Three Years

I've been feeling reflective lately. That's because October 28th marks three full years of life in Turkey. Three full years. Weird.

Here are the top 10 things that I've learned in the last three years of life in a foreign land (in no particular order):

10. Plain yogurt is good on everything, with everything, and as a substitute for many things. The next time you have grilled chicken add a little plain yogurt and garlic. The next time you want veggie or chip dip put a packet of ranch seasoning in plain yogurt. Buy a huge thing of plain yogurt and then when you want fruity yogurt add a tablespoon of jam to it. It's got way less sugar that way.

9. I'm not nearly as tough as I used to think I was. These past three years have been full of tears. Life away from family and friends and "normalcy" gets to me. But, it's made me pray a whole lot more.

8. Practice hospitality without worrying. Somehow, when someone shows up at our door right as we're sitting down to dinner, there's always enough food for them to join us. Somehow, when I get a call asking if I can take overnight guests that same night, there seems to be more hours in the day for me to prepare for them. It always works out.

7. Almost every product that I miss from the U.S. can be replicated if I just search the internet long enough to find the recipe or instructions.

6. I get great satisfaction from carrying out and successfully completing the above mentioned task.

5. There are many people in this world that sacrifice huge things just to be followers of Jesus.  

4. Technology is both good and bad. I waste too much time watching t.v. on the internet. My kids also know the faces and voices of their grandparents because of technology.

3. Always go to the bathroom before leaving the house because you don't know the next time you'll come upon a clean bathroom with an actual toilet seat.

2. Speaking another language means you fully understand when someone is insulting you in that language.

1. We've had to prayerfully make hard decisions that will forever affect our childrens' lives. They may grow up and resent us for some of those decisions (i.e. putting them in school in a foreign language, moving them away from cousins and grandparents, etc.). If they grow up and resent us, we just have to trust that that is part of their journey with Jesus and He can redeem those situations.