Within the word communication you can find "common" and "union". Good communicators are able to find a "common union" or "common ground" as they interact with people. Good marriages are made of two people who seek to find the common ground; they communicate well. Good friendships are made of two people who have at least one thing in common. Relationships within families are improved when the members find something in common.
An anecdote about finding a common ground...
When we were growing up as cousins every New Years eve we would get together and celebrate. There were the families of the four siblings on my mom's side, plus my grandparents. All together there were about 20 younglings running around what with all the cousins, foster kids, friends and whoever else happened to be around at the time. We had grand times together! One of the things that we did was played "White Elephant Bingo". A white elephant is a curious, unwanted item. Each person brought their item to the game all wrapped up. We all played Bingo, adults and children alike. After calling out, "Bingo!" the winner then had to pick one White Elephant to open. As the game progressed each successive winner had the choice of opening a new gift or stealing a gift that had already been opened. The victim of the robbery then had to open an unopened gift. Play continued until all the gifts were opened - and not one round more. After the last gift was revealed you were stuck with what you had in front of you.
Many a laugh was had as we saw the unveiling of the items. Some of the high-light items were: toilet paper printed like money and a hideously gaudy lamp clock combination. But there was one White Elephant that was revered above all. It was a rotating item, meaning that it came back every year. And the honored bearer of this gift wrapped it in such a way as to disguise its existence. Oh the squeals of glee when the gift was finally discovered! Every win after it was unwrapped was followed by the gusty familiar phrase, "Hand it over!" Everyone knew that a robbery was taking place.
The best part of the whole night was when the final winner of the prize had the honor to use it at the strike of mid night. It was a big, red, electric fog horn! All the rest of us losers would scour the cabinets of the kitchen for pots and pans and wooden spoons to bang. Then the whole lot of us would head outside to bring in the frosty mid-west New Year with bangs and hollers and a noisy fog horn. That was the best!
The evening wound down with adults talking and munching on left-overs while the little ones found a corner and a blanket to curl up in for a few hours.
Those were good times... very good times.
Friday, June 29
Tuesday, June 26
Just for you, Alece!
This is a virtual gift... I figured I would save on shipping and handling. You can just imagine them in your bathroom. (grin)
This is an inside joke... go here to understand.
(This was actually a gift given to me last week by my house help for my birthday.)Monday, June 25
Cold Morning Breakfast
Down here in the Southern Hemisphere we woke up to a crisp and cool 50 degrees (F). Thusly motivated there arose in me a craving for oatmeal. Not having any brown sugar on hand I scurried around the kitchen looking for something to jazz up the blandness in my bowl.Here are the yummy results!
Ingredients:
(One serving)
1 cup oats
¾ cups low fat milk
1 medium banana sliced
¼ cup mixed nuts (almond slices, peanut bits and walnut chunks)
2 dried figs, broke up in pieces
2 tablespoons honey (roughly)
Preparation:
Rub the oats between your hands to crush them. This will make them creamier after cooking. Layer the ingredients as listed above in the bowl that you will be eating from. Honey should be drizzled on top. Zap it in the microwave until the bananas are soft and the oatmeal is hot, about 2 minutes. Enjoy!
Thursday, June 21
Another Attitude Adjustment
This was good day. If you would have asked me at breakfast if this as a good day I would have told you it didn’t look like it would be. If you would have asked me at lunch if this is a good day I would have grumbled an emphatic no. It was just one of those get under your skin days… at least it started out that way.
So after lunch I was exhausted because of my crummy attitude and decided to do something about it. First measure: sleep. Finally the baby went down for a nap so I thought that I could get some shut eye too. Fifteen minutes later he was up, and so was I. Nap didn’t work; so I tried snacking. After I worked some unwise sugary morsels down my throat I found that I didn’t feel any better. So I tried pop-corn. To no avail either. Third attempt was my email. I thought maybe someone felt the urge to write their dear suffering friend an encouraging message. (Insert pathetic violin music here.) Nope.
I knew that we were going to have church in the evening so I was going to have to get rid of this stinky ‘tude before service. It was time to take Raimy to art class. So I set my frustration on the back burner to simmer and headed out the door.
I had put off doing one of the things that I don’t like doing: phone calls. But I had to do them. So I put on my happy voice and made the calls. By the time I was done it was time to get Raimy. As we were coming back I remembered a testimony from a friend about a time she was walking around the back of a hospital and ran into some one that she hadn’t seen in a long while. I could hear my friend telling the whole story about a restored friendship. I thought it was odd that I had remembered it. But just then something similar happened to me.
As I was walking to my apartment, sure enough one of the church members crossed paths with me. I struck up a conversation with her and she began to describe to me what her day had been like. And wouldn’t you know, but she was describing exactly how I had felt all day long. Knowing that commiserating with her would not help the situation I began to speak to her about how this will look like nothing when you are on the other side. I told her to remember what her life was like two years ago and how far she had come. I told her that this hard time would strengthen her relationship with the Lord and she should be grateful for all the good things that were happening in her life at the moment. Her eyes began to light up. She began to speak more positively and remember the goodness of God.
As I continued on up the stairs I realized that I was no longer grumpy and that I was actually feeling very good. Then I felt like God just highlighted moments in my afternoon. My first attempts to resolve a negative attitude were selfish and inward focused (naps, candy, pop-corn, emails). But then as I forced myself to serve and give (by helping my daughter, making the phone calls and then encouraging the gal close to my home) I had an outward focus. And it was like I was impressed to realize that the better solution was found in pushing myself not in pleasing myself.
Another attitude adjustment… grace really truly is amazing.
"Heights by great men reached and kept were not obtained by sudden flight but, while their companions slept, they were toiling upward in the night." Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Romans 12:11 "Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality." (Message)
So after lunch I was exhausted because of my crummy attitude and decided to do something about it. First measure: sleep. Finally the baby went down for a nap so I thought that I could get some shut eye too. Fifteen minutes later he was up, and so was I. Nap didn’t work; so I tried snacking. After I worked some unwise sugary morsels down my throat I found that I didn’t feel any better. So I tried pop-corn. To no avail either. Third attempt was my email. I thought maybe someone felt the urge to write their dear suffering friend an encouraging message. (Insert pathetic violin music here.) Nope.
I knew that we were going to have church in the evening so I was going to have to get rid of this stinky ‘tude before service. It was time to take Raimy to art class. So I set my frustration on the back burner to simmer and headed out the door.
I had put off doing one of the things that I don’t like doing: phone calls. But I had to do them. So I put on my happy voice and made the calls. By the time I was done it was time to get Raimy. As we were coming back I remembered a testimony from a friend about a time she was walking around the back of a hospital and ran into some one that she hadn’t seen in a long while. I could hear my friend telling the whole story about a restored friendship. I thought it was odd that I had remembered it. But just then something similar happened to me.
As I was walking to my apartment, sure enough one of the church members crossed paths with me. I struck up a conversation with her and she began to describe to me what her day had been like. And wouldn’t you know, but she was describing exactly how I had felt all day long. Knowing that commiserating with her would not help the situation I began to speak to her about how this will look like nothing when you are on the other side. I told her to remember what her life was like two years ago and how far she had come. I told her that this hard time would strengthen her relationship with the Lord and she should be grateful for all the good things that were happening in her life at the moment. Her eyes began to light up. She began to speak more positively and remember the goodness of God.
As I continued on up the stairs I realized that I was no longer grumpy and that I was actually feeling very good. Then I felt like God just highlighted moments in my afternoon. My first attempts to resolve a negative attitude were selfish and inward focused (naps, candy, pop-corn, emails). But then as I forced myself to serve and give (by helping my daughter, making the phone calls and then encouraging the gal close to my home) I had an outward focus. And it was like I was impressed to realize that the better solution was found in pushing myself not in pleasing myself.
Another attitude adjustment… grace really truly is amazing.
"Heights by great men reached and kept were not obtained by sudden flight but, while their companions slept, they were toiling upward in the night." Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Romans 12:11 "Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality." (Message)
Tuesday, June 19
Monday, June 18
Funny Fruit - Pomelo
One of my friends from the States came with me to do my Saturday market shopping this weekend. It was interesting seeing familiar things through new eyes. We had fun. And we found a great funny fruit that I thought would be fun to share.
This is a grape fruit! It is huge. The taste was the same as any other grape fruit. It was not as juicy as I expected; but I did get 2 cups (500 ml) of juice squeezed out of it. There was only one seed in the whole thing. I was reminded of the story in the bible when the spies came back from the Promised Land describing the huge fruit that they found. This was probably something like what they saw.
In Bolivia this fruit is called Pomelo.
This is a grape fruit! It is huge. The taste was the same as any other grape fruit. It was not as juicy as I expected; but I did get 2 cups (500 ml) of juice squeezed out of it. There was only one seed in the whole thing. I was reminded of the story in the bible when the spies came back from the Promised Land describing the huge fruit that they found. This was probably something like what they saw.
In Bolivia this fruit is called Pomelo.
Tuesday, June 12
Multi-tasker
“You are quite the multi-tasker!” is a comment that I have heard recently on distinct and separate occasions, various times (always said with a raised eyebrow, a sideways grin and a quick chuckle).
The usual repenting reply is, “Yeah, they say I might actually get more done if I focused on one thing at a time.” as I grimace and then sheepishly smile.
Here is my theory: things that can be done without thinking can be combined with some thing that requires thought – as long as the two tasks do not demand the usage of the same body parts. So I usually do look for ways to combine tasks.
Yet there are tasks that I choose not to combine with anything else because I really do value quality. Some of them are: communing, writing, proofing, teaching, good reading, and good listening.
Because so many have noticed that I multi-task I am paying more attention to when I do it. I am in that evaluation stage now to see if it is something that I need to stop doing so as to increase effectiveness. Or is it something that I can keep on doing to my hearts content.
The usual repenting reply is, “Yeah, they say I might actually get more done if I focused on one thing at a time.” as I grimace and then sheepishly smile.
Here is my theory: things that can be done without thinking can be combined with some thing that requires thought – as long as the two tasks do not demand the usage of the same body parts. So I usually do look for ways to combine tasks.
Yet there are tasks that I choose not to combine with anything else because I really do value quality. Some of them are: communing, writing, proofing, teaching, good reading, and good listening.
Because so many have noticed that I multi-task I am paying more attention to when I do it. I am in that evaluation stage now to see if it is something that I need to stop doing so as to increase effectiveness. Or is it something that I can keep on doing to my hearts content.
Saturday, June 9
Psalm 121
The LORD the Keeper of Israel.A Song of Ascents.
1. I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come?
2. My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.
3. He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber.
4. Behold, He who keeps Israel Will neither slumber nor sleep.
5. The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade on your right hand.
6. The sun will not smite you by day, Nor the moon by night.
7. The LORD will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul.
8. The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in From this time forth and forever.
Climbing the stairs to the Cristo this morning with Marisol was awesome! The verses above were in my head. We started the climb at 7:15 and we were at the top by 7:50 (15 minutes faster than last week). I know the picture quality isn't that great - maybe I'll get a better shot next week - but you can see that it is getting cold. Last week we didn't take anything for our heads and our ears were aching the whole climb. I was so glad I had my Chief's hat this time. I really love Saturday mornings!
Tuesday, June 5
The Smell
“The first condition of understanding a foreign country is to smell it.”
Rudyard Kipling
That is so true!
Upon returning to Bolivia after 6 weeks in the States we have been experiencing culture shock. There is no better way to explain it. In fact we were going through a form of culture shock when we were in the States. My kiddos are 9, 7, 5 and 8 months. Five and a half years (straight through) of our lives have been lived in Bolivia. We took one trip back to the States for about a month with all the kids over two years ago. And this spring we were in the States for about a month.
My kids are bi-lingual (Spanish and English). It is so easy for them to flip the switch and speak either language like a native. The Bolivians say that our kids have no accent at all. When you hear them speak English they have no accent at all either. This is the true definition of bi-lingual. My husband and I are English speakers who have learned Spanish. We have an accent when we speak Spanish.
So, I am thinking about the culture. Are my children bi-cultural? I would say that they are. They are exposed to the Bolivian culture on a daily basis. It is unavoidable that they would not adopt this culture due to the choice we have made to live where the people live, rather than on a mission base per se. So Bolivia is one culture that they do know. The second culture that they know is that of a Washington kid, not necessarily of an American. You would assume that the second culture I would mention would be American. But it isn’t. Granted, some of the aspects of the culture of the Washington house overlap with a general American culture. But they live in a way so distinct from those in the United States that their only tie to that great nation is their passport and whatever bit they glean from the fact that their parents are both Americans. It has been intriguing to watch my kids interact with the American culture.
On one of the plane rides back to Bolivia my 7 year old son struck up a conversation with a business man. He said, “Hi! I’m Timothy. We’re the Washington kids and we’re missionaries in Bolivia. What’s your name?” The gentleman grinned and said his name was, “Greg.” Timothy chatted with him during the ride. Then during our layover in Chicago we were hanging out at a terminal munching on a snack. All of a sudden my 5 year old points and says, “Hey, there is Timothy’s friend Greg!”
Some may argue that the American culture is diverse in its very definition. That there is such a wide range and so many intricate details in the culture of the United States it is hard to put your finger on just what it means to be an American. While I can understand (and to a degree agree with) that point of view I would still say that much of what my kids experienced in the States was foreign to them. Because they are so accustomed to managing two languages and two cultures (that of Bolivia and that of our home) they were able to successfully immerse themselves into life in the States. But essentially their experience could be compared to that of someone from United States visiting Australia for an extended vacation. Some things are similar – but the culture is distinct and separate.
We are not your typical anything. We are missionaries. We home school. We are a mixed race family (black and white). We are citizens of the United States. We are residents of Bolivia. What a richly diverse upbringing my kids are getting.
As my children are making observations about the differences between the United States and Bolivia they often ask the question, “Why is it this way?” Thinking I could just get off easy I say, “That is the culture.” Well, you know what the next question is, “What is culture?” How do you explain culture to a child?
Rudyard Kipling
That is so true!
Upon returning to Bolivia after 6 weeks in the States we have been experiencing culture shock. There is no better way to explain it. In fact we were going through a form of culture shock when we were in the States. My kiddos are 9, 7, 5 and 8 months. Five and a half years (straight through) of our lives have been lived in Bolivia. We took one trip back to the States for about a month with all the kids over two years ago. And this spring we were in the States for about a month.
My kids are bi-lingual (Spanish and English). It is so easy for them to flip the switch and speak either language like a native. The Bolivians say that our kids have no accent at all. When you hear them speak English they have no accent at all either. This is the true definition of bi-lingual. My husband and I are English speakers who have learned Spanish. We have an accent when we speak Spanish.
So, I am thinking about the culture. Are my children bi-cultural? I would say that they are. They are exposed to the Bolivian culture on a daily basis. It is unavoidable that they would not adopt this culture due to the choice we have made to live where the people live, rather than on a mission base per se. So Bolivia is one culture that they do know. The second culture that they know is that of a Washington kid, not necessarily of an American. You would assume that the second culture I would mention would be American. But it isn’t. Granted, some of the aspects of the culture of the Washington house overlap with a general American culture. But they live in a way so distinct from those in the United States that their only tie to that great nation is their passport and whatever bit they glean from the fact that their parents are both Americans. It has been intriguing to watch my kids interact with the American culture.
On one of the plane rides back to Bolivia my 7 year old son struck up a conversation with a business man. He said, “Hi! I’m Timothy. We’re the Washington kids and we’re missionaries in Bolivia. What’s your name?” The gentleman grinned and said his name was, “Greg.” Timothy chatted with him during the ride. Then during our layover in Chicago we were hanging out at a terminal munching on a snack. All of a sudden my 5 year old points and says, “Hey, there is Timothy’s friend Greg!”
Some may argue that the American culture is diverse in its very definition. That there is such a wide range and so many intricate details in the culture of the United States it is hard to put your finger on just what it means to be an American. While I can understand (and to a degree agree with) that point of view I would still say that much of what my kids experienced in the States was foreign to them. Because they are so accustomed to managing two languages and two cultures (that of Bolivia and that of our home) they were able to successfully immerse themselves into life in the States. But essentially their experience could be compared to that of someone from United States visiting Australia for an extended vacation. Some things are similar – but the culture is distinct and separate.
We are not your typical anything. We are missionaries. We home school. We are a mixed race family (black and white). We are citizens of the United States. We are residents of Bolivia. What a richly diverse upbringing my kids are getting.
As my children are making observations about the differences between the United States and Bolivia they often ask the question, “Why is it this way?” Thinking I could just get off easy I say, “That is the culture.” Well, you know what the next question is, “What is culture?” How do you explain culture to a child?
… what would you say?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
