Because I prefer to begin a blog with at least one picture, let me start with my thanks for the abundant harvest in our gardens!!!Geoff, Kakande and Medie returned yesterday from our garden with some of the harvest of our black beans, yellow beans and another pumpkin!!! Soon we will be enjoying more sweet bananas and carrots!! YUM YUM
I exercised this morning. I am thankful.
I am thankful that I am able to exercise. Two and a half years ago we were in a serious automobile accident and for quite a few months I was unable to do my favorite stretches or even take a leisurely walk a short distance without pain. As I walked with my friend, Tiffany, and my dog this morning over on the farm I realized what a blessing it is to be able to walk. Then later as I was kneeling for a certain stretch exercise, I was again reminded that my ability to do so is a blessing.
I don’t take lightly my ability to freely move about.
My children are “grounded” this week from their usual weekend iPad games. They were careless with their privilege last weekend and as a result, they are spending this weekend “electronic game-free”. I smiled as I spent the morning listening to them playing nicely together – they played football and nerf missile outside and inside they enjoyed “The Dangerous Book for Boys” board game for about an hour. Then they happily trotted off to the secondary side to spend some time playing with the Anderson’s children. I am thankful that they play so well together! I am blessed by their laughter, smiles and jokes. I am glad they are free to move about as well!
As I opened my journal to write this morning I found that it was the first entry I’ve made since mid-August!!!!! My previous writings were words of thanks. I looked back over the weeks since August and realized that I’ve not spent anytime at all writing down what I am thankful for, and I am the less for it! Seeing before me my neglect has been a catalyst for exercising thanks and nurturing a thankful heart—I am now on the lookout again for blessings!
This week I was able to weed in the garden with a few of the kids from David family. I so enjoy getting out in the dirt and spending some quiet moments with the kids. . . .especially because after the quietness I was blessed to talk for quite awhile with one of my favorite kids!
We were able to share supper with someone almost every night this week!!! On Monday we welcomed back Aunt Nancy who has been in the U.S. since May. We are so happy to have her back here—AND she brought us two bags of our addictive substance (STARBUCKS!!!!) On Wednesday we had Aunt Kate over and shared a meal, smiles and some prayer time. On Thursday we enjoyed Uncle John for the last time as he is leaving to return to the U.S. for an extended amount of time. He brought his DVD of Tim Hawkins—a comic who makes us laugh!!!! And last night we were blessed with one of Geoff’s former NHVI students, Kambo, and his brother. They survived eating our mzungu food after Geoff and the boys had gone out to see the land Kambo has been working on this past year. They all left this morning at 6 to travel beyond Jinja for a wedding of one of Kambo’s brothers.
So, here I am in the quiet of my house—Geoff at the wedding, kids at the Anderson’s and no visitors for the past hour or so.
I exercised this morning. I am thankful.
I am thankful that I am able to exercise. Two and a half years ago we were in a serious automobile accident and for quite a few months I was unable to do my favorite stretches or even take a leisurely walk a short distance without pain. As I walked with my friend, Tiffany, and my dog this morning over on the farm I realized what a blessing it is to be able to walk. Then later as I was kneeling for a certain stretch exercise, I was again reminded that my ability to do so is a blessing.
I don’t take lightly my ability to freely move about.
My children are “grounded” this week from their usual weekend iPad games. They were careless with their privilege last weekend and as a result, they are spending this weekend “electronic game-free”. I smiled as I spent the morning listening to them playing nicely together – they played football and nerf missile outside and inside they enjoyed “The Dangerous Book for Boys” board game for about an hour. Then they happily trotted off to the secondary side to spend some time playing with the Anderson’s children. I am thankful that they play so well together! I am blessed by their laughter, smiles and jokes. I am glad they are free to move about as well!
As I opened my journal to write this morning I found that it was the first entry I’ve made since mid-August!!!!! My previous writings were words of thanks. I looked back over the weeks since August and realized that I’ve not spent anytime at all writing down what I am thankful for, and I am the less for it! Seeing before me my neglect has been a catalyst for exercising thanks and nurturing a thankful heart—I am now on the lookout again for blessings!This week I was able to weed in the garden with a few of the kids from David family. I so enjoy getting out in the dirt and spending some quiet moments with the kids. . . .especially because after the quietness I was blessed to talk for quite awhile with one of my favorite kids!
We were able to share supper with someone almost every night this week!!! On Monday we welcomed back Aunt Nancy who has been in the U.S. since May. We are so happy to have her back here—AND she brought us two bags of our addictive substance (STARBUCKS!!!!) On Wednesday we had Aunt Kate over and shared a meal, smiles and some prayer time. On Thursday we enjoyed Uncle John for the last time as he is leaving to return to the U.S. for an extended amount of time. He brought his DVD of Tim Hawkins—a comic who makes us laugh!!!! And last night we were blessed with one of Geoff’s former NHVI students, Kambo, and his brother. They survived eating our mzungu food after Geoff and the boys had gone out to see the land Kambo has been working on this past year. They all left this morning at 6 to travel beyond Jinja for a wedding of one of Kambo’s brothers.
So, here I am in the quiet of my house—Geoff at the wedding, kids at the Anderson’s and no visitors for the past hour or so.
Aunt Lydia and I, the wife of a fellow staff member and a dear friend, don't get to spend a great deal of time together, but we sure enjoy it when we find the time!
I am thankful to God for so many things—where we live, what our “work” is, who we live near, the kids we have the privilege of loving and teaching and all the fresh fruits and vegetables you can imagine. 
A fellow staff member, Uncle Godfrey, who enjoys the abundance of our garden!!! He and his wife, Olga are always looking for another branch of matooke (bananas for steaming)!!This afternoon I am walking 4km to the Kiwoko market with Aziza—one of my very favorite kids of all time. She tells it like it is!!! Last year when all the other girls wanted me to get my hair braided in corn rows, she looked straight at me and said, “Aunt, that would look BAD!!!” When I showed up to work with her in the garden for the second week in a row (normally I am busy with other things and not able to go), she stopped her work and asked, “Aunt, WHY are you here?” and last year when I brought her a pretty little scented candle from the U.S. she queried, “Aunt, what is the purpose of this?” (After all, it was too small to read by its light). So, in a few hours I’m off to the market and most likely I will receive along the way many more things for which to be thankful, and more quotable quotes from Aziza!!!!!
Uh oh, a knock at the door . . . Oh, it is the loaf of bread I ordered from the David family bakery . . .warm and smelling heavenly!!! The reasons to be thankful just keep on coming . . .Bless you on this day and may you find MANY things for which to give thanks!!
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