.........
Today I went to West Nashville for my phở date with Jenn after church. It is just becoming chilly here in Nashville, and today it was rainy all day. Perfect weather for a big bowl of steaming hot phở and good conversation.
As I waited for Jenn to arrive (since I got there early), I wrote in my prayer journal and thanked Jesus for warm clothes and hot soup. As an afterthought, I also thanked him for rain and the nip in the air. After lunch, I wandered over to the K&S International Market right across the parking lot (might as well take advantage of the better selection since I was there!). Wandering down the aisles, I was smiling to myself and being delighted at finding such happy surprises as 饅頭 and various flavors of mochi ice cream and even Thai tea–flavored popsicles and 湯圓. I was feeling so 興奮 and felt like expressing it and skipping around, but as I was on my own and there were some very staid-looking proper Chinese people next to me, I restrained myself.That's when it hit. Standing there in front of the red bean mochi ice cream and wishing it wasn't so impractical to get ice cream when it's cold and rainy, I could taste the light sweetness of red bean, the steaming fluffy goodness of 饅頭.
It's interesting how flavors bring up so many memories...memories of my grandma putting a bowl of 湯圓 in front of us grandkids, memories of cold winter nights (well, cold to us Arizonans) and 粥 on the stove, memories of successful cooking experiments with friends who understand and love the same crazy foods, memories of the giddiness of discovering all kinds of fun things in the aisles of the Oriental market with friends who are just as giddy as you. Standing there clutching my bag of 包子, I suddenly felt lonely and homesick. There I was, halfway across the country from my family, in a place that was cold and rainy (I can't stop emphasizing that!), wishing there was someone with me to be giddy with about something so simple as 包子.When I got home, I pulled up my iTunes and switched on the iTunes DJ, and would you believe that the song that started playing was Lluvia de Sanidad...followed by Healing Rain?! Haha, I just had to laugh at God's sense of humor. I want to learn to thank Jesus for the rain and to actually enjoy the rain, rather than to thank him for it as an afterthought. One thing God's been speaking to me recently is about not leaving my heart in Arizona when I know that His purpose and plan for me right now is to be in Nashville. He's challenged me to really invest in Nashville, in relationships here, in finding life here and not just aimlessly being here. Sometimes I have difficult moments, but he is faithful to remind me of all that he has blessed me with here, all that he's taught me here, all that's still to come. And so, as my step of faith and obedience, I choose to thank Jesus for the rain! I need to go frolic...maybe when it's not so dark outside. :-P
No comments:
Post a Comment