Mis Escritos Y Pensamientos

Well, perhaps it about time that I explain the Spanish titles...

It all started when I was about five years old, well maybe not that far back, but that is how old I was when my mom taught me to count to 15 in Spanish.

See, in High School, my mother insisted that I take a foreign language. Since I despised all things French (except for french fries) Spanish was my only other option. Months of listening to Spanish tapes and repeating the words and phrases was enough for me to officially place the Spanish language on the same list as the French language. I figured that it was pointless and would never use it anyway.

College came, and I realized that the time had come where I would once again have to face the dreaded conjugations and rolling of the "r's". I completed my required two semesters of the class, when, for some reason unbeknownst to myself I signed up for a third semester of Spanish. What I was thinking, I have no idea, and it was a rough class. After leaving the class I remember thinking how pointless it was.

Three months later I found myself at a Subway in El Salvador. All I wanted was a sandwich, and my brain scrambled to try and find the correct words. "Queiro numero cinco, con jamon." (Ok, so ham was not my first choice, but it I didn't know what the other meats were. It's better to be safe than sorry.) "Queires queso?" "Claro."

It was then that I realized how helpful it is, especially when in a foreign country, to know the native language. I soon was reminded of how God has given me the gift of being able to learn a foreign language quickly, especially when immersed in the language. I was sitting in the van, listening to my translator and guide speaking, when I suddenly realized that I understood what they were saying. It was a very exciting time for me.

A year later, I found my love for Spanish had continued to grow and grow. Almost every meal I ate in the caffeteria, I sat with my Spanish, speaking friends. Now, I didn't sit with them just because they spoke Spanish, but it was a small thing that I did enjoy about being around them. My comprehension and vocabulary grew and grew. I started buying books, music, and movies in Spanish. Anything that had Spanish on it, I wanted to try and read. I would drive my brothers loco by changing the tv channel to the Spanish channels.

There's just so much to love about the Spanish language. I find that often, I can express myself better in Spanish, than in English. For instance, in English, if we like a person we use the same word as when we like pizza. "Like" In Spanish, however, if you like pizza, you say, "Me gusta." If I like you, then I would say, "Te Quiero." It expresses it so much better than just comparing me liking you to me liking pizza.

Another example of the beauty of the lanuage can be found in the simple English word "housewife". How do you say "housewife" in Spanish? "Ama de casa" literally translated means, "love of house." Doesn't that sound so much better in Spanish?

Ok, maybe I haven't convinced you yet, and maybe I never will, but I can't help it. Yo tengo espanol in mi corazon y cabeza. No entiendo mucho, o hablo mucho, pero me gusta le lengua.

(I have Spanish in my heart and head. I don't understand or speak very much, but I like the lanuage.)

How God is going to use that exactly, I'm not sure, but He's given me the desire to speak Spanish, for a reason. I can't wait to see what He will do with it.

Lately I've been a little frustrated, because I have not been around Spanish, and I'm finding that I'm quickly forgetting words, and it is rare that I can even understand it when spoken. Maybe that's why the Spanish titles. I don't want to lose what I've learned, so be warned. There are probably many more Spanish things to come.