The most touching part for me was the thought and care behind it…it was getting the little bracelet my little cousin picked out himself, the special bookmarks his brother picked out, the gum and mints from my childhood from my dad, all the specially picked out princess stuff from my sister, the Easter package my mom sent with tons of Easter supplies for crafts to do with the kids we live with and all the encouraging words I received through letters and the adorable dolphin picture drawn on the front J
It’s that in each package whether the person knew it or not they were blessing so many people then they may have originally thought! With the plastic eggs combined from the packages we were able to do an Easter egg hunt with the kids, their FIRST EASTER EGG hunt ever! Luke and Paul the eggs you decorated were specially made for 4 kids first Easter Egg hunt of their life J Special huh? J The Disney movie my mom sent, Tangled, happened to be the kids FAVORITE movie of all times and they were so very excited to watch it when it arrived and I will be leaving it with them as a parting gift! I could go on and on but here is the point, on the world race you learn to share everything you have with the people around you. And more then ever before I am amazed at how God works, through the hearts of my loved ones blessing me with their gifts of love, some of them happened to be the exactly what the kids here talked about for the first few weeks! And BAM there it is sent from America!!
As my mom has always taught me how important presentation is of a gift by making our Easter baskets look so nice, I worked hard on trying to make a laundry basket look nice too! I used the ribbon you sent mom… From the 8 of us also going through all our own things as well as some of the Easter things sent overseas we were able to make a beautiful basket of treasures for the kids FIRST EASTER EGG BASKET J I learned putting that basket together what it feels like to be a parent, why all those years when I asked how can this be as much fun for you as for me when you don’t have a gift?? Now I understand full well. Because when those kids came running in to the living room to see their Easter basket it hit me, this is what it feels like. This is the joy you get in blessing your children, this is the joy a parent feels in blessing their own kids, this is the joy the Lord has blessing His children…
It was also through this experience that I learned something about my own heart. Love is not something that I hold onto with both hands, holding on as if it will never come again. I believe that one of the reasons that I have found it easy to freely give love is because of the love I have been shown in my life through my community of family and friends.
I have a mother who has shown me gentleness and how to take the time to stop, sit, and listen and care for another person no matter well fed, hungry, rich, or poor, how to make things special for others, even the small things.
I have a father who generously gives and buys for other people when they are in need. I have tangibly seem my father my whole life provide for my needs in a roof over my head, clothes, helping me all the way through college and all my life growing up he poured out love to my friends too, taking us all to do fun things.
I have a sister who has taught me how to love freely and forgive freely. It is through her example I have learned what it means to forgive 70 times 7. Watched her serve others and me in love…devoting so much time to planning mission trips and finding nursing homes for dear friends.
I have been shown love through my extended family all my life. They have greatly supported me in every area. They speak words of life over me and have continued to believe in me as well as the path God has me on.
I have friends that I have grown up with all my life since I was 11 years old. They have seen me through good times and hard times and have loved me. Friends I met in collegeand after college that loved me through some big years of growth and realizations. All these friends have demonstrated how to love someone and walk through life beside them. And each one of them has greatly supported me this year on the race.
The Lord has blessed me with amazing neighbors, pastors, and co-workers that have really taken the time to get to know my heart, people in the church who love on me miles away and love on my mom when both her kids aren’t there J
The list could go on and on but this last week what I have learned is…freely I have received, so freely I give. I realized this doesn’t just apply to tangible things in my life but love also. It is through YOU, everyone taking the time to even read this blog right now, it is through YOUR love, support, and encouragement throughout my life that has enabled me to pour out love to 11 different countries and so many people along the way.
I wanted to thank you all for every prayer, every email, every word, and every moment that you have spent with me throughout my life, sitting with me sharing our hearts over tea or holding me as I cry in your arms. All the times that may have seemed small I have thought about this last 11 months and I now realize how much your love and care all these years prepared me to love the nations.
The love you have poured into me over the years has now been poured out onto others around the world and I sincerely thank you.
You simply loved me, so that I may simply love others.
