HAPPY THANKSGIVING
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! Wow. How is it already this time of year? Time is flying by, the days are blurring together, and more often than not I’m not sure what day it is. I spent all day today with my host April in her cafe. I cleaned, I learned how to cook some of the meals and make coffee, I portioned food, and I spent time dusting and organizing and doing small tedious tasks. And while I tried not to, I spent a lot of time today thinking about home. Thanksgiving growing up was a day of family. We had big dinners and lots of friends and family visiting town. I associate today’s holiday with lots of laughter and smiles, with familiarity and closeness and the satisfaction of coming together as a whole. Even as I got older and we moved there was always a turkey, or a day spent at home with no schoolwork or jobs or distractions, or the promise of my mom and sister and I being together.
So waking up this morning at 6:00 am to go help with a cafe in Botswana, run by people who I don’t know very well yet was honestly a little discouraging. And there was a noticeable progression throughout the day of my mood sinking and sinking as I thought about my family that would be gathering together for dinner. By the time I got home I was tired, sweaty from the summer heat, and very ready to somehow take a break or escape from being here all together. But within an hour of getting home, as I sat in the kitchen all showered, dressed for dinner, and trying my best to stay in tune with a good holiday spirit, I realized how completely ridiculous I was being. I sat in the kitchen as my teammates buzzed around, cooking and laughing as my friend Zack softly played the guitar. I asked him to sing a song for me, so he scooted closer and sang two that he wrote. And as I listened to the beautiful music and laughter from these people that I too often don’t appreciate enough, I stopped thinking about my long day and my tired feet and how ready for sleep I was, and I started thinking about what I was thankful for.
I’m thankful… for the crazy, unorganized and unpredictable life that I get to live. I’m thankful that my family and so many other people worked so hard to help get me here, for the amount of laughter and smiles that I experience from being around my team, and for the past three months and everything that has happened to me. For provision and God’s grace, early morning weather, hot coffee, late nights, and friends. For Dominican sunrises, and African sunsets, and rain that pushes away the heat. For the words “hey you” that I will forever associate with Haitian children.For long conversations, and 3rd floor rooftops to hangout on, and welcoming arms from people who don’t know me. For growth, and inspiration, and joy even in moments of tribulation. For spontaneity and adventure, and for a God who placed me here for what reason I don’t quite understand yet.
I’m thankful that today I got to wake up at 6:00 am to go work in a cafe in Kumakwane, Botswana. I’m glad that I got to spend the day with my teammate Kate as we learned how to cook and spent time talking to locals, and I’m glad that April and I spent some more time together. Because looking at it in retrospect; yeah it’s not home, and yeah it’s a family holiday, but its an opportunity that I’ll probably never get again. It’s a crazy memory that was made, an act of service that helped someone out, and a gift from the Lord that I should simply accept and say thank you for.
So thanks God. I’m sorry I’m so slow to realize what you’re doing sometimes. I’m sorry I didn’t spend all of today thanking you and kneeling at your feet wondering how in the world I am so insanely blessed. I am in awe of your grace and magnificence yet again. And while I’m praying for my family, and thinking about how I could’ve been there today with them, I realized sitting in the kitchen listening to beautiful music and laughter that I should also be thankful for being HERE, in this wonderful home, with wonderful people who I also get to call family, praising a wonderful Father who really does take care of his daughter, even when she is unthankful.
Happy Thanksgiving.
