Tonight we went trick-or-treating. Brin prepared the kids the last two days by not letting them eat anything with sugar. I'm sure they'll go to bed with stomach aches anyway. One of the things we learned about in our training is how being a part of a new culture will go against everything that we are. Things that are funny or just different at first will later start to just annoy us and we will detest them. Eventually, when we learn to embrace the culture, those feelings will fade.
There are a lot of things in our culture that I don't like. Even things that get on my nerves. But it's still my culture. It's what I'm used to. Our kids, growing up in two different cultures (and a third which is made up of kids like themselves) will be known as 3rd Culture Kids. They will miss out on a lot of things from Brin and my culture, but also experience a lot of great things from the Brazilian culture. But it's a difficult upbringing. Being fully part of no one culture, 3rd Culture Kids feel home in neither. But they are highly adaptable, highly relational and grow up quickly. It's difficult knowing that the decisions I am making for my family may potentially bring pain into their lives. I can live without Halloween. But it's more difficult for me to deprive my kids of the upbringing that has made me who I am. I suppose it's just another area of my life that I'm going to have to release to God.
-JTP
1 comment:
I might like to add a comment to your thoughts, Josh. I think our greatest growth spiritually comes through adversity. No one likes pain and as a parent, we'd want to shield our families from that, but in actuality we all need to experience that pain in order to grow. I think you're all going to be better servants for the Lord through this. It may hurt and there may be a pain, but if there's spiritual growth, it has to be worth it. Yep, you're just going to have to give in and trust Him. It's the only Way, anyway.
Diane
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