and to think of all the Christmas sights alongside some of the greatest people in the world, I was so excited! We get to where you turn in the park and wonder why there is not a line of cars as usual. Then we see the big lit up sign posting the sad news... "Closed for Today". I tried to hold it in, but I couldn't. Big crocodile tears slipped down my cheeks and I felt like my whole Christmas season would be ruined. Ryan, I am sure, was thinking, "What I am getting myself into?!" ... but he was nice to me even though it was clear everyone else was OK with plan B except for me. Everything turned out ok when we planned another night in Branson and we went the next day, but at that point I realized I need to learn how to deal with disappointment better.

 I am learning that there are ways to keep expectations low, but that does not mean that you are not looking forward to anything. Before I thought that if I had low expectations, for sure they would be fulfilled, but what fun is it if I never get to possess the excitement of the expectation? Yesterday we had a school holiday, and we wanted to do something fun. About 30 minutes drive from our house, I had seen a new big mall and a Big Bazaar, which I like to think of as India's answer to Wal-mart. And if anyone knows me, they know I love a little shopping trip! Ryan and I wanted to go, so we figured out the public transport out there that saved us several dollars from a private auto. I was pumped to shop at Big Bazaar! I told Ryan on the way there that if it was closed, I would not cry! I set my expectation high that it would be fun, and also high that if it was closed, we would find something even more fun to do instead! We get to the Mall and realize that even though it is a BIG mall... three stories, the only things in it are a movie theater,  a food court with Indian food and ice cream, the Big Bazaar, and two open shops. Everything else is empty, never been open before. It seems so weird to open a mall before it is full of shops, but no one asked me how you should open a mall! I see the Big Bazaar sign, and look in and realize that it is not even completed yet! They are still putting together shelves and painting the walls and there is no merchandise at all! The guards outside said it will open in two weeks, so I have that to look forward to... but just like I had told Ryan, I did not get upset! We just rolled with it and laughed that we went all the way out here just to find out we were two weeks early! So we opted for an Indian coffee and then a Hindi movie, which made for good language practice and a fun date!

6 Things I learned in a Punjabi Village

1. Turbans don't have to match your outfit, but since many people have more than 7, it is possible!

2. They are the ULTIMATE food pushers! ALL day LONG!

3. Girls at a Nursing hostel were as giggly as group of junior high girls at a sleepover! (I was the first American they had talked to... they all want me to get them a job in America! There were about 40 in one small room! Ryan called them an Army when they walked out following me!)

4. Even when they don't have extra money, they are always willing to offer food to anyone around at mealtime.

5. Hair is really important. Sikh's don't cut their hair, and everyman has a big beard, and in the early morning, it is down out of their turbans and if you go walking early, you might catch a glimpse of a guy brushing out his LONG, slightly stringy never been cut hair! But even the Christians who do cut their hair make sure their hair is nice and oiled.

6. When they start singing praise songs to Jesus, plan on being there another few hours!

ALSO, there are ALWAYS LOTS OF Smiles and Laughs to go around!

Chili- South Asain Style!

Chili has always been a necessity at my house... as soon as there is even the tiniest chilly breeze, Daddy would gather up all the ingredients and with a cheerful smile, we would chop up all the vegetables and thaw some meat.  Being in South Asia, meat is harder to find and so, i have found ways to substitute. When I lived here before, my roommate and I tried many different ways and here is a picture of the ingredients and a how-to!

The beans here are not from a can, so you must soak them overnight... then cook them in a pressure cooker for about 20 minutes. Cut up your onions, bell peppers, and tomatos. In Hindi they are, Pyaz, Shimla Mirch, and Tomater. Then the secret ingredient is beef bullion. This should come from America... they don't make it here! Mix that into hot water and then add Nutrela. This is dried Soy granules. They soak up the bullion and take on the taste of what you soak them in, so they taste somewhat like beef! In a big frying pan, cook the granules and the vegetables. Add the beans, some tomato sauce and some Chili seasoning.  I also get my chili seasoning packets from America, so the chili seems to taste a little more like home. I am sure if i played around with it, I could find the right spices here. This is the land of spice! Hope this little how-to makes you smile! Blessings!