Show me How to Fight for Now.

One either loves India or one doesn't.

There is no "gray" when talking about India love.

I, for one, love India. Mostly.

One of the hardest things for me to adjust to in is the Indian concept of time. Indian is trying its absolute hardest to become a major world power but is being hindered by a "third world" mind set. A majority of Indians are focused on having just enough for today, which makes it impossible to think ahead for tomorrows needs/wants let alone a future.

 When I moved into this home it was operating with this mind set. I call it "crisis mode". People were telling me we were out of food or diapers when we literally had not one item left. I would be left running out to the store at the last min. or scrambling to make do. Needless to say to someone who is a future oriented planner this was beyond frustrating. Why couldn't every one think like me?

Some where in the midst of my temper tantrum I realized that with my Western mind set I was missing out on the today I had been given. While living with a mind set for the future keeps me from buying groceries for breakfast at 8am, it also keeps me from enjoying all the little moments in my day. The moments that in the long run really matter.

I have been in India for 9 months. We were asked this past week about our long term plans for living in India and working for SCH. When I started this journey God called me to India for a set time of one year. Over a year and a half later that has not changed, I will be coming home in May.

I love it here. I love SCH, my work and the kids. There is no one reason for me to leave. But the journey of following the Rabbi is a continual one.

However, the next 3 months are not going to be spent preparing for my future in America. They are going to be spent taking one day at a time, relishing the small moments.

 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?  So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." ~Matthew 6:25-34

Just as I am

Fact: Living in India has changed my life for the better.

Truth: Moving to India did not/does not make me a saint.

The same sins and faults I struggled with in Lombard, IL USA came with me to India.

In fact, living out of my comfort zone in some crazy situations has magnified my faults all the more.

January was a hard month. Starting a new home from scratch and trying, as a new mom with new staff, to figure out how to run a new home has kicked me in the behind. I feel I have done more damage then good this month. Especially as I have tried to do it on my own, refusing Heavenly guidance. I have lost my temper more times then I care to remember and required more forgiveness and grace then should be allotted to me.

Indian life happens in community.

Living in community requires lots of grace.

I am so grateful for Indian staff for showing the alien in their community copious amounts of grace. For the wonderful women in my home that have taken me under their wing and who repeatedly, in their own quiet way teach me how to be a woman full of grace.

" And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,  in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,  among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,  not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." ~Ephesians 2:1-10

Fact: Left to my own devices and tendencies things turn disastrous.

Truth: Christ in His infinite grace and mercy has redeemed me, my story and my mistakes for His Glory. Hallelujah and amen.



 Baby Ruby and her ammama (grandmother) ayah.