An Unconventional Thanksgiving: November 20

November 20

This evening I was able to attend the life group I had joined last month for our weekly get together.  We played with the refrigerator magnets and talked about movies, highs and lows, and eventually settled down to talk about prayer and what we can learn from children's prayers.  It ranged from how our prayers have matured into seriously thinking what we are praying about instead of just saying words to the beautiful simplicity and honesty a child's prayer can contain.  We ended the evening by talking discussing music from the 70s and 80s, making a road trip playlist, and laughing at all the minor issues we experienced that night.

It was a wonderful night, and it was especially precious since this is the only night I am able to attend this month.  It reminded me of the education nights at Corner House-Lutheran Campus Ministry and Bible studies with the La Crosse Lutheran Youth Organization.  Sometimes they were serious.  Sometimes they were purely social.  But we always ended up having a great time.

Today I am thankful for my life group and the social/educational/spiritual groups of which I have been a part.

Corner House- Lutheran Campus Ministry at our 2nd annual Pie Bake Off in 2011.

An Unconventional Thanksgiving: November 16-19

November 16

This weekend was not what I was expecting.  Plans I made were cancelled.  New plans happened.  In the spirit of this weekend, my Sunday was exactly the same.  The youth leaders changed a bit.  One of the curates helped out at all of the youth services, and some of our youth leaders were off for the night so I ended up being in charge of the visuals for our older youth service (a new task for me).  The best part is that during lunch I had a spontaneous Skype conversation with my mom.  I have missed the sporadic calls with my mom, so this was a rare treat.

Today I am thankful for my mom and the internet that allows me to talk to her.

My mom and niece during one of our Sunday afternoon picnics in the park.  Photo credit: Amanda

November 17

This fall the house opposite of where I am staying is being renovated, which means there’s been construction going on next door for the past month.  A couple of weeks ago I was bringing pumpkin bars to work, and I ran into one of the construction workers, Ozzy, as stepped out of my house.  He made a comment about how good the bars looked, so I offered him a bar.  It started this odd friendship where we would pass each other in the morning or afternoon and have a little conversation each day.  Slowly the strangers who I saw every day became familiar faces.  Today was my friend’s last day working on the house, and I will miss our little talks.

Today I am thankful for Ozzy and our little conversations in the mornings.

I had extra pumpkin bars left, so I curled up in front of the TV with a nice cup of tea and knitting.

November 18

This morning I was eating my breakfast when I was startled by the mail dropping through the door.  (It scared me enough to make me jump in my chair.)  I went to the door to pick up the mail and started to look through the mail to see what was junk and what was for the owners of the house.  As I neared the end of the pile I noticed two card sized letters from Rwanda and the US.  I took a closer look and saw that they were, in fact, cards from Our Savior’s, my home church, and Luke, a fellow YAGM from my orientation small group.  I was touched at the time these people took out of their day to brighten mine. 

Today I am thankful for surprises and good ole snail mail from global friends.

The two cards I received.  Thanks Our Savior's and Luke for brightening my day!

November 19

This Saturday I will be spending the day in London with some co-workers (and a YAGM!) to have some training about our midweek youth groups for next term.  One of my co-workers, Caz, came into the office to talk about the logistics for the day.  Our other co-worker, Perry, and the Worship Team moved into another office in the church, and he left his Jelly Baby (a candy) container behind.  Caz and I realized how hurt Mrs. Jelly Baby must have felt about being abandoned, so we sent Perry a photo at how abandoned Mrs. Jelly Baby was feeling.

Today I am thankful for my co-workers and the adventures we have.

If you look really hard, you can see Mrs. Jelly Baby looking for the Worship and Media Team. in the office.  Photo credit: Caz

An Unconventional Thanksgiving: November 14-15

November 14

This afternoon I was scheduled to meet with my mentor, Penny. However around lunch, I received a phone call informing me that Penny was not feeling well and had to postpone.  I was a bit bummed about this development because I enjoy meeting with Penny and it was too late for me to meet up with some YAGM in London.  So I was left with a free afternoon with really no idea how to spend it, but a little bit later I received a message from the woman who was the Youth Ministry Assistant (MA) last year asking me if I would like to meet her for tea.  I accepted and within the hour we were sitting in her living room talking about whatever popped into our minds.

It was an afternoon well spent.  What I thought would be maybe an hour spent getting to know a new friend better turned into a full evening filled with having dinner with a church family, playing with  ten week old Labrador puppy, and watching the Children in Need special on BBC.  It was not how I had imagined my Friday afternoon going, but it was one of those days where plans came apart yet everything you needed happened.

Today I am thankful for postponed plans and opportunities to deepen new friendships.

Pudsey Bear is the mascot for the Children in Need. Because of Pudsey and the family I was with today, I was educated on British pop culture. Photo credit: BBC

November 15

This afternoon we had our weekly YAGM Google Hangout, and because not everyone can make it on Friday afternoons, we changed this week to Saturday.  This weekend has been the weekend where nothing goes according to plan, so quite a few people could not make it during the normal time which meant it was moved to a later time period.  (This was great for me because I had gone to the craft store to find some supplies for our youth club this Friday.) At the brand new time, I joined the video chat to find it was only myself and the three YAGM in Edinburgh (who were all hanging out together at the time).  We started talking when all of a sudden, Sarah, a UK YAGM alumnus, joins the chat all the way from the US.

She apologizes for only being available for a few minutes as she was working on a group project for school, but continues on to ask us for a three sentence update on our lives as YAGM and something that she can pray about for us.  We frantically update her and hear her update, and before she signed off she imparted upon us some fantastic, comforting advice about spending Christmas abroad and away from our families.  It was a relief to hear someone honestly say how much it will suck, but it was also a relief to hear about what we will learn from this holiday season from someone who had been in the same situation as us.  All in all, it never ceases to amaze me how much the YAGM alumni are invested in us and are willing to talk to us about our challenges.

Today I am thankful to be a part of the YAGM family and the amazing alumni who have come before us.

The UK YAGM at our "Disorientation" destination in Chicago with some of the YAGM alumni.  Photo credit: Paige

An Unconventional Thanksgiving: November 13

November 13

This evening we had our monthly youth leaders meeting where we plan for the youth services and events coming up that month, and we start each of these meetings with a meal.  Tonight it was my turn to cook, and after two months of my supervisor making comments about me making jambalaya and "Billie gumbo", I decided it was the perfect time for me to introduce my supervisor to what gumbo actually is.

Since I was cooking a dish from home, I decided to put on A Charlie Brown Christmas album (It's okay. Since Thanksgiving isn't celebrated here, it's not as taboo.) I listen to the music while chopping vegetables while pretending that I was back in my parents' kitchen cooking with my dad.  (He is the reason I know how to make gumbo.) I even teared up a bit.  I would like to say it was from being homesick, but it was the onions.  Anyways, I loved being back in the kitchen cooking for people I care about, and it was great to share some of my culture with people (and get good feedback).

Today I am thankful for everything I learned from my dad about cooking and the chance to share my hobby.

The chicken and sweet chili sausage gumbo I made.  I had to make a few adjustments, but it turned out well.

An Unconventional Thanksgiving: November 12

November 12

This morning I woke up with a notification from my little brother on Facebook.  It was an announcement from Duke University that Jovian, a lemur, had died.  This might seem like a bit of an odd thing to make an announcement about, but Jovian touched the lives of many kids as the title character in Zaboomafoo.  Zaboomafoo was a fun loving, snack munching lemur who helped teach kids about animals, and Jovian was the lemur who played him.  He is the reason I know what a Garbanzo bean is, and most of my animal knowledge came from watching him after school.  Jovian helped a generation of kids fall in love with animals from all over the world from the big eyed Aye-aye to adorable emu chicks to lovable Toothbrush the Elephant.  Jovian is the reason I know what the Muntjac deer from my previous post is.

Today I am thankful for the life of Jovian and for all the kids he helped teach.

Jovian, also known as Zaboomafoo, passed away this week at the age of 20.  He is survived by his 7 children and 4 grandchildren.  Photo credit: Duke University

An Unconventional Thanksgiving: November 11

November 11

This is a day of thanksgiving.  It's the day we give thanks for all the brave men and women who willing put their lives on the line to defend and rescue us in times of need.  This year has given me a different perspective about those who are in the Armed Forces.  Since I have never been in the Armed Forces, I do not know what it must be like to train with the possibility of being placed in an area torn apart by violence.

However, this year has given me a perspective on what it must be like to say goodbye to your family for long periods of time, whether it is 12 months with YAGM or 18 months military deployment.  Upon entering this year I was going through all of the things I was going to miss out on this year, my niece's first birthday, Christmas at my grandparents, the graduation of some dear friends.  I also had to consider those whom I would not be seeing again, mainly my grandma who had passed away in April.  When I decided to apply for this program, I knew the likelihood of seeing my grandma after I left was very slim, and I started preparing myself for this reality, trying to understand what it would be like to lose a close relative and not being able to grieve with my family.  The relief was that I am coming back.  I wasn't sent to a violence torn area or fighting in a war.  Those who have served in wars must know that when they sign up for duty, there is a chance, however big or small, that they will not return, and many have had that possibility become a reality.  Still they do it willingly.

Today I am thankful for the veterans who are braver than I could ever be and for those who defend and protect strangers.

The Great Wars memorial at Gerrards Cross during Remembrance Sunday.  Photo credit: Perry

An Unconventional Thanksgiving: November 10

November 10

This morning I woke up to a collection of messages from my sister-in-law with photos and videos of my niece dancing and standing.  Later in the afternoon I received a message from my mom about her troubles with her computer and updates on a meeting she's having this week.  Earlier this week I received an email from my grandparents telling me all about their trip to Colorado.  These messages and updates are fairly simple.  They are something I might not have appreciated when I lived in Wisconsin (except for the photos on my niece, which always make my day) because I took for granted the ability to call up my family and spontaneously chat or the regular trips we took to spend time with family during the holidays.  Living on a different continent, with time differences and technology makes those little (seemingly insignificant and severely underrated) conversations next to impossible, which means the random updates from friends and family are so incredibly cherished.

Today I am thankful for a family who loves me and who takes time out of their very busy schedules to update me on the little things in their lives.

My immediate family with the exception of little Miss Q.