When Boredom Gets the Best of You.

 

 

Okay, So I am going to be real with yall. (it feels good to say yall and not see someone smile or giggle- they seem to love my accent here and remind me that I have one every time I speak--So if I ever ask you to pray that the Lord will speak through me and make my words "clear", I am probably being literal as in: pray they understand the words coming out of my mouth.)

But, that is besides the point, back to where I was going with this.

Me being real with YALL.

I have come to the conclusion that I have an irrational fear of monotony. I do not like to do the same thing over and over everyday. Many of you are probably smiling because you know this fact about me...you know I get bored easily and could careless if there was a plan but those of you that dont well yeah its true...the thought of doing the same thing everyday whether routine, job, etc. scares me and bores me just thinking about it.

One reason I couldnt see myself as a PT---I feared monotony.

Its also another reason I can't figure out what I want to do with my life: cause 1. I am so indecisive and 2. I cant seem to figure out a "job" I want to do EVERYDAY. I don't know if I love anything that much.

 

 

I've been like this since I can remember. I have always wanted myself in a job, career, occupation whatever you want to call it that I loved getting up and going to everyday. But I am learning this might be a little unrealistic. (correct me if I am wrong)

 

It wasn't until I moved to a foreign country that I started learning this: (yes, my parents told me there is monotony in every job--am I one to listen the first time? No, I am hardheaded- most of you know that about me too) but the Lord loves me enough to continue to teach me the same thing over and over--how ever many times it takes to stick: I am here to say its starting to stick.

 

 

The Lord has had some really cool ways to teach me things in the past:

1. He has tested my patience in ways that only the Lord could orchestrate (oh wait, and He still is)

2. He has increased my trust in Him (living in a foreign country--enough said)

 

But the the latest thing that He has been teaching me is contentment, peace and always choosing joy and guess how He has been doing that...you got it..through monotony, through a daily routine, EVERYDAY.

 

I realized this a couple of weeks ago:

It was two Mondays ago when I woke up-- with the Monday morning mindset...and my day followed. I woke up on Tuesday with the same negative mindset and wednesday, thursday and friday.

I prayed for the weekend to hurry up every moment of each day that week.

Looking back I realize what was happening:

I was freaking out because my days were starting to look the same, I didnt feel like I was accomplishing anything tangible, and I was becoming bored. (yeah, bored in a foreign country--I know..weird--like I said, this girl..bored very easily) haha

So on Thursday, I did what I know to do when I need to clear my head: Run. I ran and ran and ran until it rained (welcome to Quito). As I ran, I cried out to the Lord praying "What is wrong with me, what is gong on???!!"

But guess what? The Lord didnt answer me right away. (remember that whole "still teaching me patience thing") It was on Friday when I finally sat down and read some letters from some friends back home that the Lord answered me.

I had looked at some scripture on thursday to try to get comfort, answers, peace, joy, whatever I could find to help me and the Lord brought me to Galatians 6:9, a verse most of us know, " So Let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up"

I thought, Yes! encouragement. I need to memorize this. Did I? No. But when I read those letters the next day the Lord put that verse on my heart again because this summer when He told my friend Kayla to write me a letter for October He knew then what I would be struggling with and right there in her letter was that verse.

So cool right? or should I say, Chevere (one of the few spanish words I know) :)

 

So yeah, the routine I had everyday of serving God's people here in Quito had becoming "boring" to me which led me to become "bored" with God.

Ouch, when I came to that conclusion, I cringed...I still cringe and my heart kind of sinks. But I am not too proud to admit it. (believe me this took some time)

But admitting what was going on in my head and heart was the first step to coming back to the Lord.

I had realized I didn't have the heart that I came with, the "honeymoon" of living in a foreign country was over and reality set in, comfort set in (yeah I had gotten comfortable in a foreign country: something I feared but something I thought could never happen)

 

**Side note: The Lord loves to prove me wrong when I use the word never: prime example there above but here are a couple more for you to get a laugh out of:

Most of you, my friends, family know that I was convinced I would NEVER use my major: 2nd week here I was asked to be the athletic trainer..haha

Theres one, Here's another: I have also always said I would NEVER be a teacher: I now work in a school, and substituted just last week. haha

 

So you see I am convinced that 1. The Lord has a sense of humor (I mean He made me and I am funny so surely He is too--working on humility by the way--1 Peter 5:5 ;)  and 2. I am hardheaded, the Lord knows this and has to teach me everything the hard way and usually more than once.

 

I am at a point now where yes, I am coming back to the Lord, remembering my purpose here is to serve the Lord and make disciples...Period.

I am at the point where boredom is not getting the best of me because really, boredom, in this beautiful city, with beautiful mountains and people and scenery you dont see in MS, well thats just crazy.

I am back at the point of memorizing scripture--with a burning desire to do so.

 

 

The Lord taught me through my negative attitutude my irrational fears, and my monotenous days and has renewed my spirit and given me supernatural energy to do the work I was called to do here.

I am thankful for all that He has taught me but I say all these things not to brag on myself, not to say I am a better Christian, and not to say that I am perfect, and now doing everything right. Thats the total opposite.

I write this so you, as my sisters and brothers in Christ can pray for me in this specific way.

Remember that I have faced these struggles once before now and could easily face them again.

 

As I reach my 2 month mark I have so much to look back on and look forward to. Join me in this excitement. I promise to keep you updated on all the things to come.

 

Some prayer requests: 

-Please pray I get my visa approved. Its crunch time. I have about 30 days left on my passport and believe me that time will fly by. So as cool as it would be to tell my kids and grandkids one day that I got deported from Ecuador all in the name of the Lord, I would prefer not to.

-Please pray that the Lord is my contentment, joy, and peace on a daily basis and I look to Him for these things ALWAYS.

-Please pray for perserverance through the discouraging days. I work with high schoolers and middle schoolers- believe me there are discouraging days. 

- Please pray for my CSO Guardians. We have such a cool group of high schoolers leading these middle schoolers. Just pray their hearts are on fire for doing the Lords work by loving on these Middle schoolers and that the Middle schoolers will be changed by the Holy Spirit. (We meet on Wednesday afternoons)

-Please pray for the school I am working at. The government is cracking down here in Ecuador-- We want this Christian school to be here doing the Lords work for many years to come.

-Patience in the Lord as He reveals clarity to me about what is next to come after this year.

 

 

Thanks for taking the time to read this super long blog but I hope it was worth it. I have found the Lord's teachings so cool the past few weeks. He has taught me in a time when I didnt even want to be taught. What a great God we serve. Remember that.

 

Psalm 37:23-24

"The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him; Though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand"

 

Psalm 121:3

"The Lord will not let you stumble, the one who watches over you does not slumber."

 

Psalm 145:18

"The Lord is near to all who call on Him, all who call on Him in truth."

Temorary Bucket List.

So, living in a foreign country is just not enough for me.
Obviously I am a big dreamer because most people would think that would be enough, no need to add more to my plate but I beg to differ so I have decided to make a "bucket list" of things to do while I am here in Ecuador.

1. Run a Half Marathon here in Quito.
               -I hope to be ready by November...we will see.

2. Crochet a Blanket. (I have a long way to go)

3. Cook atleast 10 Ecuadorian dishes (1 down, 9 to go)


4. Increase my Spanish Vocabulary.
            -No I have no certain goal in mind but I hope when I have been here a  year, I can say that my
            spanish has gotten better.

5. Become close friends with this group of awesome kids:
                These are my Guardians and I can't wait to share the year with them. I know the Lord has big
                things in store for this group of high schoolers and I can't wait to watch.

Guardians Retreat at Parque Metropolitano 

6. Paint the house: White walls, enough said.

7. Memorize Scripture: my goal is three verses a week.

8. Climb one mountain a month. ( haha, told you I was a big dreamer)
                 okay okay atleast climb Cotapaxi.

9. Become a Salsa Dancer.
         - I am well on my way, dont worry.

10. Eat Out at least ONCE a week.
              -Odd goal I know but living here in Ecuador its possible because its not expensive (AT ALL)
               and an adventure that I don't want to miss out on.

11. Try everything from the Man with the Van.
                 - I should probably explain: So there's this man that is always parked out on the street by the
                  school that I work and he sells food like Tamales and Humitas and other random
                  Ecuadorian food and yes he sells its out of the back of his van and I am determined to try it
                  all. Sketchy, yeah to the average american but is it good food...YES!! and this easily trumps
                  the sketchiness.

12. Go to Banos: (and no I dont mean the bathroom for those of you who may speak some spanish, haha)
               

13. Go Zip Lining.

14. Try one new Ecuadorian fruit a month (or 2 or 3)

15. Make Canelazo (probably more than once)
                Ecuadorians version of apple cider is my best description of this awesome drink except its
               way better and doesn't consists of any apples.

16. Send atleast 2 emails a week to people back home!

17. Ride in a Taxi by myself.
            -not easy when you dont know your address...or can't say it. Learning that should probably come first huh? haha

18. Go to a Soccer Game. (the sport I know nothing about)

19. Try QuiQui- That would be guinea pig....yes, a common food here. ( :/)
           

20. Most importantly, Make Disciples. Acts 20:24, Matthew 28:19-20.