Griffin and Gray: July 2012

It is amazing to see Jesus peel layers I never knew existed?? I am like a ripe banana with many layers. Jesus continues to peel my layers revealing to me the mushy yuckiness that is with in me.

I have a new identity here in the Philippines. Besides being a giant, where no one has your shoe size... I am different here. Sure I don't have my husband, my boys to make me who I am but it's more than that. It is a side of me that I wish I had more of in the states. An almost clarity that is surreal...

Last night we got the pleasure of eating dinner at Charlyn's house. I was greeted by a kiss on the cheek from all, even though I just saw them 3 hours prior along with a excited Hi Ate Amy! Something so simple but something I need to bring home to the states. To greet my husband, family and friends this way every day. How this little bit of effort can show so much!

They fixed my favorite, a dish called Kinilau it consists of my favorites- cucumber, ginger,vinegar, lime, raw tuna and radishes. It is a cold dish which compliments the hot weather here. They also served rice which is served with every meal here. Even McDonalds has rice! No kidding!
Back to the dinner- It was a time that will be stored away forever. One of those movie moments. You know, the kind you have when you know it was sent directly from Jesus himself. It was in slow motion, a golden nugget as my friend Rhett would say. Everyone at that table genuinely loved one another. This group of people I can honestly say LOVE DEEPLY.

I adore this new family of mine. What can I say I love how they love. They minister to a tribe that is so hard to love. A tribe who rarely wants to make themselves better. A tribe that is perfectly fine with living above sewage and would gamble their last penny away and yet these missionaries day in and day out they love as Jesus loves... day in and day out they still have faith.

This year I knew what to expect and I was able to share more. I was able to get real with these new friends of mine. Charlyn has taken in 4 street girls over the years and even a 12 year old niece.(not counting all the street boys that live at the church) And now has a new born baby. How does she do it? She is steadfast and focused. She is truly living in the spirit. She has her days like all of us do. She has asked Jesus "Are you sure these are the people you want me to love?" Yet He reassures her time and time again that she is exactly where Jesus wants her to be.

I got to connect with each of these girls learning about there pasts. Pasts that I could never fathom a deep hurt that I could never feel. Sure I have my struggles but it is so minimal in comparison. A ant on a hill, a needle point, a decimal, a fraction of what they have struggled with. They are strong as an OX, but beautiful and delicate as a butterfly!

Tonight we got to take all 22 to a movie. Twiki, Char's niece, got to see her very first movie. Spider man is what we saw. I was thoroughly impressed. If you are debating on whether or not to see it? Go ! It is a must on Big Screen.

I want to hold onto this clarity and surrender myself daily. When I head back to our culture I want to still hold steadfast to what I have learned to what I have seen.

Every morning Mark, Kel and I wake up and share some deep thoughts and I love this time together. It's not planned , it's not written out it's just us and Jesus. Real, Truth, challenging thoughts that most of us keep inside hidden away because others may judge.

My prayer and focus is to let these layers continue to peel. A relationship with Jesus that is REAL, NAKED and RAW. I have to say that there is something so freeing about being a banana...peeling back to layers to reveal the mush.

Here are a couple of things we have shared from books and a little of our thoughts as well.

"It is what it is, my opinion doesn't matter, and whatever."

"When you come to personal dealings with others, remember who you are-you are not some special being created in heaven, but a sinner saved by grace."

"Life full of challenges is a soul-forming life."

"If you never face difficult times, you never become strong enough to make a difference in a very cruel world-as Jesus made a difference on behalf of all of us."

On a much lighter note.... I am officially a Philippine! I got initiated last night after dinner. It reminded me of my high school sorority initiation. There is a fruit that you can only get in Davo. Called Durian. It has a very odd smell to it. Mark and Kelly says "it smells like dirty feet." It isn't my favorite but they love that I will eat it with them. So, that is what I do. I ate it last year but this year we not only ate that we also had balut. It is a delicacy here in the Philippines. They all love Durian and Balut.

It is basically a chicken half baked? I know I didn't eat it all and if I saw a picture of this first. I would of never gone through with it. They loved it and I ate two bites and of course shared with my Philippine family. They didn't seem to mind and didn't let it go to waste. I have it all on video. It is very comical. Especially hearing Kel and us talking with our SOUTHERN accent!