What more does He have for me?
It's unseasonably warm outside for February. I've watched as the warm sunshine draws people out of their houses and into the streets. I've seen more people walking, including myself. I've taken advantage of these days by walking to some of my favorite downtown spots. My backpack in tow, I carry some papers that should have been graded last week, my trusty laptop, and my favorite colored pens. I join the hustle and bustle of the local coffee shop. I people watch. I work. I wonder if my life is finding its place in this season, in this place.
I've been gaining a new and different appreciation for this little city of Goshen. Somehow, sneakily, over the past year and a half it has settled itself in my mind and heart as a home of sorts. It's not the sleepy little town where I lived with my parents. It's not the bustling noise and adventure of Tegucigalpa. It has a few more amenities than the small town life, and a bit less of the danger and excitement that lurks in the big city. To some, it might still seem like a small town. And even though it is practically the same place I grew up, I'm still always discovering, and always finding a new person I haven't met before. There are untold stories in the little streets, businesses, and houses that populate this town. I'm finding ways to get out of my comfort zone. People always say to me, "You know, you can be a missionary right where you are." To be honest. I kind of hate that. Here's why: you sure can. However, most of us don't. Yes, living as a missionary is, in part, just doing life in another place. I had a job, friends, a church, etc. when I worked in Honduras. But there is an intentionality that comes out of it. Something that is sometimes forced because it is so painfully obvious that this is not your home. Most of us, don't live like that. Yes, we are faithful people who go to work, encourage our friends, give money, and go to church. Those things aren't bad. But do we ever actually seek to find people who need Jesus? Or someone who might need our help? Do we dare to, like a missionary let ourselves enter into a world that isn't really our own?
When I went to Honduras, I fully expected to find myself out of place, to find myself surrounded by people who grew up differently, spoke differently, and lived differently than I. I laugh occasionally when I realize that most people consider the neighborhood I live in "the bad part of town". I laugh because even still, most of the time I can be comfortable here in Goshen. Find a spot. Surround myself with people who are just like me. However, lately God has been showing me that he wants to surround me with people who aren't like me too. "Those people". The ones who maybe didn't go to college. The ones who didn't have supportive parents. The ones who have taken a path they wish they hadn't. I'm learning to listen to the stories and be ok with the fact that I don't know what to say. That I don't understand the difficulties they have gone through. But that they don't have to be separate from who I am, because we are all human. We are all desperately loved by Jesus. At the core, I am not different from "them".
Dear friends, don't think that I view myself as having figured this out. That I have somehow discovered how to be a hometown missionary and maneuver all the social interactions with great finesse and give to all the poor. To be honest. I kind of stink at it. It's limited to awkward interactions with my neighbors, offering them a fresh loaf of pumpkin bread and stopping to hear their stories. It's trying to go to a neighborhood Bible study where not everyone goes to the same type of church, grew up the same way, or has the same struggles. Sometimes I smile awkwardly at people and then have no idea what to say. Sometimes I see someone I could help, but for fear of awkwardness or whatever other strange fear, I walk by. But I'm in this place where I'm asking. I'm wondering. How can I give more? How can I be less scared? How can I start seeing people more like Jesus does? How can I love people and also speak truth?
I don't have a huge lesson to tell you about. No stunning conclusion. I just want you dear friend, to join me on the quest. The quest to make the places we live our homes and our mission fields. You may say that isn't your calling... or maybe that you already are doing this. But I beg to differ. I think there's more. There's more for me. There's more for you.
In this not so perfect recipe of reaching out to neighbors and people around you, I also present you with a not so perfect recipe of my own. I am always tweaking recipes. Sometimes for health purposes. Sometimes because I like certain things better. Sometimes simply because it's fun...and sometimes just like other things in life, I mess it up the first time.
So today's recipe: Zuppa Toscana
This soup is delicious. Just don't spill a half a cup of pink Himalayan salt into it like I once did... or you'll gain 4 pounds over night and feel very bloated....oops.
You will need:
1 lb Italian Sausage ( I like to use the turkey sausage from Aldi, for the win!)
2-3 large potatoes
1 large onion
1/2 cup bacon crumbles ( this is optional, but tasty. I've made it with and without)
3 garlic cloves (ok, they say two... but I probably put 4, so I'll compromise here)
2 cups kale (this makes it healthy, right???)
16 oz of chicken broth
1 quart of water (sometimes I use a bit more chicken broth and less water)
1 cup half and half (they say heavy cream, I usually do half and half or whole milk instead to cut down a bit)
1 tsp of red pepper flakes*
1 tsp of Basil*
1 tsp of Oregano*
Salt to taste (go easy at first)
* I made up the measurements for those spices... I never measure them. It's a chronic problem I think... so try that and if you want more, add some more!
Directions:
1. Brown sausage in a large soup pot. Easy! I like to add onions and garlic here, but you can also do that part later.
2. Add water and chicken broth.
3. Cut up the potatoes in halves and then into thin slices, like 1/4 inch thick. Throw those in the pot.
4. Cook at medium heat until those potatoes are done.
5. Add bacon and spices
6. Cook for 10 more minutes then turn to low heat.
7. Add cream and kale
8. Make sure it's hot! It tastes really great with a little parmesan cheese on top! Yum!
Enjoy!
I've been gaining a new and different appreciation for this little city of Goshen. Somehow, sneakily, over the past year and a half it has settled itself in my mind and heart as a home of sorts. It's not the sleepy little town where I lived with my parents. It's not the bustling noise and adventure of Tegucigalpa. It has a few more amenities than the small town life, and a bit less of the danger and excitement that lurks in the big city. To some, it might still seem like a small town. And even though it is practically the same place I grew up, I'm still always discovering, and always finding a new person I haven't met before. There are untold stories in the little streets, businesses, and houses that populate this town. I'm finding ways to get out of my comfort zone. People always say to me, "You know, you can be a missionary right where you are." To be honest. I kind of hate that. Here's why: you sure can. However, most of us don't. Yes, living as a missionary is, in part, just doing life in another place. I had a job, friends, a church, etc. when I worked in Honduras. But there is an intentionality that comes out of it. Something that is sometimes forced because it is so painfully obvious that this is not your home. Most of us, don't live like that. Yes, we are faithful people who go to work, encourage our friends, give money, and go to church. Those things aren't bad. But do we ever actually seek to find people who need Jesus? Or someone who might need our help? Do we dare to, like a missionary let ourselves enter into a world that isn't really our own?
When I went to Honduras, I fully expected to find myself out of place, to find myself surrounded by people who grew up differently, spoke differently, and lived differently than I. I laugh occasionally when I realize that most people consider the neighborhood I live in "the bad part of town". I laugh because even still, most of the time I can be comfortable here in Goshen. Find a spot. Surround myself with people who are just like me. However, lately God has been showing me that he wants to surround me with people who aren't like me too. "Those people". The ones who maybe didn't go to college. The ones who didn't have supportive parents. The ones who have taken a path they wish they hadn't. I'm learning to listen to the stories and be ok with the fact that I don't know what to say. That I don't understand the difficulties they have gone through. But that they don't have to be separate from who I am, because we are all human. We are all desperately loved by Jesus. At the core, I am not different from "them".
Dear friends, don't think that I view myself as having figured this out. That I have somehow discovered how to be a hometown missionary and maneuver all the social interactions with great finesse and give to all the poor. To be honest. I kind of stink at it. It's limited to awkward interactions with my neighbors, offering them a fresh loaf of pumpkin bread and stopping to hear their stories. It's trying to go to a neighborhood Bible study where not everyone goes to the same type of church, grew up the same way, or has the same struggles. Sometimes I smile awkwardly at people and then have no idea what to say. Sometimes I see someone I could help, but for fear of awkwardness or whatever other strange fear, I walk by. But I'm in this place where I'm asking. I'm wondering. How can I give more? How can I be less scared? How can I start seeing people more like Jesus does? How can I love people and also speak truth?
I don't have a huge lesson to tell you about. No stunning conclusion. I just want you dear friend, to join me on the quest. The quest to make the places we live our homes and our mission fields. You may say that isn't your calling... or maybe that you already are doing this. But I beg to differ. I think there's more. There's more for me. There's more for you.
In this not so perfect recipe of reaching out to neighbors and people around you, I also present you with a not so perfect recipe of my own. I am always tweaking recipes. Sometimes for health purposes. Sometimes because I like certain things better. Sometimes simply because it's fun...and sometimes just like other things in life, I mess it up the first time.
So today's recipe: Zuppa Toscana
This soup is delicious. Just don't spill a half a cup of pink Himalayan salt into it like I once did... or you'll gain 4 pounds over night and feel very bloated....oops.
You will need:
1 lb Italian Sausage ( I like to use the turkey sausage from Aldi, for the win!)
2-3 large potatoes
1 large onion
1/2 cup bacon crumbles ( this is optional, but tasty. I've made it with and without)
3 garlic cloves (ok, they say two... but I probably put 4, so I'll compromise here)
2 cups kale (this makes it healthy, right???)
16 oz of chicken broth
1 quart of water (sometimes I use a bit more chicken broth and less water)
1 cup half and half (they say heavy cream, I usually do half and half or whole milk instead to cut down a bit)
1 tsp of red pepper flakes*
1 tsp of Basil*
1 tsp of Oregano*
Salt to taste (go easy at first)
* I made up the measurements for those spices... I never measure them. It's a chronic problem I think... so try that and if you want more, add some more!
Directions:
1. Brown sausage in a large soup pot. Easy! I like to add onions and garlic here, but you can also do that part later.
2. Add water and chicken broth.
3. Cut up the potatoes in halves and then into thin slices, like 1/4 inch thick. Throw those in the pot.
4. Cook at medium heat until those potatoes are done.
5. Add bacon and spices
6. Cook for 10 more minutes then turn to low heat.
7. Add cream and kale
8. Make sure it's hot! It tastes really great with a little parmesan cheese on top! Yum!
Enjoy!
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