Thoughts on our first "summer" break in Burkina.

We are almost two weeks into summer break. It's not really summer here though, so technically it's just a break from the school year, but whatever. We'll take it. Happily.

I've been thinking about "Summer" break a lot these past weeks. What we should do. The fun I hope we have. It's different here. I know that's a big "duh" but during the school year we had a strict school schedule with activities and despite the differences, that part of our lives at least slightly mimicked "normalcy". School. Homework. Activities. It was semi-familiar.

With school on hiatus, I'm left with the predicament of finding things to entertain the girls in their off time. It's slightly easier for Marvelly, because joyfully she has her sister back daily, and is reveling in the companionship of 24/7 sisterhood.

Sydaleigh is actually loving her break so far. She enjoys not being on a schedule for a while and the freedom no school brings. But I wonder how the rest of the summer will progress....

there are no parks here.
no zoos.
no amusement parks.
no beaches.
no lakes (unless you count the barrage...which we don't)
no neighborhood friends
no cul-de-sacs to ride bikes around (where we live there aren't even any streets to ride their bikes on, unless you want to be swallowed alive by a pot hole.)
no ice cream trucks
no sidewalks to draw chalk on
no curbs to sit on and pass the time
no fairs
no movie theaters
no redboxes
no fishing
 
I could write on that list forever. The "withouts" are endless. But I will stop. We live in a different country now, a country without all the familiars we are used to, and adaptation and flexibility are key to content survival.

As I've thought about our summer break these past two weeks I've bounced back and forth between  frustration, self-pity, hopeful contentment and worry.

We were hoping to return home to the States for a while this summer. But unfortunately that is not going to happen. Hence the whole, "how the heck are we gonna pass all this down time here?!"

I want to be content.

But my attitude these past two weeks has been anything but. I've wasted a lot of time being frustrated in not being able to have some much needed time away and over the blaringly apparent differences that have always been here, but because my attitude hasn't exactly been sunshine and roses, it has been robbing me of my contentedness and peace in my circumstances. 

Until Jesus blasted me like a freakin' pressure washer with some much needed encouragement from friends..the greatest of friends. Gentle reminders. Pointing me back to Christ. Pouring scripture and truth and prayers over me.

How thankful I am for the most incredible women in my life. How thankful I am that He doesn't leave us in our depleted condition, but is always seeking to restore and give strength and hope and peace and more of Himself for our benefit.

So, instead of brewing in frustration and disappointment, instead of focusing on the things we don't have and won't get to do, instead of dwelling on the places we won't get to go....

I am allowing Him to teach me the secret to be content in any situation whatever the circumstances, I am choosing not to conform to the pattern of this world, but being transformed by the renewing of my mind, and I am fixing my mind on anything that is excellent or praiseworthy.

That starts by having a thankful heart for where we do get to spend our summer break, the unique opportunities we will get to enjoy, and not focusing on what we don't have...but what do.

So, while we may not have a beach or lake, we do have a swimming pool. Of which we take full advantage of almost everyday.
We may not have parks or zoos for entertainment, but we do have one playground at Syd's school that we can use during the break.
The girls don't have any neighborhood friends, but they do have friends, and we haven't let a little bit of driving ever stop us from having play dates before.
We don't have cul-de-sacs, sidewalks, or curbs...but we do have a long driveway in our courtyard for riding bikes, and a big black gate that's perfect for chalk drawings.
There are no ice cream trucks in our neck of the woods, but we do have a delicious ice cream shop not far from the house that has the best chocolate crunch ice cream.
There are no fairs but we do have great exotic markets, though that's more up my alley than the girls.
There are no movie theaters or red boxes but we do have the option of downloading movies. Sometimes the download time is 61 hours so you have to plan far in advance...but we still have the option.
I don't have anything at this point that can substitute for fishing. That one will just have to wait.
And we may not get to leave Ouaga and visit the US this summer....but we do get to leave Ouaga for a few hours on Saturdays and visit Yako and see someone we love there. We also get to continue to visit our favorite little people here in town. And Sydaleigh gets to accompany us since she's out of school.

Thank you Jesus for a fresh perspective. Thank you Jesus for your blessings. 

So...our summer may not look the same. But it's still good. It's so so good. And it is praiseworthy. And I'm choosing to fix my mind on that.