Things I kinda forgot about

So I have been back in Central Texas for just more than 24 hours now and have started to notice some things I had kind of forgotten about. This list is comprised of some of those items. This is not to say items listed here fall under a heading of “good things” or “bad things,” just things that I had forgotten about or mentally misplaced in regards to their function while away for 10 weeks in my developing country of choice.

Without further ado:

Air conditioning, humidity, smooth roads, watching TV without reading subtitles, Mexican food, water pressure, really hot water, the microwave oven, short pants, where I was originally taught the toilet paper goes, Diet Coke instead of Coca Light, automatic transmission, meals without rice & beans, “The Office,” lawns/grass, quiet, feet/miles/pounds and Fahrenheit, use of the letter “S”, Colby-Jack cheese, ESPN with news other than soccer, drinking from the tap, items without a layer of dust, Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

These are solely observations. I can’t imagine how any of them have any profound impact on what I do or where I am. People keep asking me what I’ve missed while away—and as I review, alter and edit the list, I am struck by the fact that there is nothing on the list that I missed to the level of being homesick for doing without. I expected to be uncomfortable and missing out on these creature comfort items.

But in Jinotega I found it so much easier to focus on how much I HAVE, that it never occurred to me notice what I was “missing”.

an MPC project house--before

Jinotega, as is the case with much of Nicaragua and Central America, is a much simpler place. I know many families who live in places the size of our closets. As I write this I am sitting in my living room that is equal to the size of a home where a mother, 15-year old daughter, 14 year-old son and 7-year old daughter live. They are thrilled because they have that much. They have never had more, only less, so they are content with their modest home. This kind of gratitude is contagious!  I notice that in my home in Jinotega, which is a three-room apartment, I feel so blessed. I have running water in the house. I have electricity- (more than just one bulb!) and I do not have to go to the market everyday to get food to prepare because I have a refrigerator.

an MPC project house--after

Simpler is not bad. I have been blessed by many “things” in the past. Things I believe God provided to make my ministry life simpler and more effective. Now, He continues to provide for me and open my eyes to parts of life that I could not see with so many “things” in my way. Now I have a simple life. God is good all the time. This time He is demonstrating that to me in very subtle ways.