The Way God Works

Sometimes it seems that God is just doing His usual thing- helping my life run smoothly on track without too many daily times of derailing it. (Losing my patience with my kids, lashing out if I am tired or frustrated, etc)

Other times I have a "Wow, God" moment and stand amazed at the awesome things he is doing through my ordinary life.

The other day a friend had a little surprise baby shower for a mutual friends of ours. This girl we had the shower for is not a believer to our knowledge. But she attended our Mom's group and we so love her company. There was another girl we aren't sure about either. Anyhow, we had a nice evening at local pizza place, chatted and visited, etc.

Note: Baby showers are a not a Latvian thing. They are starting to become more popular among friends who know what they are- but it is definitely a US thing and they even use the same name we do for it :)

This girl we had the shower for was surprised and totally blessed. Not to mention the fact that we also want to take her meals after the baby is born. (Another totally un-Latvian thing which is also be adopted here). She was like, "I can't accept that. How am I ever going to make it up to you?!" We laughed and told her we didn't expect her to make it up. We told her there is joy in the giving and blessing.

A week has passed and we wondered how she liked the shower. This evening my friend who organized the shower called me and said that our friend Ina (the Mom we had the shower for) was totally blessed. The following day she called a bunch of friends and told them there are people out there who don't just think about themselves, but who do things for others too.

To us it was something so simple. As believers we work together, support one another, take dinners when need be and just hang together. This lady outside our circle was shocked and blessed and taken aback that there are people like "us" in the world.

Isn't that amazing to see how God is using evening the simplest things to show people Himself through us?

What God moments have you had lately?

One of Them

If you have ever had the chance to live abroad for an extended amount of time or perhaps have permanently changed your country of residence perhaps you have encountered the feelings of "belonging."

6  years ago I moved from the USA to Latvia. I came as an English teacher to teach in a church. Yes, my ancestors on my Dad's side are from this land. But I am American.

I love Latvia. I love living my life  somewhere other than where I grew up. But sometimes I wonder if I am really one of these people. I wonder have they accepted me? Do I belong? Am I one of them? In some ways I have carved that niche and "fit" but at other times I feel such an outsider.

There is so much red tape to living in another country- things that we never encounter in America. Things we take for granted in our own country. Arranging documents for living abroad, using another language fluently, just learning to make the best use of the local products that are cheapest and healthiest.

What are your experiences of living and belonging in another country?