Spent most of today doing the things of ordinary life: laundry, grocery shopping, cleaning my room, working on stuff to use with the kids next week. When I'm doing "mission work" I'm very conscious that my every word and action is to bring glory to God. Am trying to apply that same principle to daily life activities--letting everything be for the glory of God. Am not very good at this yet. Anybody have any secrets? I think I need to reread Brother Lawrence's
The Practice of the Presence of God. Somehow scrubbing chocolate ice cream stains out of a shirt doesn't feel very holy. . .
 |
| Leo dancing with his granddaughter |
This evening I experienced my first wedding in Guatemala. Many of the customs are similar to those in the States, but there were many new twists. Pablo, one of the sons in my family, very kindly walked me through the etiquette of a Guatemalan wedding, so I was prepared for some of the nuiances. Others, I learned on the fly. Am grateful that, as a whole, the Guatemalans give much grace to us foreigners, and are not easily insulted!
I have to confess I've gotten a little obsessed with marimba music here. Tonight I got to dance to a marimba band for the first time. It was hysterical to hear from so many of the Guatemalans at the wedding that they were surprised to see a gringa know how to dance to a marimba. I didn't have the heart to tell them I really didn't know what I was doing, I just tried to keep up with my partner. (I never was very good at American dancing. Guess this is another place I'm more at home in Guatemala!) Leo just about danced all of us women under the table, despite his poor health. He loves dancing to marimba, and it was so neat to see him actually enjoying himself.
I got to meet more of Leo's family today, and really enjoyed myself. I find myself loving being a part of Guatemalan celebrations, and spending time with the people here. I hear that many missionaries live in "missionary compounds" or gated communities of North Americans. It might be safer there (I'm not convinced of that, though) but I know my life is richer because I live among the people. Am grateful for how easily they seem to have accepted me as one of their own.
No comments:
Post a Comment