Luggage!!

:o) I enjoy reading your comments!! I'm glad you like reading what I write ... It's all from the heart.

So I didn't get a chance to write last night ... Here is from September 23rd :o)

Yesterday was okay. I woke up the earliest I have since being in San Benedetto. Each morning, I am the only one here, so I feel like I have ample time to get ready and get into the Word. God has been speaking to me a lot through the book of Psalms. It is a comfort and a joy to read the words of David (and others) who are crying out to God during so many different times in their lives. They recognize that it is God who they need, and no one else can fill us like He can. This is truth for all of us. There are so many things we use to fill our lives with that we believe will make us happy. But these things are temporary happiness. In my mind, I believe I would be happier if I were back home in the comfort of the familiar. God is telling me this is not truth. My happiness comes from Him. I'm learning to find my peace and happiness solely from my Father. I'm learning. These days have been a little hard finding joy in being here when I want to be somewhere else.

I didn't go to town yesterday because I was expecting Monica and the girls home earlier, but they didn't come until later in the afternoon. Monica has a few English books in the house, so I picked up A Thousand Splendid Suns. So far it is awfully sad, but intriguing and I want to finish it while I'm here.

When Monica came home, I told her I had gotten word from my mom that the airline had called about my luggage. They had tried to deliver it to the house, but saw 'Buswell' listed with the Italian family's address on my form I filled out at the airport and because it didn't match, they didn't think it was right. Thankfully, they were keeping it in town close by. Monica took me and the girls to pick it up. I was so excited to have it in my possession!! It made me want to do a happy dance :oD I think having my luggage has made it better being here LoL. Strange as it may sound, there is something about having my own clothes and personal belongings that make staying here seem more like home. I'm thankful!

Last night for dinner, Monica made zucchini soup(strange, but really good), fried chicken (yes, she fried it herself), Greek salad, and these fried green olives stuffed with fish (most of the time they have meat not fish), which is a dish that is popular with this region only (I'm not a fan of olives, but I gave them a try :oP).  I enjoy the the family sitting down every night for dinner!! Although I cannot understand what they are sharing most of the time, I think it is a great tradition to keep.

What I've learned, not necessarily yesterday ;o)
In Italy, businesses open around 8 a.m. and stay open through 1 p.m. Then they close from 1 p.m. to around 3:30 or 4 p.m. in order for them to go home and eat lunch with their families.
The school system is also very different from ours in the states. Children go to school from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday through Saturday. If their parents are not able to pick them up at that time, they have another school that is like ours M-F 8-3 or 4.

Grace and peace,
Jodi