Life in the Super-charged Lane
Posted in Family on 31. Oct, 2009
Ahhh….a Gigi’s bliss.
My grandkids call me Gigi. I love hearing them call out my name. There’s nothing better. Well, yes there is. Having them sit in my lap and cuddle just can’t be topped. And we have been doing a lot of that since I’ve been back!
I have been on a bit of blogger silence since I’ve been back in the States. Not on purpose but because there hasn’t been a minute to think. We have been involved with a conference in our congregation here since the minute we arrived. I haven’t even had time to post a birthday blog for my 28-year-old amazing daughter, Courtney. (I don’t want anyone to worry their head one little bit. A birthday blog is definitely in the making.)
Wow….I’m in Texas again. There is a stark a difference between the cultures of Israel and Texas. I absolutely LOVE being back, but it is VERY different from Israeli life. Jerusalem life is crazy. Traffic. Helicopters and jets. Loud concerts in the Hinnom Valley. People walking fast. (You never see someone out for just a nice leisurely stroll.) Language barriers. Navigating through the expensive, all-Hebrew grocery stores. And on and on. Yet in a strange way life is much simpler in Jerusalem. There’s no pressure to dress a certain way or keep up appearances. No one judges. If you want to wear the same clothes for three days in a row, no one thinks a thing about it. We have one friend that always wears the same shirt to the prayer room. (He never smells bad, so I know he washes it!) I think it’s so great that he feels comfortable to do that. Television is not a big deal there. Movies are not a big deal. There are not tons of meetings to go to, and, because food is so expensive, it is not assumed that there will be snacks at every meeting. You are what you are, and you are totally accepted.
Don’t get me wrong. I feel totally accepted here in Texas. I love being here with all my precious family and friends. This has been my dream for the last six months and I am relishing every second. I’ve been thinking a lot about it, and I think the issue is that in the States you are faced with so many possibilities and choices….concerning everything! In Israel your choices are limited. You don’t have a gazillion restaurants to choose from. (In fact, eating out is a rare treat, not a daily occurrence.) There isn’t a grocery store on every corner. If you need a new clothes dryer, you only have a few dryers to choose from. You name it….the choices are limited. It’s the main reason why I think life in Israel is simpler and slower. I can focus on my priorities much easier in Israel. There aren’t as many external stimuli to distract my thoughts.
I’m loving my life right now in the super-charged fast lane, though. I am drinking in every minute, every second, taking nothing for granted. God is my quiet center through it all. He keeps me focused on the real things. Loving and adoring my Bridegroom God. Loving and encouraging my family and those around me. Looking for opportunities to start up conversations with strangers that will bring a ray of hope and sunshine to their hearts. These are the things that matter.
I can’t close this post without putting in a pic of my scrumptious family. Yes, I said scrumptious. I LOVE them!
This was taken at the conference last Tuesday night. Preston is the only one missing, and that’s because he had places to go and people to see when the last amen was said. (He is loving being back with his friends!)
Hey Jer,
It does me good to see you with your family. It warms the cockles of my heart down to my toes!
Have you considered that we are not integrated into the Israeli culture enough to know if it is okay to wear our clothes two-days in a row or love movies or television? Actually, we are more in a sub-culture of our own with a mix of Americans and internationals, living on the very edges of Israeli society. You would find the same thing as the sub-culture of any country. I have thought a lot about this lately, since I have been pondering and weighing the price it takes to become deeply woven into the culture. The good thing is that Israel is a blend of many cultures, but still Israeli culture is at the bottom. And the traditions and values of that foundation are unmasked and understood through years of assimilation. Many missionaries accomplished it though.
But that’s okay. The ignorance of sub-culture or third culture living is bliss. And that bliss does make for less stressful living. As ex-patriots, though, we face another set of stresses in our own world, completely unknown to nationals.
Enjoy life in the fast lane! You will be lugging groceries up the hill soon enough.
Bonnie
It’s comforting to read your perspective. I’ve experienced the difference in the sheer number of choices and it is a different world.
Sometimes I grieve over the loss of reality we suffer here. So many distractions. I’m amazed anyone breaks free of them.
Best to you and your family during this time. Soak up those hugs!