I don't know how to be a missionary

Intake and training at FMC is beautiful!   Life, community, service, the teachings, workshops, etc. are all so blessed and grace filled and the missionaries, their families, the other people in training are all amazing!   But of course that doesn’t mean that everything is easy.   I once had a spiritual director say something along the lines of, “Without tension there is no stretching and growth.”

God loves me so much that He is providing so many opportunities to grow.   As a perfectionist it is so hard when I find something I don’t know how to do.  There have been times when I realize my own weaknesses and I have to pray, “Lord, I don’t know how to be a missionary.   You need to teach and show me.”   The Matt Maher songs “Your Grace is Enough” and “Lord, I Need You” have taken on whole new meanings.   

When praying for God’s help and guidance, I use to pray in such a way that I was basically asking God to help me do something perfectly, to be flawless.   But if I am perfect, then I don’t need God.   Lord, don’t help be to be perfect, but help me and teach me to lean on You, to rely on You.   You are my strength and my shield.   The readings from mass today include Psalm 24.

Lord, this is the people that long to seek your face.

Who may go up the mountain of the Lord?

Who can stand in his holy place?

The clean of hand and the pure of heart,

            Who are not devoted to idols,

            Who have not sworn falsely.

They will receive blessings from the Lord,

            And justice from their saving God.

Such are the people that love the Lord,

            That seek the face of the God of Jacob.

Lord, help me to seek your face!   Help me to be in your presence.   Help me not to rely on my strength but yours.   Wash away my idol of perfectionism, as I wait on you.

This past Thursday we had an opportunity to meet up again with Dorothy.   She was so excited to see us and model her new threads!   The joy on her face just spreads like fire!

After about six weeks down south, we are learning about Louisiana, Cajun culture and the South in general.

Here are some of the things we have learned…

1.     When some thing cute it is “cher.”   But not pronounced like the singer, but like sha (with an “a” like “apple”).   It is actually a shorten version of mon cheri in French.   But it actually sounds nothing like it.

2.     The people of Louisiana are very proud of their state and frequently use the shape of it to designate state routes.   Is the route number too long to fit on the state?   No problem…  just stretch out the state.

3.     Maybe I was sheltered in the North, but I've never seen this flavored of chips.

 

4.     When praying in the chapel, you never know when the silhouette of cowboy hat will show up.