Beginning a New Year

As I lay in my tent in the village trying to doze off, I could hear the carolers singing the same two songs at every single house. I must have slept at some point, because I looked at my watch again and it was 11:30 PM, almost time to get up and go back to the church. So I figured it wouldn't hurt to get a little more sleep. But then my mind started wandering and I started to think of some way to celebrate the coming New Year. 2010. Wait. I just finished 2009? It seemed impossible, and I thought back to last New Year's Eve. I honestly don't remember what I did, but I do remember that I was in Morganton, almost ready to head back to Dallas for one last class. I had just a couple of months before to pursue a term of language survey work, and so I had to return to Dallas to take that class for the month of January. Then hopefully I would receive my official assignment in Thailand, quickly raise funds and be off to the other side of the world before I knew it.

Of course, God didn't work that way. And I thank Him over and over for not working according to my foolish plans, but according to His wisdom. In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9. Of course, my plans usually don't feel foolish, and half the time I don't even think I've made plans! But whenever my ideas diverge from our Creator's, I'm always glad in the end that it went His way instead of mine.

So back to the tent--the cold tent on the floor of a stranger's house in a village faaaaaaar far away from home--I lay there thinking over the past year, and as I remembered more and more about the past year, my heart was filled with gratefulness. I'm grateful that I was able to have one more month in Dallas to enjoy my friends at school and church. I'm grateful that my parents welcomed me back into their home in February. I'm grateful I was able to stop and see Allison in Mississippi on the way back from Dallas. I'm grateful for a church family that I can always come back to and feel welcome, even when there were so many new faces that I hadn't met before. I'm grateful for friends who took it upon themselves to help set up churches for me to speak in. For the difficulties I faced in partnership development that made me more thankful for those who give so generously. I'm grateful for the amazing friends who sharpened and encouraged me the whole year. For Ginny opening her condo to me when I needed a little space. For a Bible study that kept me thinking about current issues. For simple things like contra dancing and going to Abele's and the one day of Fall I got before coming to Thailand. I'm grateful for all of the things that have gone right since I've been here--getting here safely, getting a visa extension, enjoying my coworkers, loving my Thai tutors--and so much more that I don't even know about! I was grateful to be able to visit this village, to see the community there, and to meet brothers and sisters so joyful in their worship.

We give thanks to you, O God,

we give thanks, for your Name is near;

men tell of your wonderful deeds.

You say, "I choose the appointed time;

it is I who judge uprightly.

When the earth and all its people quake,

it is I who hold its pillars firm.

Selah
Psalm 75:1-3