|| the stiff, cold winter ||

[see...I wrapped Liesl up in this huge puffy blanket for our outing to the clinic to get her measles shot. I've had enough of "Hey. E-way..You.  You, muh-dam...you must-E wrap the baby in thE blanket-e. She will catch thE flu-E.  Ma ma ma ma ma [shaking the head]...you muzungus...you must-E wrap thE baby.]

Now, with a title like that, you can imagine that it is about 32* here.  On the contrary, it is a "freezing" 52* tonight.  I have to laugh at how marriage and living here is changing me bit by bit.  

This is now my third winter.  The first winter, I was a newlywed.  "Astonished" is such a kind word for how I felt about that first winter.  What?!!  Get OUT of the shower and not stand on a heating vent.  Be cold IN MY HOUSE.  Be cold ALL THE LIVE LONG DAY?  My friends and family are frolicking on their green grass and catching fireflies and watching fireworks in their short-sleeve shirts.  Why Am I Cold?  

Last winter, I was pregnant and dealt with the cold much better.  More of a ....eh....it's cold.

This winter, I'm more like....cold....oh yeah!  It's chilly.  I get to wear boots!  I get to wear scarves!  I get to wear my puffy down.  But I can't decide if it's that I've actually adjusted to backward seasons or if it's mental.  You see, I leave in a little over a week for a holiday during the American summer!  Woohoo!!  Fireworks, fireflies, blueberries, strawberries, long summer days, windows open (my life here, too), farmers markets, baskets of flowers and bedded annuals everywheeeeeere!!!!!  Woohooooo!!!  

At any rate, I'm not nearly as bothered about the cold which is SO nice.  Life is starting to gather a new normal.  

But I assure you, the cold weather is felt so much more accutely here.  It is cold in the bones.  It is 24/7-camping-all-day-long cold.  No carpets.  [Stone floors.]  No forced heat blowing out of a vents.  [A tiny, little, tiny, little space heater.] 

Anyways, it is fun to poke fun at the cold here.  I'm such a wimp considering I'm from the Midwest.  :) 

|| Gracious ||

One of my favorite verses is,

A gracious woman retaineth honour....Proverbs 11:16

A while ago, I looked up the definition of gracious in Webster's 1828 Dictionary.

Here it is:

Godly, pleasing, acceptable,

Marked by kindness and courtesy,

Marked by tact and delicacy,

Merciful, commpassionate,

Characterized by charm and good taste,

Generosity of spirit,

And the tasteful leisure of wealth and good breeding.

Wow.  That is quite the lady.  The picture that draws in my mind is most certainly someone I want to be.  If there is one word I want to be known for in this life, it is GRACIOUS. I know I'm not nearly where I ought to be.  I lack graciousness often. 

A life under pressure causes the contents to spill over.  And my goodness, how the contents of my heart spill over the top.  Not only have I had to adjust to a new marriage in the past two years.  But also, a new culture, living with family on top of me, "in my space", :)... a new church, all of the raging emotions that spill out after childbirth, new, new, new, different things that absolutely smother me at times.  Yes, I've been in this "new" life for two years now.  And sometimes, I question will I ever get to the point where the new-ness of it all doesn't bother me.  I know the answer is, YES.

But here is where God's Living Word comes in.  Graciousness doesn't make exceptions for new situations.  God knows where I need to change.  He has put me here for a purpose.

Yesterday, I read in Proverbs 31, "Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come."  (verse 25) A GRACIOUS woman retaineth HONOUR. Strength and HONOUR are her clothing.  Honour is her clothing because she is gracious.

Maybe this word Gracious will resonate with you a bit more.  I hope it blesses you as much as it has blessed me.