Crossing Cultures

Our Wedding Day, 12 May 2012

I don’t think that anyone can quite comprehend the complexities and intricacies of cross-cultural relationships until they actually experience it.

It gets to the core of each ones’ thought processes. It is incredible how much personal culture influences daily life. It plays out even in the smallest things.

My husband and I dated for three and a half years before we were married and during that time we were challenged in our own thinking about what relationship should look like, especially in light of our desire to please God and understand what He says about relationship.

As Charles Dickens said, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us...”

These were among the most difficult years of my life and yet we couldn't ultimately give up. I remember Joel made a statement in our second year that became my mantra in some ways, “everything good takes effort”. He was right.

There were many times that one or the other of us almost gave up and opted out. It was just too difficult and, especially at the start, we had little encouragement from those closest to us and much resistance. I thank God now for the faithful few who were always ‘on our side’ cheering and praying for us. You were lights of grace and love in our darkness.

The lessons learnt during that period were incredible and deep. I am still walking them out: forgiveness, loving difficult and different people, seeing them through God’s eyes and seeking to have His heart towards them. These lessons are priceless and could not be learnt without the struggle.

And now we are married! The contrast between the darkness and the light is so stark that it’s almost blinding. My marriage is bliss. Not that we don’t argue and always get along, but there is peace now, and love. We can take off the armour that was integral to everyday life before and find safety and security.

Cross cultural relationships are complicated. There is no easy way around it. It’s hard work. And yet my life has been made so much richer for this experience and I have been blessed with a husband who exceeds all my expectations. 

It makes me think about Jesus and His Bride. They are preparing for their wedding, but right now, they are still in the hell of the battle where everything is ugly and hard. How Jesus’ heart must ring with excitement over His coming wedding day, knowing that peace and love, safety and security are coming!

We are blessed in life to be given glimpses of His greater reality; His cosmic story. 

Take heart and hold fast through the battle of life! Anticipate the sweetness of being joined with our Groom. Because everything good takes effort.

A First-World Problem

Lahu Tribe, Northern Thailand, December 2009

Last night my husband and I had just finished dinner and were sitting on the sofa and decided that we felt like something for dessert. We went through our fridge and came up with 3 or 4 options for dessert, none of which tickled our fancies.

Afterwards I was thinking about how this is such a first-world problem.

We are the rich few who have so much choice when it comes to food that we are able to follow our taste buds and eat what we feel like.

How often to we stop to think about how incredible that is?

According to recent statistics, 50% of the world live on less than $2.50 a day*. For them, food is a necessity to life, not an opportunity for self comfort.

Now don’t get me wrong, I do not believe that eating good food is of the devil and we should all eat plain rice twice a day and be happy with it.

No, what I am saying is, let’s first recognise how wealthy we are indeed. The fact that we even have choice, proves the fact the we are blessed beyond belief.

And secondly, let’s take a minute to think about our buying choices. I am a firm believer in small sacrifices making huge differences in the world. I do believe that if every one of us gave up one cup of coffee a week, we could use that money to make a profound difference in one person’s life living in poverty.

And thirdly, let’s be grateful. Let us celebrate life. Let us choose to see the abundant life that God has given to us. Let us not think of it as a right that we deserve, but correctly think of it as the overwhelming love and provision of God poured out in our lives.

A friend of mine from Australia just went on a trip to Nepal and her Facebook status this morning expressed deep sadness that in Australia, people spend money on clothes, bags and accessories that cost more than the price of a young girl being sold into prostitution.

It is heart breaking and eye opening.

Doesn't that put things into perspective?

* www.statisticbrain.com/world-poverty-statistics/

Thankfulness

I remember in 2009, I had such a deep desire in my heart to do something special for God. I wanted to give him a gift that was unexpected, even to dare to try to surprise him... like that would even be possible! I was so filled (still am!) with a deep realisation of the greatness of his redemption in my life. I know that I would not be who I am now without the overwhelming and saving grace of God. Who knows what hole I’d be living in?
And my response was to want to bless God back. 
But how does one surprise God? 


As a newly married woman, something that is foremost in my mind is, how can we keep the love that my husband and I feel for each other now alive for the coming months and years? I have been asking God for his secrets to marital success. 


This past week, something that I feel God has been saying more than once, has to do with thankfulness. I feel that there is a secret power in being thankful that I do not quite comprehend. But I do feel it’s effects. 
When I am cranky or down, just stopping and remembering some of the amazing blessings in my life has instantly changed my outlook and lifted my heart mood immediately.
I think that my honeymoon would have been far less appreciated and made less memorable if I had not taken the time to thank God throughout it for the little blessings each day.
And for further proof of the secret power of thankfulness, I notice that the most joy-filled people I know are those brimming with gratefulness for the little beauties in life.
This morning in my reading, I came to Psalm 50


Psalm 50
14 
Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,[b]
    and perform your vows to the Most High,


23 
The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
    to one who orders his way rightly
    I will show the salvation of God!”


[b] Or Make thanksgiving your sacrifice to God


Perhaps this is the gift that God would like to receive from me? An unshakable thankfulness for every little blessing, every single day? And then maybe I will become like one of those joy-filled friends I admire so much?

Tasty Scraps

I am going away early next week and therefore haven't stocked up on groceries. AND I am home this morning with no desire to go out to buy anything. AND I wanted to eat something healthier than street food around here. So! I had a scavenger hunt to see what I could find and whipped up something surprisingly good. 


The Ingredients

Six simple ingredients were the fruits of my hunt!


- natural diced tomatoes
- carrots
- tuna in sunflower oil
- garlic cloves
- sea salt
- rosemary














The Start

I started by slicing up the carrot, and lightly frying in some of the tomato juice and sunflower oil taken from the two tins.
I added in the garlic, some salt and rosemary.
































Looking Good!

Tomatoes and tuna added! Mmm... smells so good!




































Mission Accomplished!

Better than I expected! Delicious!