My two lists

(The following lists come from the mundane part of my life. I am, of course, thankful for my salvation, family, friends, etc. and miss family, friends, Pville, etc.)

I've been working on being content. Some of you know how challenging it was preparing and packing to move this far. Well, as we've settled in I've discovered how we really have everything we need here--and so much more! So my struggle to be content is certainly not because of my situation. It is because of my restless heart. God has given me eternal life, an awesome family... so many wonderful blessings! The following list is just a reminder to myself of how much God has blessed me even in "little" ways.

Things I’m Thankful For:

• That I like our furniture
• Our western toilet
• Our friendly, helpful doorman
• A dishwasher (used, but in good condition)
• The mountains on the horizon (“I will lift up my eyes to the hills…”)
• Enough clothes that it doesn’t matter when it takes them 48 hours to dry hanging in my bedroom on a cold, rainy day
• The vehicle that is available to us part-time (haven’t had to take the kids on the bus yet)
• Internet in our home
• Contact with friends and family (email, skype, etc)
• Coke is available here
• We were able to have a Christmas tree for Christmas, with lights and everything
• Our microwave (seems basic, but remember, not everyone in the world has one!)
• Our excellent, friendly, patient, language tutor who the kids love too
• Our English-speaking pharmacist and pediatrician
• Our hot-water heater (a few cold showers when we first arrived made me really thankful!)
• Salmon – when Mike broils it it’s the most wonderful thing… visit and he’ll make you some!
• Rug no-slip liner (for those of us who don’t like the floor to move beneath our feet)
• Our house church—Christian fellowship and encouraging friends
• The doner shop on the corner (think of doner as the local version of a sub)
• Electric blankets
• Awesome, cheap tomatoes and oranges available all winter
  

Things I miss:

• Listerine
• Canned pizza sauce and spaghetti sauce
• Cheap parmesan cheese
• The library
• The smell of clothes fresh out of the dryer
• Forests
• Panera Bread, Ruby T’s, Pizza Hut, Olive Garden
• Wednesday night choir
• Piano
• My Kitchen Aid mixer (although I don’t miss this as much as I thought I would)
• Red Box
• Congregational singing