A slight breeze blowing the laundry on the roof.
“Thank you, teacher!!!” hundreds of children yell in broken English.
The smell of fresh, raw meat in the market every Wednesday morning.
The moment when, once again, the sun peaks above the horizon of roofs in a burst of red, pink, orange, and yellow.
The sharp intake of breath when I witness another gorgeous Thai landscape.
The warmth in my heart when some of the girls I taught give me thank you hugs.
The sound of a page in my Bible turning.
The taste of chai yen, or Thai tea, and the refreshing coolness rushing down my throat.
The squeal of embarrassment when asked to say, “How are you feeling today?” in English.
The sound of worship on Sunday-some singing in Thai and others in English.
The looks of astonishment when I say I am 19. Only 19 years old.
The sparkle of the multitude of stars at night.
The taste of a 7/11 sandwich. A ham and cheese croissant to be exact.
Laughter as children play one more round of finger swords.
The constant battle to put toilet paper in the trashcan and not the toilet.
The singing/yelling/laughter that happens when Kate blares music in the van on one of our many trips to a school.
The awkwardness of having to wear a skull cap to swim in an almost abandoned swim park.
Not knowing what is going on. Ever. At any moment or any time.
The feeling of flying that is only felt when you are riding in the bed of a pickup truck.
That moment when you realize water buffalo are basically giant pigs with horns.
The taste and smell of Thai food: soup, rice, mystery meat, rice, spicy meat, rice, slimy desserts, rice, fruit, and did I mention rice??
Random craziness that happens at team time: the growth, the tears, the love, the community, the fun, the laughter-all of it.
The naps that are taken in almost every van ride.
The joy of finding a HUGE jar of peanut butter in a Thai version of Costco.
The blessing of every breath. In. Out. In. Out. Repeat. Life.
This. This is my life, and I love every moment of it. If I am honest, at times it seems mundane and boring-just another day. Yet God is teaching me every single moment is a precious gift from Him.
I would simply like to encourage you: What do you take for granted-seems mundane-that God has given you to bring joy, peace, beauty, and comfort to your life? There is so much to be had in this life if we only look for it. Life is meant to be lived and felt. Don’t let business and routine keep you from living the best life you can live. Pause. Breathe. Every day-every moment-is a gift. For this Christmas season, I am choosing to accept and treasure the gift Jesus died for: My life.
