My thoughts have been traveling lately. To a land where I am not sure what the terrain is, what the weather will be like, or when I will arrive. But I am going along for this journey of my mind.
Here it is...how much of my personality (who I am) is wrapped up in my culture and my roles?
When we came to PNG, I was a total American girl. I was independent. The girls and I would go wherever I wanted, run errands, spend an hour at the park, grab a fast food lunch and not report to anyone. A lot of my personality was wrapped up in that independence.
Then I go to a land where I am a foreigner. Because of safety, I only drive when I have a man to go with me in the car. Only if a car is available. Only if I find child care for the girls because it is better for them to stay home. THEN, there is no place to go! Is this a joke?
So, it was a big adjustment. Independence being only one example of the issues I faced. Now, after 5 1/2 years, I am mostly adjusted to most issues of living cross culturally. I guess I am thinking of Job from the Bible. What if for some reason, I was stripped of my "roles" how does my personality change?
I guess what I am grasping for on this journey is...who is Gail that will never change?
1. If I am not a nurse, I am still caring.
2. If I am not a missionary, I will still seek to share Christ's love with people around me.
3. If I am not a mom, I would have a hole in my heart! But would be mothering to the motherless.
4. If I am not a wife, I am still a bride of Christ.
5. If I couldn't quilt/scrapbook/blog, I would still create.
6. If I am not healthy, I will still enjoy each moment.
7. If I am in pain, I will cling to God who will get me through.
8. If I lived in a hut with a dirt floor, I would know that God loves me just as much.
9. If my computer died, and I lost touch with "the rest of the world", I would maybe focus more on where I am at.
10. If I am not a Christian....no, that is a role that will never change.
Thanks for being around for this travel and wandering of my thoughts.
Who would you be if stripped of your roles along this journey of life?
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6 comments:
Thank you.
Wow, Aunt Gail... what a deep question. This was the main topic of our recent "MK rendezvous" (see my blog)... What a privilege God has given us to put us in a situation where we are forced to look at what truly defines our identity... perhaps if we never changed culture, we would never realize the difference between culture and identity, and never would learn where our true identity lies!
Awesome, Gail -- thanks for this honest reminder for all of us... that we are identified with Christ and without Him... well, He says it best..'Apart from me, you are nothing...' But in Him there is life and life abundant! You show your abundant life really well!!
Gail,
I love these thoughts. I think when there is an identity change or flux, there is a time of uncertainty as we gain our bearings, but then when God helps to stabilize us, he also gives us His perspective on who we are really and we can carry on.
I've been thinking about your comments since I read them yesterday and I keep coming back to Matthew 5(The Beatitudes). I like the way that the message puts some of the verses.
3"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.
4"You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
5"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought.
Ultimately what I want to say is I know that you and Scott(and your family for that matter) have given up a lot to follow God. I am incredibly grateful to you that you have followed that calling. You and Scotty have been a blessing & an inspiration in my life even when you haven't known it.
Thank you.
Incredible insight Gail. This is beautiful, almost poetic. You have prompted me to take the same journey and to ask myself the same questions. . . who would I still be if stripped of my roles in life? What has God put inside of me that cannot be taken away?
I have passed a link to your blog on to my friends. Thank you for sharing your heart!
~Alison
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