random thanksgivings

not having any particularly eventful stories from the past week, i thought i would share, in random order, some of the things i've been thankful for.

1. my sister (Emily) is having a baby!!! she's now made it to the three month mark, which is wonderfully exciting. so she joins my brother in having a child in the coming year. i won't get to be home to see her pregnant but hopefully i'll be home shortly after the babies are born :)

2. in my program at school, there is really only one other female, so she became the obvious person from school to be friends with. (her name is Jackie Wyse, and i've set up a link to blog on the side). the delightful thing is how we are similar enough (same personality types - ENFPs, studying Old Testament, and liking school) and yet different enough (e.g. different theological backgrounds, different biblical interests) that we've become quick friends. friendships often take months to get past the awkward getting to know each other phase into the really comfortable, i'm so thankful this person is in my life phase. i spent the day with her on Saturday, visiting her home in Almere, and i couldn't help but continue to give thanks to God for the friendship God has given us :)

3. yesterday i went to the dunes (in Sandport, I think) with some people from the community. it was two couples about my age, two small children from one of the couples, a nine-year old girl from another family in the community, two guys, and me. when we stopped for a break, the girl decided we should play tag. and i don't think any of us were all that particularly interested in playing but we did it anyway - and enjoyed ourselves. in the midst of watching out to see who was 'it,' we could enjoy the beautiful weather and place, the joy that playing tag brought to the kids, and just rejoice about being a family together - something that all of us have found in some degree in the midst of the community. and i was once again thankful to have been 'adopted' into this family - and to be challenged to be the 'family of God' to one another and to share our laughter and joy with people who don't know what it's like to be loved (as family).

4. in the last 100-praatjes, which is our newsletter that comes out every three weeks, there was a line about what Sr. Seraphim thought about me (Sr. Seraphim is an older Catholic nun who is also a member of the central group of the community). it said "zr Seraphim vindt dat 'brenda net een giechel-machine is'". i could figure out everything except for the last part. so i asked one of the guys what 'giechel-machine' was. he started laughing/gigling. and said that's what it is. Sr. Seraphim finds that i am a giggle-machine. and so what do you think my response to that was? uncontrollable laughter (perhaps even giggling). i'm thankful that my laughter has been noticed :)

5. some of the people i live with are not really people i would have generally become friends with - mostly because i wouldn't have ever met them since we live fairly different lives and 'travel in different circles.' because we're so different, i've learnt more about myself and about the world. but also because we're so different, friendships don't instantly arise (nor do they necessarily need to); yet, i still love the people i live with (sometimes that's a choice as opposed to something that comes naturally) and even if we're never the types to be best friends, i want to show them that i care about them and their lives. and this weekend, it felt a bit more like i got to do that. (and got to out dancing, too :)) and for this, too, i am thankful - and pray for the grace to know how to love those i live with - and be family.

and that's all for now. perhaps another day i'll share more thanksgivings :)

p.s. and another thanksgiving. i found out today that i received a student bursary! it's not a tremendous amount of money but pays for much of my housing costs - and helps out a lot with transportation.