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Sometimes There Are No Good Title

Walking down the streets of Uganda is an adventure in and of itself. With marriage proposals and constantly being asked out, I have come up with plenty of quick and sassy lines to throw back at them. I know most of these proposals come from my white skin and American roots, and I never take a single one of them seriously. I love joking about them and laughing at the awkward encounter later. One of my favorites happened at church. A man came up to me, and began to shake my hand. In Uganda, there is no such thing as a personal bubble. People stand awkwardly close to you. With that in mind, this guy stood too close to me as he continued to shake my hand. We introduce ourselves to each other, and he continues to shake my hand. He then asks me, “Would you be interested in a relationship?”
“Uhhh.... Well.... N...” I get cut off.
“WAIT!” *still shaking my hand* “Where are you from?”
“America”
“Oh. So you are not from Australia?”
“No, sir. Born and raised in America.”
Disappointment comes on his face as he continues to shake my hand and say, “Oh. I thought you were from Australia. My brother is there, and I want to go find him. Never mind then.” Finally he lets go of my hand, as I stand there speechless and wonder how I could get asked out and turned down in thirty seconds! I was telling this story to a friend, and did I get some kind of condolence? No. I just got, “Well, you are lookin' pretty good these days!” Thanks.
Seems like lately everyone mentions something about my looks. It really started with the comment from my friend. Another friend of mine says, “you look better and better every time I see you” every time I see her, which is about twice a week. Then a few people I know came to Uganda. That caused me to be in some full body pictures instead of the selfie type I take with the kids. They made their way to Facebook. Comments. Comments galore! Apparently I am looking good these days. People were going crazy of these photos:



I will admit it. I have lost weight. That is what happens when you sweat by simply breathing, get in the habit of walking to do errands instead of taking a boda or driving, start eating less Los Betos (by “less” I mean “Uganda doesn't have Los Betos”) and less processed stuff, and do some Turbo Kick to get some pent up aggression out. Shaping up will happen when a life starts acting like that. Then there is the natural phenomenon! I got a tan. A good tan! A tan that you can notice, and not have to strain your eyes just to see the ever so slight variation in skin color. *Side note: I am not for tanning! In fact, I discourage it! I have witnessed the dangers of not taking care of your skin, and it truly is heartbreaking. I do take care of my skin. I (being a ginger) use the best out there: Water Babies (intense. I know). Just putting that out there. *
The weight loss and the tan do make me look healthier, but I believe they are just a fraction of the reason I am getting all these comments. I am where God wants me. I am in His will, and as I chase after Him, He fills me with an unspeakable joy. I find joy to be the most refreshing drink for my soul. Before returning to Uganda, I began to lose my zest for life and my joy. I was caught up in the mundane life I created for myself, and in turn lost part of who I am. I praise God because I got back on the track He placed me on. Hosea Ballou said, “Tears of joy are like the summer rain drops pierced by sunbeams.” Just like the summer rains refresh the land, the joy of the Lord came refreshing my heart as I followed Him to Uganda. Following God with a whole and completely willing heart will cause anyone to shine. The love of Christ bursts out of them, and all witness something beautiful. I see it so often in others I know. I love watching those people as they are used by God. I am not the kind of girl to give out beauty tips. If you know me at all, you know I am not the girlie type. But I do have one tip: Follow God with all you are. Strive after Him, and your life will become the most beautiful scene you will ever imagine. And you will suddenly hear how great you look.

So yes, Africa looks good on me. However it is nothing more than doing God's will. I am going to keep striving after Him, and I look forward to where He will lead me. If that means I will continue to be asked out by complete strangers as I walk down the street, then so be it. I will keep my sassy pants near by, and look onward to the place God calls.  

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