Milk

At orientation, we were told not to drink the milk here or we would die. I don't really know how true that is, but they had stories about people being medically evacuated out, so we took it to heart. So for over a year we drank shelf milk or powdered milk. Then some of our colleagues started pasteurizing their own milk, so we did too.

On Saturday mornings, the milk man shows up on his bicycle. Our duplex-mates, another family, and the three of us all get milk...6 liters each. We take our pitchers and bowls outside and the milk man pours our allotted milk into our containers. Then we bring them inside. We filter them through a strainer first to get out any dirt or cow hair that might have floated in. Then we put the milk into a double broiler and heat it to about 170 degrees and hold it there for 15 seconds. Then we put the milk into fridge-friendly containers (usually old mayonnaise jars) and cool the milk down as fast as possible in ice water in the sink. Then it all goes into the fridge and we wait until it's cold enough to drink. I didn't even know how much I missed the real thing until I had it again!

When we first get out one of the jars, we have to scrape the cream off the top. The first time is the easiest because it's really thick and clings to the spatula. It's still hard to get it all off though. Sometimes there's not much cream at the top and it looks pretty harmless, so I'll just shake it up because I know it'll be difficult and time-consuming to get it all off. This can be regretful because later on, the milk will be lumpier faster and not all that appetizing.

Well last week our team had the opportunity to get away for a few days. One morning, we split up and spent about 3 hours with the Lord. One of the things that I pray constantly is that I will decrease and that God will increase. I started to think about how even though I pray that, I still find myself trying to increase. My attitude still says that I am so selfish. The way that I let things bother me says that I still think that this is somehow about me. No matter how much I pray for God to increase in my life, my attitude, my ministry, Michelle keeps rising to the surface. And when it's really obvious and huge and easier to get rid of, I allow God to scrape it off. But when it's more subtle--hideable--I tend to just shake it back down. But it's still there...which means it will resurface, it's inevitable. And it's not harmless. It turns into an attitude that permeates everything, every relationship, every word, every action...making it lumpy and un-appetizing.

God reminded me that part of the growing process is pruning. If there's something in my life that needs to go, I can't just let it sit there. And I may think it's doing nothing...just sitting there because I know it'll hurt to cut it away. But really it's keeping everything else from growing. I'm so thankful that God is willing to teach us these things! And I'm so thankful for cold, fresh milk.