Monday's Meditation: Blessings

This week I've been in a bit of a funk. A "I don't want to get out of bed, or do anything" kind of funk. I didn't even know what I wanted to eat. I would just sit on the couch, hoping Jon would make the decision for me. I really dislike being in a funk... and I'm pretty sure Jon dislikes it even more.  I'm sure a lot of it is due to the fact that I finished the race, and I'm feeling some post-race blues. And the other part is due to my lack of a social life. While I'm forever grateful that Jon is here with me, I am realizing more and more how much I crave community, and being social. I miss gathering with friends, being part of something bigger than just myself. 

So the past couple days I've been a bit out of sorts, but I'm trying to not focus on the negative of the situation of living in a foreign land. But on the many blessings I have noticed because of this situation.

I am so blessed to have this time with Jon. We are able to really just have time together whenever we want and I know that'll soon be changing when we move back. I'm really trying to focus on how to make the most of this time we've been given.

I'm blessed to have such a fantastic job! The students are fun, I can teach whatever I want, most of the day I can do whatever I want, I have 3 months paid vacation, and my co-teacher is a blast. Truly, I will NEVER have this fantastic of a job again... I need to capitalize on this!

I'm blessed with beauty. All around us is the Korean country side, mountains, the yellow sea. We live in an amazing place and I'm going to be sad when we leave and I'm not surrounded by all of my favorite elements of nature.

I'm blessed with fantastic family who encourages us to do what we do. It's a HUGE blessing to be able to skype and video chat whenever we want. Technology is also a big blessing, I don't know what we'd do without it. I'm realizing how important my family really is, and how much I want to know what's going on in their lives. It's the daily little things that I really enjoy knowing.

I'm blessed with friends who call, send care packages, and are interested in what I'm doing. They are always encouraging and make me feel connected even though I'm thousands of miles away. I appreciate that so much! I don't think I realized how much I rely on them for comfort and laughter, and I miss that so much!

I'm blessed to have been able to travel around Asia. I probably would've never had the chance to do any of the traveling we've done had we not moved here. We've been able to explore Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and hopefully China this fall. If that isn't reason enough to be loving life in Korea I don't know what is.

But most of all I'm blessed to have a loving God and creator. A Father who has planned this from the very beginning and has always known my need for others. I feel that I've been taught so much throughout this whole experience. I've learned how to be on my own, and not rely on others. I've learned that flexibility is good and that things will not usually work out how you planned, but they always turn out good.

It's so easy to focus on things that get us down, or in a funk. And I can complain with the best of them. But it truly feels so much better to focus on the great things that are going on in my life and choosing to see the blessings in disguise.