Miércoles

  Hola! I'm back! I took a week off from writing as I was getting sick... I seem to be taking breaks when sick. That's been good... to rest every now and then. So needed. Anyway, a fun question... what is the latest movie that you loved watching? I haven’t watched a movie in a while, but I’m excited to be watching one of my favorites tonight, so movies are on my mind. I think my recent favorite would be Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3. Let me know in the comments what your recent favorite is!

 There's something about Wednesdays... I used to love them. I think that might have been from high school through my undergraduate years of college. It's the middle of the week, so I thought, "Yes, I've made it halfway through the week!" And I had church at night, so I always looked forward to praising the Lord in community in the middle of the busyness of the week. But then, I hated them when I started grad school because I had a super long class that I did not look forward to during the first two semesters. In this season of my life, I've been nervous about Wednesdays because they're very long and unpredictable, with classes to teach and transportation to rely on. But God has been teaching me through the Wednesdays that I can walk confidently and joyfully when I fix my eyes on Him, no matter what day it is. 

    Two Wednesdays ago, there were two surprises in store for me. Una mala sorpresa. Y una buena. I had hoped to get a ride from some friends who were going in a different direction but could get me close to where I teach. There was communication and confusion, so I ended up waiting for the bus. When I realized that was the plan, I got really nervous because I've had many bad experiences with the bus system here. It's not very reliable. This time, it was actually partly my fault because I had not known that you have to wave the bus down if you want it to stop for you. ... okay, well noted for next time. Once I realized that my bus had passed and wouldn't be back for a while, I frantically sent in a message to the team that I need to teach my Spanish class in thirty minutes... "help! Can someone please drive me?" And someone came to the rescue soon! A friend from the team! Thank you, Lord! Then the second surprise came when I finished teaching my first class. Another volunteer teacher came into my classroom to say hello. She calls me "vecina" because we teach in classrooms that are adjacent to each other, and we can see each other through the window. She said she'd love to have coffee with me one day and asked if I had any plans for that afternoon. I said that would be a great time. She had me over at her apartment where she had snacks, tea, and coffee set up for us. I got to learn about her and her family. She has eight children! Wow! I asked her what her favorite thing about having a big family is and, without hesitation, she said, "Lo que Dios ha hecho." She loves seeing God work through her family. I was amazed at her love and passion for God, that she sees Him in everything. Even though the day started with a disappointing surprise, I was pleasantly surprised to be spending time with my friend at her place. 

    This past Wednesday was very special... yet ordinary too. I began and ended the day by looking to God and saying, "okay, this is what I have for you. Today. Let it be for your glory." It was so fun because I got to have lunch with my students from my English class. I had Georgian food for the first time. It felt like home for one of the students from the country of Georgia, which was so neat. I was so glad that she got to share her culture with us. I felt that the Lord really was leading our conversations there in the restaurant. It was as if the Holy Spirit was sitting there at the table with us. We talked about Christmas, religion, and relationships. I'm so thankful for this time that we had to be together and enjoy good food. Next, I had to figure out how to get from Torremolinos to Alhaurín de la Torre, where I live. So, get to the bus stop and wait... the bus wasn't on time... it was around 8 minutes late, but hey! It came! Hallelujah! And then I had to get off at a stop to get on a different bus that would take me home. And guess what! It came and I got on sin problema! It was about 15 minutes late... but still, it came! I was so happy. I was walking down the street to the house, singing and praising the Lord for this miracle. It seemed kinda silly, but it really did feel like a miracle, considering the past few weeks of bus mishaps. 

We loved the decorations in the restaurant. Our Georgian friend explained some of the pictures and objects on the walls.

This is khachapuri, bread filled and topped with cheese. And we also tried khinkali, which are twisted knobs of dough, filled with meat, onion, and spices. They are similar to dumplings. 

Chocolate cake para el postre!

I got a mint tea as we continued to sit and talk, and this awesome mug kept the tea very hot, but the outside safe to touch.

The beautiful sunset as I transferred buses. 

    Reflecting on all this that night, I realized that my excitement and joy from the amazing Wednesday was because I had fixed my eyes on Jesus and kept them there. It wasn't a perfect day, but I held on tight for the unexpected and unknown and prayed for him to guide me. I praised him throughout the day, and it sustained me. Things have been an up and down kind of crazy here. But I've found that the key is focusing on the One who never changes. The One who is trustworthy. And always worthy of our praise. I think of Hebrews 13:8 because it is the truth that I should keep at the forefront of my mind. It says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." I love that I can depend on Him to be constant while everything else is unpredictable. 

~Kthnxbai!