I ate a bug...

I did... I thought my homemade (by someone else) peanut brittle was extra brittley until I look down and saw the bug. Legs, wings, body, BLEUGH! But I have become Dominicanized. I did not spit it out. I simply opened my mouth in the rear-view mirror to check if there was any in my mouth, swallowed and ate around it. Who am I? LOL. I've changed alot since my move to the Dominican... but one thing has not changed. My love for adventure. I love anything to do with adrenaline pumping, sweaty, exciting adventure. EXCEPT when it is unplanned!
If anyone knows me well, they know I am definitely OCD. I have things and those things have a place. Likewise I have days and those days have a plan. So this weekend when Robersy "surprised" me with a trip to Bani to help his mom move some furniture in to her house I was not thrilled. I have lessons to plan, books to read, important things to do! And my hubby reminded me that it's not all about me (which is, ironically, the book I had planned to read this weekend... God has a sense of humor!). So I packed my little bag and I brought my kindle with the audio version of "It's Not About Me" to listen on the way. Robersy said he thought it would be a good idea. LOL.
As always it was an eye opening and humbling trip. On Sunday afternoon we arrived and chatted with the family. They shared about their busy lives and we shared about ours. We laughed in to the night and watched old episodes of Fear Factor on the static-y television and then it happened. The lights went out. This isn't out of the ordinary here. Our lights in Boca Chica have been going out almost every night this month. In fact, they went out while I was writing this blog. The cool thing was that Robersy's mom and stepdad live out in the country side. In Boca Chica the lights go out and somebody's generator goes on. There is never complete darkness. But out in the country side of Cruce de Ocoa, just outside of Bani... there is complete darkness. You could hear the neighbors rustling around for lanterns and candles. Robersy's mom felt around for her lamp too. The rest of us just picked up our chairs and sat under the stars.
WOW!
Do you know how many stars there are??? I didn't even try to count! The heavens were filled with these tiny night-lights. I couldn't help but thank the Creator. He didn't create them for me... they were created for HIS glory. As am I. Humbled.
That night as we drove to a friends house, where we had arranged to sleep, we basked in HIS glory, sang HIS praises... then it happened again. My darn OCD heart! We had planned to collect the furniture in the morning, put it in Robersy's mom's house and then do the UNIMAGINABLE... have a DATE! This never happens. We usually crawl home after our busy days and slump into bed, but TODAY was our day. Robersy talked about TGIFridays and I talked about romantic walks through the mall. But THEN IT HAPPENED. I had gone to bed early on Sunday. Earplugs in, eye mask on, deep sleep. Until I felt a big hand pull my earplug out and whisper, "Hey Sarah, plans have changed for tomorrow." WHAT! My heart began to beat faster. "What?" I mumbled, without lifting my eye-mask. "Yeh, *** needs our help so we're going to drive to San Fransisco (2.5hrs away) to help them." "Can it wait?" The Holy Spirit pricked my heart, but I kept my eye-mask down not to be convicted. "No, it can't." Loooong Pause. "As long as we arrive in Santo Domingo for lunch that's fine." I rolled over and fell asleep.
Well, wouldn't you know... everything took longer than it should have. "Dominican Time" we call it. When we arrived to San Fransisco around 1PM the family we had gone to help had a table filled with food. My heart sunk again. No eye-mask to protect myself from conviction. Here I am hoping to get to the Capital ASAP and this family has been cooking all morning for us. Convicted. Blessed.
You know, I never got my romantic date. Things are so busy it might have to wait a few weeks. But I did learn alot this weekend. I am a LOT like the Israelites. We shake our heads when we read their story and how forgetful they were of God's blessing. Manna. Water. Protection. But we are EXACTLY THE SAME! I sat beneath stars that were created by the very hands of God, fellowshipped with friends and family, had the honor of helping people that needed help (including the extra blessing of handing out clothes and shoes to those in need), drove through the gorgeous mountain side, enjoyed yummy homemade candy WITH extra protein!, had lunch prepared and ready for us when we arrived to San Fransisco... and I forgot to say THANK YOU to the one who gave IT ALL.
OCD or not, I have no excuse. Instead of complaining about altered plans I need to start praising my Savior for unexpected blessings.
How about you?
I'm going to start by curling up on the couch with my handsome husband, while eating my homemade candy (which is pretty darn good!) and enjoying a date night that is a whole lot cheaper than TGIFridays.
THANK YOU LORD!!!