Only By God's Grace

Earlier this week Jared and I were in another one of 'those' conversations that revolves around learning language.  We have lived here for almost three years and I am still struggling in this area.  I am making progress, but not fast enough, at least in my eyes.  With the boys in school this past 9 months, and me being able to study in the mornings, I have made progress and in the past few months have also been working through a new intense language program with greater results.  I still am feeling inadequate for this task.
I recently came upon a chapter in My Heart in His Hands  Ann Judson: A life, with Selections from Her Memoir and Letters by Sharon James.  Ann Judson and her husband Adoniram were in Burma in 1813, working to learn the Burmese language.  Adoniram wrote in a letter to a friend, regarding language study:

"When...we take up a language spoken by a people on the other side of the earth, whose very thoughts run in channels diverse from ours, and whose modes of expression are consequently all new and uncouth; when we find the letters and words all totally destitute of the least resemblance to any language we had ever met with, and these words not fairly divided, and distinguished, as in western writings...it unavoidably takes several years to acquire such a language, in order to converse and write intelligible on the great truths..."  

 Wow, can Jared and I both relate!  Ann also wrote to a friend,

"My mornings are busily employed in giving directions...providing food for the family, etc.  At ten my teacher comes...I have many more interruptions than Mr. Judson, as I have the entire management of the family"

Wow, can I relate!   I have learned to study with 3 kids running around, a househelper I am giving directions to, and many people coming to the door.  (My tutors have also learned to teach with these many interruptions :).  The more we live here the more I realize that my time really is not my own, it is God's.  He has given me this task of learning language at the same time as I He has given me three children to care for, and a woman who needs to see our water meter, and rice that needs to be ordered, and a meal that needs to be prepared, etc. He knows what my day is going to look like and he knows what my language ability will be like next year.  I am simply ready to work hard and serve in the place He has put me today.   Well, not always fully willing to work hard, but always on my knees asking for Father to give me that desire today.  Now to get ready for my tutor who arrives at 8:30 tomorrow morning...

On a more humorous note...Jared and I also realized that for half of this past three years of language learning I have been pregnant.  I don't know about others who have experienced pregnancy, but for me my brain during that 9 months does not quite worked the same.  Maybe this has been part of my issue? :)