Happy Thanksgiving!

Well, even though it goes against everything I stand for when it comes to blogging, I figure it's time for a "What-I'm-Thankful-For" blog (not to offend any of you who support that sort of thing. . .I just don't like trends). Anyway, Hannah wants me to do the ABCs like she did, but I'm not that thankful. Just kidding. However, I want to make mine more specific about Montevideo and my time abroad. Considering I'll be back in the States this time two weeks from now, I felt a little reflection would be healthy. I also prefer top ten lists so here we go.

The Top Ten Things I'm Most Thankful for This Semester:

10. Mate. This drink has revolutionized (enslaved) my life. I love (am addicted to) this new drink and it's just a great way to relax (stay up all night) and share with friends (get everyone sick).

9. Ferias. I wish Abilene had outdoor markets (that's what a feria is). There is a market every Sunday down the street and I've gone most of the Sundays that I've been in town. I normally hate shopping but being outside in the feria atmosphere looking at really old books and knives or just assorted junk is so much fun.

8. Public transportation. I have never used public transportation before this semester. Buses and taxis are part of my daily life now. I never had to use them and so I never thought about how convenient they are. The flip side of this is I am also very thankful for the opportunity to have a truck that I can drive whenever and wherever. I take such blessings for granted too often and this semester has taught me a lot about what a different life I could have without so many of the blessings I have been given without earning them (for the most part).

7. My high school Spanish education. This semester has shown me just how amazing my high school Spanish classes really were. Here's to you, Sra. Croft! I would have never been as confident as I am today had it not been for you.

6. The Internet. Trying to imagine this semester without being able to communicate so easily with the people that I love back home makes my heart hurt. We use the internet so much that we forget how amazing it really is. I have the ability to talk to my family and friends for free and face to face (sometimes a little grainy and jumpy, but still). Even email is a great comfort. I know that I can sit down when I have the time and tell my loved ones what I want to say with confidence that it will reach them quickly. Even though the internet has created the majority of the problems I had to work on this semester, I am still exceedingly thankful for it.

5. Languages in general. This semester I have come into contact with many languages: (in order of intimacy) Spanish, Greek, Portuguese, and French (one night). I had forgotten how learning a language made me feel. I remember now why I decided to minor in Spanish in the first place. I tell people that I'll use it for mission trip and such, which is true, but the main reason I study Spanish is my love for learning the language. My desire to learn more languages has been heitened by my Greek class and my encounters with other languages along the way.

4. My life in general. As the semester goes on and as we have adventure after adventure I am forced to stop and marvel at the blessing that is my life. God has given me more than I ever could have imagined. As I mentioned above, I take these things for granted. The very fact that I can attend college is a blessing, how much more that I should have the opportunity to study in another country. I continue to thank God for His ever new, ever increasing blessings.

3. Relationships. I have discovered over the past couple of years and especially this semester that I have a deep desire to form relationships and to figure out what makes them run, change, and grow. This semester I have had the opportunity to form new relationships with classmates, professors, and Uruguayan friends. I tend to get caught up in the friends I already have and forgot the joy of discovering and building new and lasting friendships.

2. My new family. Even more than just being able to build relationships with the people here, I have been able to pour myself into the amazing group with me and I have felt them pouring out their hearts as well. We have truly grown together this semester. Sure, we have disagreements and we get tired of each other (as families do), but those times are far surpassed by the good memories I have. We help each other, laugh together, listen to one another, and love each other. Trying to imagine a week without seeing these 18 other people every day is strange to think about.

1. Where I am with God. This semester has been an adventure into the unknown in all aspects of my life, including my faith. The Bible class I'm taking this semester is Message of the Old Testament. This class has been such a blessing in so many ways. I knew most of the stories beforehand (thank you, LTC), but I hadn't thought about them as ways to connect to God. I had heard sermons and been in classes that tried to get me to do so, but apparently I was asleep. Now, I see that the OT is much more than just boring history mixed with some awesome/funny/disturbing stories. It is the story of God's people trying to figure out how to relate to their God. God has also spoken to me through His creation. I posted blogs about both Iguazu Falls and Ushuaia, so for more specific reflections on those you can look there. God has also been working on my heart and teaching me three important lessons: 1) The world can work without me. My friends and family will function without me and their problems do not need my attention. God will be there with them even when I can't be and He does a better job anyway. 2) Pouring yourself into others has two effects: you grow to love them as they are and you grow to love yourself the way God wants. I am happier with myself than I have been in a while (not that I was depressed or angry at who I was. I just didn't understand quite what God saw in me). I also love the people around me more. 3) My relationship with God is different from everyone else's and vice versa. God is alive and relational. He made us different and He is going to relate to us according to the way we were formed. We can learn so much by watching the relationships of others and learning how they do things, but to copy their relationship would also be robbing ourselves of the joy of discovering the unique nature of our relationships with God. Watch and learn, but don't forget to discover.

Happy Turkey Day!

Blessings,
Matt