I'd Catch a Grenade For Ya.

America never ceases to surprise me. The more I live outside of this country the more I am shocked by nearly everything in it.

I am currently at Starbucks and let me tell you, I do miss this place when I am in India, but I don't miss how expensive it is. I also miss the drink sizes! In India you mostly only get one size which to all Americans would be considered "small." When I come back to Minnesota I try to drink as many Ventis (their largest size) as I can! But today, as I was ordering my Venti Sugar-free Vanilla Soy Iced Coffee the guy behind the register told me that in May Starbucks is getting another size called "Trenta" which will be 31 oz. THIRTY-ONE OUNCES! I am already embarrassed to be holding the 20 oz Venti size when I'm in here, I wonder what the Trenta will look like!

I was telling the employee how incredibly ridiculous that is especially coming from my now more Indian mind-set. Even the Smalls are big to me. But, there was something even more ridiculous coming in a few seconds. I was watching the guy make my drink and he first made an iced latte then realized it was supposed to be an iced coffee. As he gave me the 20 oz. Iced Coffee he asked if I wanted the 20 oz. Iced Latte he accidentally made since they'd dump it out anyway, so I said yes, how can one say "no" to free coffee? So now, after pointing out how incredibly ridiculous 31 oz. of coffee would be I am holding 40 oz. of coffee in my hand. Instead of being embarrassed by one Venti size I am further embarrassed by having two Venti sized drinks with me at my table. Some would maybe assume I have a friend coming, but I don't.

I had a talk with a good friend last night and we somehow got on the topic of debt. I always have this credit card looming over my head. I really do not have much debt compared to the rest of America or even friends my age with college-loans to pay off. I never went to college and so thankfully don't have student-loans. However, I was dumb enough to get a credit card as soon as I was 18 and because I was pretty good then at making payments on it they gave me an extra $1,800 on top of my limit without even telling me!! That was not a good move on their part, but I know I can't blame them because I'm the one who spent all the money I didn't have. I try my best to not worry about it. I know God's got my back and he will provide for this because that is who He is! But it is not easy to keep trusting Him when it's been quite a few years now nothing really has changed.



Getting those two drinks today at Starbucks sure was more than what I needed. I just needed one iced coffee. God knows what we need without even asking Him. He knew I needed one coffee, but I believe he provided me with a second one also. He gave me in abundance something I did not even ask Him for! I know it's a little think like coffee, but I really think that this time as much as I want to send out a hundred thousand more postcards to hopefully get financial partnership from others, I want to trust God more than I ever have before. If He does not lead me to send out postcards then I won't do it. He knows my needs I need to stop always asking Him for things and start recognizing who He is with adoration and thanksgiving. He is not a magic genie who always grants our wishes. He knows our needs before we even need them. So, lets let Him surprise us with even more than we need. Lets not focus on our debt, bills, or necessities, but lets focus on who God is. He is on the throne and He does not want to see us stressed out and worried, pulling our hair out. He'd catch a grenade for you. Why wouldn't He take care of your needs?

Baby, It's Cold Outside.

I heard on the news last night that in the last 40 days it has snowed on 30 of them! I always pick the best time to come back home to Minnesota. I really will make a point not to come here during January and February ever again.

Here's how my day looked today:

Woke up at 9:00 in the morning and ate some cereal. You have no idea how wonderful it is to have 5 different kinds of cereal to choose from IN YOUR OWN HOUSE! It is amazing. Plus cold milk, ready to drink!
Today I had to take Peaches, the fattest Toy Poodle you will ever meet, to Petsmart to get groomed. This is what my life has become upon arrival at home. I clean the house, make dinner for the family, and take the dog to her appointments. I grab her and put her in my car and the entire 15 minute drive to the store she is crying and shaking! This was no small shaking either, it was chihuahua style almost seizure-like shaking. When we arrive at the store I have to carry her the whole way through the store and now she is trying to jump out of my arms kamikaze style. Last time I did this I made the mistake of using a leash and she was able to somehow squeeze her fat little head out of the collar and started running towards the front of the store and they have automatic motion-sensored doors so as soon as she got up to the first door it opened automatically for her! Fortunately I caught up with her and before the second door could automatically open to the outside world I grabbed her. So, I decided to carry her in the store from then on. We get back to the grooming place, I drop her off and go to Starbucks.
A couple hours are spent in Starbucks reading through the book of Ruth and writing in my neglected journal. Then I get the phone call, Peaches is ready to go!
When I get to Petsmart again I have to buy a toy for her and have them remove the tags then as soon as we get in the car she has something to play with instead of going ballistic and trying to jump into my lap for the 15 minute drive home. I don't know if you know this, but it is nearly impossible to drive with at Toy Poodle in your lap.
Well, we made it home without a problem and the rest of my day was spent doing dishes and trying on old dresses I forgot I had in a box in the basement.
For lunch I attempted scrambled eggs with some Indian spices in them. However, when I put the shaker over the eggs a mound of masala came out instead of the dusting I was trying to attempt. I could only eat half of them
Doesn't that sound like such an exciting day?

While reading Ruth today I really related to Ruth. She was a foreigner in a strange new land. She moved from her place of origin, her culture, her people, to go to a land far, far away with a people she did not know. She told Naomi, her mother-in-law, that basically she is choosing to leave everything behind to become a part of a strange culture. I was immediately reminded of myself, leaving America, my family, and this culture behind and moving to India and making it my new home and my new culture and my new family. I will say it has not been easy to remain obedient to God's calling and God's purpose there. In Ruth you don't hear of any complaining or regret in her leaving everything behind and living in a new, uncomfortable place. I am trying my hardest to live in India without letting the culture and language and climate get to me. I am also trying my hardest in coming back here to not let the culture, language, or climate get to me either! It is strange to feel like a foreigner in the country where you have citizenship. Some of the things it is hard to get used to:

The cold! In India it is 70 degrees at least every day.
Going to the bathroom. I won't go into detail, but it is hard to get used to.
Going to church. As an American living in India I no longer can relate to most of the things pastors here talk about. But also as an American in India, It is equally hard to relate to pastors in India. This is a new thing I realized this past week.
Scandalously dressed women. Which basically means anyone wearing a short skirt, dress, or showing their shoulders! Yikes.
Prices! Everything here is at least 8 times more expensive than in India. I can buy 12 bananas for 20 cents in India. I can buy a medium pizza for $4.00!
Independence! In India it was hard to get used to always having people around and I just wanted my privacy!!! Now all I get is privacy and I just want people around!!! I feel so lonely here.

More shocking things:
Electricity 24/7!??!
Hot water anytime I want it!??!
30 different varieties of sour cream!??!
Jeggings?? I did not even know what those were!
So many white people. Everywhere.
Cleanliness!! Everything here is so clean!

Now I'm about to eat GOULASH! Thank God for goulash. I think I even spelled that correctly! Wow.