Rejoicing in routine

"Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving." - Colossians 4:2

Happy New Year! 

Today is the first Monday of 2016, which always feels like the first real day of the year. Husband returned to work. Kiddo goes back to school tomorrow, and I am praying for a sense of routine and normal.

A few months ago, my friend Katie posted this piece she called "The Thrill of the Dull and Mundane Life." I think she expected the title to be paradoxical, but to me it sounded an elusive dream. 

"On one of my hardest mornings," she wrote. "I waved goodbye to Andrew from the porch and, seeing a plane soar overhead, I cried because I wished so painfully that I were on it."

As I read that paragraph, I cried because I so wanted her normal routine of home and kids and school and church. 

For about six months, we have lived in a state of semi-controlled chaos. From learning of our new assignment, to moving to figuring out what it means to live abroad, nothing has been normal. Being in Europe is great, but despite my Facebook posts, it's not all travel and adventure. We have to LIVE here.

Everything -- from banking to grocery shopping to taking out the garbage - requires a language/cultural interpretation. Everything takes longer than I think it should. Those little things add up, so something as simple as looking at a cook book is likely to lead to frustration when I realize I can't get cheddar cheese or cream of chicken soup for a casserole.

A recent near-catastrophe at the bank reminded me of the power of gratitude. Once it was resolved, and I realized I had not in fact lost $1300, I went to the Christmas program at the Kindergarten. The kids sang, and we ate cookies, and I felt a renewed sense of thanksgiving. All of the other frustrations of the day melted away.

Paul wrote the above passage while he was in prison. He must have been frustrated and scared, but this chapter doesn't show it. Instead he speaks with confidence and thanksgiving that his ministry will continue. In thanksgiving, he keeps perspective on the mission.

I still pray for some sense of normal, and I'm hopeful that the new year will bring more routine. But my resolution is to live with more gratitude, and in this Year of Mercy, to pray for God's mercy. 

No matter where 2016 takes us, a spirit of thanksgiving means we will always feel God's blessings.

Babel Continues

"There the Lord confused the speech of all the world. From there the Lord scattered them all over the Earth." Gen. 11:9

Everyone speaks English, they said. You won't have to worry about the language at all, they said.

They were only partly correct. Everyone learned English -- just like I "learned" French in high school. But I'll have my phrasebook out just like the next tourist when we make it to Paris.

We haven't had much problem getting by in rural Germany as long as I can see the numbers on the cash register. We've learned enough to decipher a menu, and thank God the order of the Mass (usually) doesn't change.

The language barrier has led to a few awkward moments. Another time, I let my 3-year-old pick out some sausage from a market vendor. Somehow "leberwurst" did not translate into "liverwurst" in my head, and I bought it. She cringed at the mushy, pink stuff at first, but after a little prodding and reminder that she picked it out, she ate it by the forkfull!

More than anything though - I totally understand the Tower of Babel. As I child, it always struck me as kind of a funny story. Did those people actually think they could be greater than God? Scripture is a little hazy on their exact sin, but it does say they wanted to "make a name for themselves." (Gen. 11:4) And that idea disturbed God.

So he decided to "confuse their language," so they could no longer continue their self-aggrandizing plan. I now see exactly how that works. When you can't communicate, even the smallest tasks like buying bread become more complicated, much less trying to negotiate rent or enroll my daughter in school. I am acutely aware that I am in someone else's world, and I have to humbly ask for a lot more help than normal. Pride and independence has to take a backseat.

Even more frustrating is I can't help other people. One of the larger thoroughfares in town is closed for construction, and twice in the last week someone has stopped me to ask for directions. But aside from pointing, I can't really tell them where to go even though I know perfectly well. I'm not sure that's what God wanted from the Tower of Babel. 

Maybe the whole story is a reminder that in the beginning we did speak the same language because we do need each other. We just have to approach each other with a little more humility and openness to make things happen.