I remember sitting with my shoulders pulled up around my ears while my eyes scanned the near sky.  I had no desire for a bat to either bite my neck or get caught in my hair.  Both seemed fairly dreadful.  Both still seem fairly dreadful.

Then I moved to Cote d'Ivoire--home to one of the largest populations of dog-faced fruit bats.  Yippee.  Our campus had hundreds of fruit trees.  Yippee Skippee.  I lost my fear of them biting my neck or landing on my head when I was out in the open, but I still wasn't a fan.

Then I met Stellaluna, the main character in a book of the same title by Janell Cannon.  Now there's at least one bat in the world that I regard with some warmth.

Stellaluna becomes a TCB--Third Culture Bat--in the course of the story.  She and her mother are attacked and separated one night and Stellaluna lands in a birds' nest.  She is graciously adopted by the Mama Bird and she quickly learns to adapt to the ways of birds.  She promises never to sleep hanging by her feet and she gratefully gulps down the bugs fed to her by Mama Bird. 

As time goes on the little fruit bat makes good friends with the birds, begins to think like a bird, and she acts like a bird.  One day she meets some other fruitbats who are quick to point out that Stellaluna is a bat.  She makes friends with them, too.

This is a great story of learning to assimilate without losing who you really are.  Stellaluna reminds TCKs (I doubt there are any TCBs reading the book) that it's OK to think and act like the culture around you just as much as it's OK to think and act like the culture you were born into.

The book is beautifully illustrated.  The portrayals of the birds and the bats are packed with emotion.  You can see the dismay, the humor, the fatigue, the elation--and so much more in the animals' expressions.  Cannon shows with words and pictures the plight of this TCB.

Find a copy of Stellaluna and you might just find a special corner in your heart for a bat.

For better or worse, living on a school campus means you're automatically part of tight knit community.  There are a few downsides to waking, working, and worshiping with the same core group year after year--especially when you live in the tropics.  As well intentioned as people can be, it does feel limiting when you sneeze and someone two houses away shouts, "Bless you, Sheryl!  Feel better soon!"  When your neighbors microwave sounds like your alarm clock, you might just live a little too close to each other.

As much as you can find "worse", better outweighs it a hundred fold.  Need a listening ear?  They're not hard to find.  Sick and need some help?  One of your neighbors is sure to have jello, chicken soup, or some coke to help your stomach.  Need to stay home from school?  Your prayer partner might just double as your substitute for at least one of your classes---and she can stop by your apartment on the way to your classroom to pick up the revised lesson plans.  In crisis? The body of Christ in your own yard will step in to pray and care for you however you need it.

I never realized what an amazing gift this community was when I was in it.  Of course I knew there were great parts of it, but the song might just be true--"you don't know what you've got till it's gone."  Moving to Colorado has been an exercise in slowly building community.

There was some built in community at my office.  It was (and is) good, but it wasn't the same.  There was (and is) some in my church, but it wasn't the same.  It has taken seven years to begin to build community in my neighborhood. I'm thankful for each sphere of my life where God shows me he can restore what was lost--even if it looks very different than I expect it to.

I wrote earlier this week about trying to take care of myself in the midst of WorldVenture's annual Renewal Conference.  While it exhausts me in so many ways, it also exhilarates me.  Why do I get exhilarated? It's community in real life.  It's community the way I think it should be as often as it can.

Some people walk into the conference not knowing a single person there.  Other people enter into a homecoming kind of reunion.  After a day of praying together and a few shared meals, there are very few strangers in the room.  It's beautiful to hear people unburden their hearts with others who get their lives and their passions.  It's lovely to see people listen with both their ears and their hearts.  It's encouraging to see others start to share another's burden.

We can't live at a conference.  We can't sequester ourselves indefinitely.  We need to speak and live the gospel in front of the world.  But this---this community in real life--is something we can help develop wherever we are.

I see it slowly unfolding before me.  I see it in my small group as we intercede for the daughter of one of our members who makes regular trips to the ICU.  I see it in the way my church provides medicine and education and a place to worship for the poorest of the poor a few continents away.  I see it for the way my neighbors care for me when I'm too sick to care for myself  and when I'm too far away to put my recycling out.  There's lots of community in real life, I just need to keep watching for it.

Where are you experiencing community?

photo courtesy of Lusi on RGBStock.com

Today I'm participating in the Faith Jam over on the Faith Barista's site.  Head over there and see what others have to say about Real Life Community.

Every year WorldVenture holds an annual conference for workers on Stateside assignment for the year.  Combine them with invited guests, Stateside staff, midtermers, Journey Corps participants, and some retirees and you'll come up with around 135 people in town for Renewal Conference.  My department and the International ministries department coordinate to make this event happen regularly.  It's a lot of work, but it's a pretty incredible event.  It's kind of like being at a family reunion with some potential future family members thrown into the mix.  Pretty great stuff.

We kick off the week with a two day prayer summit.  Today was day one.  I only made it half way through the day as a mentally engaged pray-er.  By the time we reached lunch I was every oxymoron in the first paragraph plus a few more.  Knowing I still had another 8 hours of interactions with people was daunting at lunch time.  I used the opportunity to practice a little self-care.

I cut out of lunch a little early and made a Starbucks run.  Frou frou coffee to the rescue!  I also gave myself permission to get away from the corporate prayer times for a while.  I took my self to a semi-secluded area and engaged a different set of inputs and problems.  I gave my eyes a rest from the tears that constantly escaped during the last hour or so of pre-lunch prayer.

The result?  A much more social me in the evening.  A higher level of concentration when listening to people I really, really want to hear.  A more alert me for the drive home.

This is an enjoyably tough week for me.  I love the people I get to work with.  I relish the moments when I get to connect with my friends I rarely see.  Being reminded of Big T Truth through scripture, prayer, and song is priceless.  The week comes with a price though.  It's one I'm more than willing to pay.

What's going on with you this week?

photo courtesy of Bearfaced on Flickr Creative Commons.

I'll admit, the first time I read it I thought, "Yeah--that's good.  There are a few good lines in here, but it's not as good as When Africa Was Home."  Some days I have a hard time embracing non-African artifacts.  I know there's a big world out there.  I'm just fond of my corners of it.

My second and subsequent readings have changed my mind.  It's just as good as any book about Africa.  Different can be good.

The story centers on a TCK growing up in California.  Her parents are Japanese immigrants.  They call her Ma-Chan--a nickname for Masako; everyone else calls her May.  After she graduates from high school, her parents decide to return to Japan and take her with them.  May must attend high school all over again in order to learn both academic Japanese and her "home" culture.  Her parents are determined to turn her into a "proper Japanese lady."

Masako/May finally reacts as almost any young woman reared in America would--she returns to dressing like an American.  Then she takes off for a dose of the city.  One of my favorite passages comes from this part of the book.

"I'm a foreigner in my parents' country, she thought.  And they came back here because they didn't want to be foreigners.  But I wasn't born here."

What a perfect description of being a hidden immigrant in one's passport country.  How accurately Mr. Say captures the tension of a TCK's concept of home and a TCK's parent's concept of home.

Eventually Masako harnesses her TCK superpowers and finds a job that allows her to bridge her cultures.  In doing so, she not only finds fulfilling work and a sense of belonging (at least partially), but she also finds love and home with another TCK.

The artwork needs a mention, too.  It's amazing.  The book is liberally illustrated with watercolors done by the author.  They have a photographic quality with the soft edges of watercolor.  They add to the richness of the text.

If you're looking for a TCK book that focuses on a hidden immigrant, repatriation, and the idea of home, this is what you're looking for.

Have you read Tea with Milk?  What did you think?  Keep those book suggestions coming!

book cover jacket as depicted on Barnes & Noble's website.

My friend Sarah wrote a marvelous list on her blog today.  She inspired me.  (If you haven't already clicked over there, please do it!  She's an amazing person, a superior cook, and a heck of a writer!)

Without further ado . . . here's my list . . .

1. I ordered glasses on line today.  When my eye doc's office quoted me $475 (before taxes) to just put new lenses in my beloved frames, I almost keeled over.  $475 (before taxes) is nowhere in anything resembling my budget.  So, to Zenni Optical I went.  I spent too much time reading about frames, putting frames in my "favorites" list, uploading my picture, "trying on" different frames.  I even spent who knows how long on the phone with my mom going over the pros and cons of each of the 19 pair of frames in the favorites list as we both clicked them on and off my photo.  In the end I spent the price of a  lunch not on the dollar menu at a fast food place over $100 for my new glasses.  I'd say that's a significant savings . . . if they actually work.  I've heard good reports from others, so I have fairly high hopes.  I'll keep you posted.

2. I made Paula Deen's mac and cheese the other night.  My mouth died and went to heaven.  My thighs . . . they just died.  As dairy fat loving as Ms. Deen is, I just don't think she puts enough cheese in her dish.  I remedied that much to the chagrin of my thighs.  Seriously.  I tripled the amount of cheese.

3. I finally pulled out the electric blanket this week.  Oh heavenly comfort!!!  Why did I wait so long?!?!  I love that thing.  I've learned the secret to it though--crank it up high.  Get in bed.  Journal. Read.  Enjoy a full body heating pad.  Turn it off.  Go to sleep.  If I forget the next to the last step?  Yuck.  I wake up a few hours later wondering how July wound up in January.  It may have something to do with the 3 other blankets (one of them is down) and the fleece that I've been sleeping in.  Maybe it has something to do with those things.  Just maybe.

4. I finally went to the dentist after more years than I'd like to admit to.  The hygenist proclaimed, "You would never know it has been that long."  I finally caved because eating eggs caused immense pain last week.  Even though the pain went away, I knew it was wise to go.  Just in case you're wondering--I'm scheduled for a root canal next Thursday from 8 - 10 AM.  That would be the same Thursday I'm scheduled to teach from 10:30 - 12:00.  I think we're changing the teaching schedule.

5. The sunset tonight was definite proof that God's a Broncos fan.  Just thought you should know.  I'd post the pic I took on my phone, but that's proof I need new glasses.

6. I really, really do not like numbers.  I really, really, really do not like them when they're connected to money.  I really wish I had someone to manage all my money.  Just tell me how much I can spend.  Don't make me deal with the engulfing anxiety that accompanies bills--even when I know the money is there.  Now you know one of my dreams.

7. I've had a hard time focusing (literally and figuratively) lately.  I'm not sure what it's about.  Sadly, I hit my stride about 4 PM when everyone else is thinking about packing up and calling it a day.  It makes me look like I'm working extra hard . . . and I'm not.  I'm just too scattered to accomplish anything significant before then.  I wonder if I could ever convince an organization to run on my internal clock?  Yeah--another of those fairly unattainable dreams.  I don't think it's just a matter of living in the wrong time zone.

8. Lately I have a thing for Wendy's All-Natural Lemonade.  Yummmmmmm.  It's just the right balance of tart and sweet without tasting like chemicals.  If you're game, go try some.

9. I just found out picnik.com is closing in April.  That makes me sad.  Yes, they're tools will be in other places, but I like using their site so much.  I even considered buying a membership.  Well, that's $12 saved!

10.  I hope you've enjoyed my random thoughts this evening.  I'm headed to home group and then hours upon hours of sleep.

Why don't you shoot me your own list?  It will be fun.  Really.

clipboard and pen image courtesy of woodsy on rgbstock.com; editing courtesy of picnik.  (sniff)

When Africa Was Home by Karen Lynn Williams is fantastic.  It's words are as beautiful as the pictures Floyd Cooper has drawn.  Together they've created a book that makes me proud to work with TCKs and homesick all in the same breath.

Peter who grows up in Africa and has no memory of America is the main character.  The book is told from his perspective.  We learn the carefree rhythm of his days.  We hear the echoes of his mother's words in his nanny's mouth--and vice versa.  We see the joy of a life in an African village.  We feel (and some of us relate to) Peter's reluctance to go to America.  We learn of our own country from the perspective of this hidden immigrant.  We are reminded of the sheer pleasure wrapped up in returning to our heart's home.

If you know anyone who grew up in Sub-Saharan Africa--especially if they ever lived in a village, this book would be a meaningful gift for them.  Even though the story is set in Malawi (though it never comes right out and says so), there is so much that is relatable to life in other parts of Africa.  Africa is a varied continent with many threads connecting cultures across it's immense space.

If you haven't read it, go find it.  If you have, share what it means to you with someone who didn't share the experience with you.

What children's book occupies a great space in your heart?

Image courtesy of Amazon.com (as if you couldn't tell!)

I really don't know what was going on in my life at that point.  I just know the verse made me stop.  I read.  I reread.  I'm pretty sure my eyes leaked a little bit.

The words?

"The LORD your God is with you,

The Mighty Warrior who saves.

He will take great delight in you;

in his great love he will no longer rebuke you,

but will rejoice over you with singing."

Zephaniah 3:17

The idea that God delights in me blew me away.  I knew and know that he loved me--but I also realized you can love someone and be grieved by them.  But to delight in someone?  You've got to not just love them, you must also enjoy them.

I'm a first born.  I'm fairly good at following rules.  At that point in my life, parts of my relationship with God were more rule based than relationship based.  Doing most things routinely grates against the core of my being.  The combination of following rules about my spiritual life (have your time with God before you get into your day) and my dislike of routine (and mornings) caused a lot of guilt.  The idea of God singing over me did not fit into any picture in my head.

About the same time I read this I was attending a Bible study led by one of the dorm moms, Jean.  I learned so much from her over the years our lives overlapped at ICA.  At this point one of the things she said (and I doubt she knew she was speaking directly to me) dovetailed with this verse. Her words went something like this,  "Do you think God is folding is arms, impatiently tapping his toe, and scowling at you because you're not getting time with him before your day starts?  No!  When you spend time with him, he's thrilled that you stopped and made time to spend with your friend, your father."

Her words combined with God's words started to change my thinking.  He no longer rebukes me; he rejoices over me with singing.  He's not grumpy because I'm not a morning person and don't like routine.  He's delighted and finds me delightful.  It makes him joyful when we spend time together at random times throughout the day.  He doesn't have a stopwatch to record the minutes spent in prayer or reading.  He has arms to embrace me and a melody to whisper in my ear.  I get to relax in him and he delights in me.  We get to enjoy each other.

John Piper points out that as the Father delights in us, it shifts our focus to him.  What could be better than this mutual delight?

What do you think of God delighting in you?

photo courtesy of photonut on rgbstock.com

Today I'm blogging with the Faith Barista. "Delight" is her word for 2012. Now that you've read my thoughts on it. Go check out hers.

The idea is to ask God to impress one word on your heart--a theme for the year.  Last year's word was "persevere."  I knew from the moment the ball dropped in Times' Square 2011 was going to be a year that required keeping at it.  I knew there were so many areas of my life that I needed to just keep going in, putting one foot in front of the other (so to speak, since I couldn't walk at this time last year).  It was the perfect word for 2011.

I persevered through learning to walk again not once but twice.  I pushed on through recovering from 5 surgeries.  I persevered through some challenging situations with finances, with day to day life, with ministry.  Family illness and surgeries added a few more surpirses, a few more trips, and a few more opportunities to persevere.

Persevere was the perfect word for 2011.

Over the last few weeks, I've asked God repeatedly what my word for 2012 is.  In the face of silence, I've suggested a few.  "How about 'rest', Lord?"  That seemed like a really good one.  "No, not 'rest."  So what about 'joy' . . . 'security' . . . 'adventure' . . . 'beach' . . . 'friendship'?"  Nothing.  "How about two words, Abba---'love' and 'marriage' ?  They go together like a horse and carriage!"  "You're right . . . I'd wonder all year if I'd heard you correctly on those."   When I just said, "OK, Lord.  You tell me."  He was pretty silent.

I'm not sure if that means "persevere" continues to be my word for 2012 or if I just don't need to know my word yet.  In either case, I'm going to keep persevering in 2012.  If God gives me a new word for the year, I'll let you know.

In the meantime, I'm about ready to jump back into the thick of ministry--sore throat, runny nose and all.  If everything goes as planned, this year holds a lot of travel, some big steps of new programs that make me wonder if I'm stepping out in faith or stupidity, and resolve to keep finding creative and restorative outlets.

What's your word for 2012?  What are you going to keep doing from 2011?

photo courtesy of Calamity Meg on Flickr Creative Commons.
I'm joining in Faith Barista's Thursday Jam again this week.  Go on over and see what others have decided is their word for 2012.

JANUARY:  I seriously don't remember much of January.  I started the year with a cold (and seem to be ending it with the second verse).  I rolled around on my knee scooter a lot.  My parents returned to CO from CA to help me out for the last two weeks of the month; little did we know then that they may not be able to come back to CO becauseof my mom's lung issues.  I started walking again and went back to the office.

Blogging:  One of my most commented posts is here.  My word for the year (and what a fitting word it was!) can be found here.

FEBRUARY: Back in the office and back to a longer training filled most of the month.  One of the highlights was starting to hang out with three of my neighbors.  I like to refer to them as The Thursdays becausee . . . well, we try to spend time together on (can you guess!?!) Thursday.  Physical Therapy started.

Blogging:  The two top posts of the month were about singleness and dating.

MARCH: As I look at the calendar, meetings and doctors' appointments dominate the month.  I know, too, it was filled with quite a few physical therapy sessions--tough but life giving.  Physical Therapy came to an end in March.  Pictures from the SHARE Family Education Conference started popping up on facebook.  They simultaneously gave me joy because it looked like the kids were having so much fun and made me sad because I wasn't strong/healthy enough to be there.

Blogging: You can find some of the most commented posts of March here and here.

APRIL:  There was more surgery and more "sexy" footwear in April, but it also held some really positive things.  I took my first solo plane trip since rupturing my Achilles.  A good friend came to visit for a week.  I co-hosted a TCK Think Tank -- one of the most intense but fun weekends of the year.  Peace started to come to Cote d'Ivoire after almost 9 years of a lack of it.

Blogging: You can find one of my favorite posts of the year here.  These two are ones I wish more people had interacted with--1 and 2.

MAY:  Almost as soon as the Think Tank was over, I boarded a plane for Los Angeles and my brother's production of Fathers' Follies.  Basically the dads of my nephews' school dress in drag and other costumes, put on a stage show, and raise money for their kids' school.  It's crazy, fun, and only the slightest bit disturbing if you take it out of context.  My interns arrived in May--at least 4/5 of them--and we started the crazy, wonderful summer.

Blogging: In May, my website got hacked for the first time; therefore, there are no posts in May.

JUNE:  By the middle of the month, all my interns arrived.  We debriefed TCKs and they prepared some other kids to become TCKs.  I made an emergency trip to Florida because my mother was in ICU.  I started my yearly trip to NY for TCK-PreField Orientation and training 1 Room School House teachers.

Blogging: Still hacked.

JULY:  TCK-PFO ended with another emergency trip to FL to visit with my parents.  My Mom spent just over 40 days in the hospital this summer.  I'm thankful she pulled through, and I'm thankful I got to be there for many of them.  More debriefing---except this time with a crazy age spread---barely 3 years old to almost 19 years old.  Crazy?  Yes.  One of the best weeks of debriefing?  Definitely.  So thankful for amazing interns and helpers.  Headed off to Interaction International's Transition Seminar.

Blogging:  Up for a day, and then hacked again.

AUGUST: Ended Transition Seminar feeling really lousy, made it home to turn around and head to the ER.  A 104.6 fever and many tests later, the conclusion was that I had a virus.  I went home, slept, hydrated, and tylenoled.  The next day my leg started getting hot.  By Sunday morning, I could hardly walk.  I went back to the ER (with the help of the Thursdays), and had surgery on my infected Achilles tendon that night.  I had another surgery on it a few days later.  I left the hospital after a week and moved in with dear friends who looked after me and gave me a home without stairs for the next 7 weeks.

Blogging:  After being on death's doorstep, blogging didn't seem like a big priority.  I put up this post--get well wishes from the nephews.

SEPTEMBER: It was a blurry month.  I alligator wrestled from a propped leg position on the end of the couch with a 3 year old and a 5 year old most days.  I saw multiple doctors multiple times.  I got frustrated at how much time it takes to heal.

Blogging:  I write about writing and voice a few times.  I write about the 9th anniversary of evacuating from Cote d'Ivoire.  Go here if you missed any of them.

OCTOBER: I take my first post-op plane trip with a friend and her daughter to Chicagoland where I get to attend the 25th reunion of my graduating class from college.  I hated to spend the money, but I'm so very glad I did.  I have another birthday.  I train more missionaries--twice.  I move back to my house.  I also started physical therapy again.

Blogging:  You can find two of the best posts of the month here and here.

NOVEMBER: Still training those missionaries in November and still going to physical therapy.  I went to CA to spend some time with my parents as my dad had hip and partial knee replacement.  Mom and I had Hawaiian barbeque for Thanksgiving dinner.  It's no wonder I have a hard time recalling what Thanksgiving dinner was like this year!

Blogging:  Check out this and this.

DECEMBER:  Lots of Christmas gift making--some of it more successful than others--was done.  Even more gift wrapping was accomplished.  I learned to make amazing sea salt carmels.  I got to participate in my church's outreach of wrapping presents for anyone who walked by and wanted their gifts wrapped.  It helps that we're in a strip mall. I flew back to CA for Christmas and some R & R with the family that is rapidly turning into sick time for us all.

Blogging: I focused on TCK videos and being distracted in my faith.  Check out the posts here.

Whew!  Kudos to you if you stuck with this whole post.  2011 was a year of struggling health for me and my family.  It was also a year of great joy in serving my Lord.  I'm hoping for a healthier and even more joyous 2012!

What were some of your highlights for 2011?  What are you hoping for in 2012?

photo courtesy of Zela on rgbstock.com

Sit back.  Be prepared to smile.  Here's a fresh telling of the first Christmas.

There's so much I love about this video. I'm enamored with the star and the third wise man . . . and what a celebration! I've never thought of it quite like that.
What stood out to you?

photo courtesy of Avondale Patillo UMC on Flickr Creative Commons.