Where I Came From

I love to hear or read people's life stories; I love to see how childhood and experience molds a person. I guess that is what I like about blogs: people share so much of themselves and you get a glimpse into their lives and hearts.

When my "Tennessee" Grandma passed away in February of 2000, my mother gave a testimony at her funeral. She told the story of our family in a way I will always remember. It is a story of a journey from a foreign country and a city lifestyle to America and a country lifestyle and how those 2 very different worlds came together in the making of our family.

My mother was a "city girl." She was raised in Frankfurt, Germany. She never learned to drive until she already had me, at age 25. In the city, one doesn't need a car - you can walk, ride a bike, take a bus or a streetcar to anywhere you want to go. Though my Oma (her mother) grew up in the country side of East Prussia, my Opa (her father) was a city boy, born and raised in Frankfurt as well. My grandparents lived in an apartment all their married lives, though they did rent a small garden plot where they had a little cottage and kept a few rabbits (it was part of a rabbit breeding/show community) and had a small plot of earth to plant flowers and herbs. My Opa worked for the post office, and my Oma cleaned offices to earn extra money. I visited them every summer from age 6 until age 18. My Opa died when I was 15; and my Oma passed away when I was 19 and in college.

My step dad was a "country boy." He grew up in rural East Tennessee, 60 miles from the "big city" of Knoxville. His parents were tobacco farmers and later kept beef cattle. After my dad was already grown, they were able to build a nice, brick home - and pay it off in 7 years! - and own many acres for their cattle and chickens. My dad joined the Air Force to escape the small town - and he married my mom while stationed in Germany when I was almost 4 years old; both of them had been divorced, and my step dad adopted me. First we lived in Virginia, then we moved to Knoxville so my dad could be closer to his aging parents. We often spent weekends on the farm, and I have fond memories of long walks in the fields, gathering eggs in the barn, and watching the new calves in the Spring.

So, that's where I came from! Part city, part country...and I've retained a little of each now that I am an adult. I guess that explains why I like to have tea in fine china with all the spoons and dessert forks and sugar cubes -- and yet, I love a fresh, homemade biscuit (just hold the gravy - the city-fied side of me can't bear to eat something with that much straight grease in it!). I have been on trains and planes and subways all over Europe and have walked or ridden my bikes for miles and miles - and yet I can't imagine life without my OWN car and not being able to park as close as possible to the entrance at Wal-mart! I love to window shop in a fancy department store and buy bread from a real bakery or sit in a cozy cafe'; and yet I think yard sales and Goodwill are AWESOME and day-old, marked-down pastries are something I look for while grocery shopping. I pretty much have a "black thumb," but I sure do love fresh produce!! I have been spoiled by my Oma buying me 80 dollar (Deutsch Mark, back in the day) Italian-made, leather shoes for school; and now I love to find $5 flip-flops at Payless.

For the first 12 years of marriage I was an Army officer's wife, and though we didn't really care about the whole rank thing, life was truly comfortable, more than it ever had been for either of us. We traveled and spent money withouth giving it too much thought. Now we have been "in the ministry" for 4+ years, and again, a drastic contrast to our previous life. We don't travel much, except to see family, and our budget is tighter than ever, especially anticipating a new baby and me soon not working (as much, perhaps I'll work a little from home, if I can).

Through each stage and phase, I know God was at work! He has been molding me into various shapes, despite my not realizing it at the time; and I am so thankful He continues to work on me still, mending the cracks and removing the dross. Hopefully one day I will realize what His purpose is that I have been through all these phases; and in the meantime, I am still processing where I came from in relation to where I am. Mainly, I want to just enjoy today - though I clearly remember yesterday and am excited about tomorrow.

My goal is to be able to learn to say - like the Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:11-13:
Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me.