Friday, February 13, 2009

When trying to think of a name for my blog, I kept coming back to the idea of "International Mama" because I think it describes who I am.  My entire life has been international in nature and my major occupation is being a mother.

From 8 months old until the age of 18 I lived in Indonesia where my parents work as missionaries in a remote jungle tribe.  I returned to America for college, attending Columbia International University where I graduated with a degree in Elementary Education.  After graduation, I moved to England for 6 months to do some voluntary work at a New Tribes Mission Bible School while I tried to figure out the next step in life.  I was accepted to teach with International Schools of China and moved there the following summer.  Four and a half years in China brought a lot of changes.  A friend from college moved to my city to start teaching English.  He's German.  Unbeknownst to me at the time, I was part of the reason for his choice to fill in a temporary teacher's position.  However, he made his intentions clear and after the typical ups-and-downs that we women tend to have regarding things of this nature, we started dating.  We were married a year and a half later, and our son was born (in China) just before our first anniversary.  Almost exactly a month ago we said good-bye to our friends and moved to the UK for my husband to start a PhD in Theology.  Our second child will be born in June.  The four members of my family will have been born in four separate countries.

As far as who I see myself to be... well, I believe that my purpose and place at this time in life is as follows:

1. A child of God - pursuing a life of knowing Him and obeying Him in every aspect of my daily activities
2. A wife to my husband - learning how to love him, serve him and submit myself to him
3. A mother to my children - striving to train them up to know and love God, sacrificing my wishes and desires to meet their needs
4. A servant to my community - finding how I can use the gifts God has given me to serve those around me - both to encourage the Body of Christ as well as to be a light to those who don't know the Lord

I have a long, long way to go to meet these goals.  Most often I fail, but I hope and pray that this is the path I am on as God works in my life. 

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