Chocolate chip cookies

So last night Dan made chocolate-chip cookies and they are temptingly sitting in the other room. I could go get one right now if I wanted to...I might...

And tonight I have been commissioned to make Greek for dinner. This...should be interesting. I am planning to keep it simple and make plenty of Ranch dressing. Because everything is good with Ranch dressing.

I never would have imagined that I would come to Africa and find lots of modern conveniences here that I don't have in America. Like, for example, a large flat-screened television (although we haven't watched anything yet), an ipod dock to make charging and listening to music very easy, and...yeah, at the moment that is all I can think of. But still, those are pretty crazy! I think something I would struggle with if I was going to be here long-term is that there is really nothing different about our lives here compared to America in terms of comforts in the home. We eat American foods, have music playing, games stacked in a cupboard, and loads of peanut butter! Aren't you supposed to go to a third-world country as a missionary and be stretched in terms of how you live?? I will tell you, we are being stretched, though. Yes, we may have a running car and a driver but we also have waited many times for our ride to pick us up or take us where we need to go. Every night the water shuts off so after 6 we can't do dishes, shower...plus, living in the middle of a different culture, you must draw support from the few people around you who understand your lifestyle and needs.

But most of all, here where things are not constant and unpredictable, there is One unchanging element to our lives--God's goodness. He is our Solid Rock and from Him we can find comfort, peace, companionship, protection, and love.