Crossing cultures

First of all, I am guilty. When I suggested that we start a blog, Ed warned me that it takes nothing to start a blog; keeping it up is the challenge.  He was right.  So, since last post, lots really has happened. Maybe that takes at least part of the blame for my negligence.  Let's see to fill in the gaps with the big events...in the last month Katy and I have been to Mississippi to visit Millsaps and Belhaven college; Ed, Katy and I were in Atlanta for 2 different sets of meetings together, and Ed had a third without us; I had a root canal; Ed had a tube put in his ear; Ed was diagnosed with a skin-eating disease on his elbow (which a high dosage of antibiotics has cured...we hope); we had the Watnes in our home for several days and celebrated Thanksgiving with our entire team, minus Nena who was in the States; Ed and I went to London for an IPC presbytery meeting. And this is all in between the normal events of our lives: a late night discussion around the kitchen table with Danez, Monica, and Simona about marriage and relationships; weekly phone meetings for me with Melania and Ed with Daniel (pastor and his wife in Tirgiu Jiu); Ed's weekly 4-5 hour meetings with Danez, Razvan and Erwin; weekly prayer meeting and our monthly day of prayer and fasting with the team; music lessons; art lessons; a sleepover with Jessalyn Ebbers; weekly wine and games with Angela and Traian, that last week turned into fish soup and liver (see next blog); weekly meetings with the pastors with whom we're working; regular email maintenance; Ed's meetings with a couple whose marriage is in crisis, a man whose wife is dying of cancer, and a couple whose 21 year old daughter recently died in a car accident... I wonder why we're tired. We've been talking lately about not growing weary, and I've been wrestling with the balance of working and resting. We're called to both; I find it challenging to maintain equilibrium between the two. Sovereignty of God and Responsibility of Man. That's been the running theme in our discussions as a family for the last few months. Labor...for it is God who works. Rest. Run. Be still. Work. Wait.  

We met with some friends of ours from El Salvador who have been in Romania for about 8 years. Their home culture is a lot more like Romanian culture than American culture is like either. I think for them, it's been an easier journey in some respects to adapt to this different lifestyle. As we discussed with Francisco our sense of being weary, his response was, "You're so American. So product oriented." I think he's right. We so want to see things happen, which is a good thing, but often forget that the "happening" isn't really dependent on us. Even after 2 1/2 years, I find it difficult to shake the desire to "do". Romania's culture is much more of a "be" lifestyle, which is refreshing. They typically don't live with agendas or schedules. The process is enjoyed as much as the product. The down side of this is that things don't generally (if ever) get done when we'd like. "Imediat" one would think means "immediately" and by definition it does; however, we've learned that the real meaning of the word is "whenever I get to it". So, we're reminded again that both are fallen cultures, in need of redemption from our over driven-ness and our excessive lack of it.