Twenty Years in the Other Direction = 40

Missed weddings
Missed births.
Missed baby dedications.
Missed graduations.
Missed Christmases, Easters, Mother's Days. 
Missed deaths.
Missed funerals.  I learned a friend died...a year after his death. I grieved alone.

There is a price we all pay for a lifetime call to overseas missions.  
People back home went 20 years one direction; We went 20 years in the other.

Culture, Theology, Philosophy, Foods, Clothing, Modesty, Music, Time Management, Language, Values, Politics, Health, History, Boundaries, Music, Cooking, Lifestyle...Richly influenced by other cultures, ways of living, ways of viewing the world, forty years now separate us.

Home. Where is it?  

My idioms are all messed up in English now.

It is only when we step outside of our culture, and begin to learn to see through another's eyes, that we can better "see" our own. Many cultures view themselves as superior, and many nations engage in nationalistic idolatry - binding together one particular political view point or party with "God's way."

This is not new, of course. "As it was in the age of the prophets, so it is in nearly every age; we all go mad, not only individually, but also nationally." (1) 

As we begin to understand how we've changed, we recognize what a blessing it is to see from multiple perspectives, to understand our home culture with increased dispassion, and to share the significance of those differences with others. 

"All the churches of Jesus Christ, scattered in diverse cultures, have been redeemed for God by the blood of the Lamb to form one multicultural community of faith.  The ‘blood’ that binds them as brothers and sisters is more precious than the ‘blood,’ the language, the customs, political allegiances, or economic interests that may separate them.  We reject the false doctrine, as though a church should place allegiance to the culture it inhabits and the nation to which it belongs above the commitment to brothers and sisters from other cultures and nations, servants of the one Jesus Christ, their common Lord, and members of God’s new community.” (2)

(1) Heschel, The Prophets
(2) Miroslav Volf, Christian Cultural Identity

Christmas in Minnesota

Walking up the stairs, I counted how many homes I've "done Christmas" in since marrying Neal.

Nine. 

That means Christmas 2017 will be the tenth home in 18 years of marriage I've had to figure out how to do Christmas for a family.

There's a typical pattern:

• The first year in a new home is hardest as you have to figure out where all the decorations should go. 
• The 2nd year you refine a little but at least the nail holes are there. 
• By the 3rd year, (if there is a 3rd year in the same home), Christmas can go up quite easily and with less time, energy, and money. 

Today I got out my 2 small Christmas boxes I hauled home from Turkey to see what I have for decorations.  Certain Christmas decorations and the handstitched Christmas stockings made by Grandma have always been on our "evacuation list" for the past 2 decades if we were allowed to take more than 2 kilos with us.

Over the years we've collected decorations as a family from numerous Asian and European countries.  Our family Christmas tree is always filled with items from around the world.  Every Christmas, we have the kids pick out a new Christmas ornament, so that when they are finally ready to have their own Christmas tree, they will have meaningful ornaments, and not have to run out to Walmart.

As I unpack, I am happy to see the Estonian and Israeli Olive wood Nativity sets, but I am reminded the handmade Black Nativity from West Africa caught on fire last year.  It was made of cloth, and when the candle next to the African Nativity set burnt so low it started the plastic candle wreath on fire, and jumped over and touched Joseph's staff.Within a minute there were 4 foot tall flames as our hall table decorations began to burn!

Thankfully, the kids saw the fire and smelled smoke. Neal used the fire extinguisher to put it out.  What a mess to clean and repaint our freshly painted front hallway in our apartment in Turkey.   So sad to not have the nativity - the kids also love being reminded that Jesus was not a white anglo-saxon Protestant (WASP).

When Sue, a friend in West Africa, heard about the fire, she sent a black, hand-carved onyx nativity set to replace the cloth one. (Staying in the missionary life has the fabulous perk that eventually we have friends all over the world!)

This year we get to hang our stockings above a "real" fireplace (we installed a fireplace surround with an electric fireplace) instead of hanging them above the computer screen fireplace.

Christmas will be simpler this year, but at least our little family will soon be together for 3 weeks when our oldest (Luke) returns from his overseas schooling.

And we are thankful. For over 15 years, we've lived in countries where terrorism, unrest, and militarized cultures dominate.  We were always aware we were living in a political climate not unlike what Jesus was born into.

But this year, we get a little break, even though He didn't.  We don't live in an area where terrorists threaten. We have food, warmth, and no bombs going off or military helicopters flying overhead.  I haven't heard a single gunshot since arriving in the USA. It's a lovely treat being in a Western nation where we see Christmas decorations and hear Christmas music publically. We didn't mind missing all the commercialization all those years in Islamic cultures where Christmas is ignored, but I admit that I'm enjoying all the Christmas lights here this year.

Jesus is the reason we do what we do.  

It will be nice to make family Christmas memories in a new home. 

Christmas in Minnesota is a luxury.