one thousand gifts: the Romanian version

Lily is still not well.  If she is still running a fever on Saturday, we'll be heading back to the doctor for bloodwork to check for mono, a bacterial infection or whatever else may come up.  For how sick she is, the doctors and nurses we've seen this week are quite surprised at how pleasant she is.  As long as her pain relievers are going strong, she's ok.  As they start to wear off, her fever returns and her throat hurts her worse.

One of the great things about my trip to Romania was time to journal, reflect and read a lot of Scripture.  It was so wonderful and I want to create more space for it at home.

Here's a little taste of my trip, by way of the gifts I kept track of.

At times it was easy to find the gifts, at times, I had to look really hard to see.
But I'm learning.  I'm learning to look.  So that I see.  Otherwise, I will never see.  Never recognize his gifts.

And still.  It's changing me.

**************************

Kissing the girls goodnight, and leaving early enough in the morning they weren't awake, no tearful goodbyes.

Scrolling through pictures on my iPhone 

Free internet in Germany at a computer sales display

A small black notebook giveaway from the computer sales display, perfect for writing gifts

Envisioning the smile on Bean's face, receiving an unexpected email

Two seats to myself on a long flight--I managed to curl up and lay almost flat to sleep for a while

The Austrian Alps from my airplane window

Munich roads winding through the countryside

Yummy soft pretzel bread w/ a cheese spread on the flight to Romania

Feeling semi-ok after 24 hours of travel

Fresh, out of the oven bread from a small bakery in a small town.  No signs or indication of the yumminess inside.  You have to know by word of mouth.

Delicious soups all week

An iPhone adapter to charge my phone, to play games on our many van trips, to look at photos or share photos with others.

A friend who blessed me with the adapter

Getting to bless our interpreter with the adapter at the end of my trip, because he didn't have one that plugged into the wall

Vegetables for breakfast

Lots of homemade bread

An outhouse with a hole to squat over, instead of a nasty seat to sit on

International minutes on a SIM card, getting to talk to Bean twice

Faith for healing

The privilege of prayer

Speaking spanish with Romanians who work in Spain

Seeing God touch our team

The gift of words

Important lessons learned

Life stories shared

Listening to worship on my iPhone in a foreign country

Seeing Bulgarian and Serbian countryside from a distance

Dipping my hand in the {cold} Danube River

Fingernails that stay dirty, Tired feet, sore muscles, tender hands, all saying I worked my body today

American-style pizza in Romania

Homecooked meals fit for a king

German chocolate bars

Strong European coffee

Patience practice

A van drained of the wrong gasoline, finally running on the right gasoline

Experiencing the history of Romania, the freeing from Communism, the hand of God

Free wifi at the hotel the night  before we go home.  Finally, outside contact again.

Family and friends coming together to help Bean care for a sick Lily

Plenty of sick hours for Bean to utilize

A husband, who cares so well for our family

Lessons of faith

A plane waiting for us 

Free movies

Plenty of food and drink

More faith lessons

A short ride, to an unexpected hotel stay--thankful to at least be in the USA

A room to myself, a heavy robe and soft bed

One last set of clean clothes

One more hot shower, time to shave my legs

Medicine, calming my stomach while in flight

The pure joy of expectations

Counting hours instead of days

Library books

Christian fiction, that teaches me important spiritual lessons

As easy switch to a morning flight

Getting to the gate just in time

Starbucks Caramel Macchiato

Seats together, in an exit row, towards the front of the plane

One last book to read, to finish

Holding and kissing my loved ones once again

one thousand {4}

I'm counting my gifts.  I'm finding moments, gifts of grace to be thankful for, each day.  Finding meaning in the mundane.  Finding purpose in the everyday.  Finding Him.  His fingerprints on my day.

I'm linked up here.







baby toes peeking out of too-big jammies

unexpected cloudy morning home my three girls

big girl beds

stuffed animals piled high

three curly bedheads

thirty minutes to make steel cut oats on the stove

felt cup cozy under my fingers

strong muscles that carry me on the treadmill

watching the sun rise on the hill in the distance as I run on the treadmill in the garage

tears that flow

legging & comfy shirt days

jammy mornings

cold feet warmed by a husband's toasty legs

rainy days at home

homemade hot chocolate

2 sisters & 1 brother

doing the hard thing, the right thing

getting there, just in time

an untimely accident, which turned out to be the last word

the blue of the sky after days of hard rain

the right husband, the right life

Ann's post today, pretty much encapsulates the last week of my personal life.  I love how you walk through something, and then God gives you the lens through which to view it after.  I'm glad I did the right thing.  Looking through his lens, I know I did what pleased him and more than my personal comfort, more than my human, fleshly emotions, that's what matters.  Obedience feels much better on me then indulging in the flesh.  And God also has a unique way of acknowledging the fleshly emotions, and rewarding us for doing the right thing, with a dose of humor.  I like that about him a lot.

I wish I could provide details and share more, but it's a family thing, and I need to be respectful.  But it's part of my story, and part of who I am, so I share with you these little tidbits.

I am thankful.

one thousand (3)

I'm on a journey to embrace each day, to find joy in the mundane, to live as if this is the day the Lord has made, even when the day doesn't hold what I'd like it to.   This book continues to change my way of thinking and my approach to each day.  Already I am finding small things to be thankful for.  I hope it keeps changing me.  I want it to change me.

Interested in hearing a bit more?  Check out this trailer.





18. celebrating the 7th & 2nd birthdays of my oldest and youngest

19. timely encouragement from friends

20. daily bread

21. a rock higher than I

22. my treadmill

23. sick baby on my day off

24. health insurance & antibiotics

25. a single blooming rose

26. chocolate

27. spice tea

28. sunshine

29. the word of God

One thousand

I'm on a journey to embrace each day, to find joy in the mundane, to live as if this is the day the Lord has made, even when the day doesn't hold what I'd like it to.  I'm a few chapters into the book, and it truly is impacting me.  Already I am finding small things to be thankful for.  I hope it keeps changing me.  I want it to change me.



9. A good rubberband for my hair

10. The yellow blanket that's warmed my family since I was a child and warms not just my body but my soul

11. My minivan (can't believe I'm saying that)

12. Sunshine in January

13. Singing. And worship

14. The unconditional love of my husband

15. The barren rose bushes outside our office that will be full of blooms come spring

16. My three girls sitting on their dads lap tonight

17. Favor, and grace

I'm linking up here.  Today's post is incredible.  Such a testament to this idea, this way of living.  Take the time to soak it in.

one-thousand

For some time now, I have been entranced with Ann's blog.  It is so deep, yet so simple.  Sometimes it makes my head hurt, and others it stirs my soul.  It brings up pain and also rejoicing.  I don't remember ever pre-ordering a book before, but this one I have.

As I browse through blog-world, I see snippets from those who've had a sneak peak, those who are reading early copies of the book.  They use words like wrecked, ruined, changed.  I need those things.  I eagerly await this book.  Not just for her words, but for the Spirit who inspired them and will make them come alive in my own life and heart.

In this new year, I want to embark on a new journey.  A journey of gratitude.  I want to join those who each week list the gifts, the things they are thankful for.  It's easy for me to get wrapped up in what's missing, in the lack, in the unfulfilled desires, the unrealized dreams, the daily mundane.  But I have so much to be thankful for.  The giver of life has given me much.

If you haven't visited Ann's blog, please do so.  And I'd love for you to join me on this journey too, of One Thousand Gifts.




I have to start with the obvious, because sometimes I take these gifts for granted.

1...a husband, who loves me wholly and unconditionally

2...daughters, who run to greet me, assailing my legs and wrapping their arms around me

3...a home, that is ours, in a neighborhood we've always dreamed of living, with family and friends close by

4...the physical ability to run

5...a voice, to express my love to God in song

6...the honor of ministering to people in their time of need

7...friends of the heart

8...the health of my family...I'm witnessing too much heartache and loss these day

Come back each Monday as I journey towards these one-thousand gifts and beyond.