I'm sitting here quietly writing this a year to the day since the last time I've posted anything to this blog. I hadn't realized it'd been that long. The past year just flew by as it was packed full of teaching. This past year I taught one semester in Yuli Taiwan and the other semester in Dajia Taiwan. It's been a long yet short year.
The reason I'm posting something today isn't because it's been so long since the last time. It's because I actually have something to share. I have something that my little sister reminded me that I want to remind all my Christian brothers and sisters about.
This past year I've been able to participate in many wonderful opportunities. Really, as I look over the past 3-4 years of my life, it's been pretty amazing some of the opportunities God brought along. At the same time I've had to give up or pass by other opportunities. There have been many things I've had to say "No" to that I wanted to say "Yes" to. There have been many times I'd throw a pity party because I missed out on things that I really didn't want to miss out on.
I'm home for summer break right now and I was talking to my sister. She mentioned that her two best friends were going on a trip together to Ireland - a place the three of them shared a deep love for. I asked if she would go too and she explained why she couldn't. I was very upset. My sister had been friends with both these two gals before the two gals had met each other. When the two gals eventually met I watched as the one gal slowly dominated the friendship, hogging my sister's other friend and often snubbing my sister (probably more through carelessness than maliciousness). Now the two of them were living out my sister's dream of seeing Ireland without her. I was very upset that she couldn't go and I told my sister so.
Her response was very humbling. She said, "Well, God has something better."
I thought back over the past year and remembered all the times that I'd griped an complained about the things I couldn't do. All the times I'd held pity parties because of things I'd missed out on. And then I thought about all the things I was able to do. I mean, I've been living on a tropical island playing games with kids for the past year and a half! I was living a really awesome life! I remember several times I'd be strolling down a street or biking through one of the back roads and watching the Taiwanese families gathered around a barbecue pit or a group of older ladies practicing dancing or some kids playing a game and feeling the wind and smelling the air and thinking "I get to live in a foreign country! How awesome is that?!"
I've had to sacrifice, but weren't all those sacrifices worth it? The intangible pay off was more than I could ever imagine. No, I can't do everything; but for every opportunity I have to say "No" to, it's because God has something better. And I just wanted to remind y'all of that.
Until next time,
SingingGem
