"Now every day I am offered the gift of living in such a way that I get a taste of what it means to need him. Resting fully dependent in the palm of his hand, I realize the safety of staying small. I get to embrace the full shock value of the kingdom of God, and that is the real blessing. I get to be knocked around by the fallout of belonging to a life where I am wildly ill equipped to meet its demands. I am honored to experience an existence marked by dependence, where I submit to God's will for my life."
When we're in the Solomon Islands, I have to look a little bit harder for the gifts. I need help remembering that "every day I am offered the gift of living in such a way that I get a taste of what it means to need him"! Some of the beautiful gifts from the last few days:
-Watching the sun break through the clouds as it set behind the mountains of Guadalcanal.
-Finding activities that qualify as a "date night" is a challenge here, so when we got to attend a lecture given by Kristy of Kultured Wellness and sponsored by Kokonut Pacific, we were thrilled.
-But it gets better! We had a sponsor for meal in a restaurant (only the second time we've eaten out at night here since 2008), so we enjoyed Indian cuisine after the lecture. It was a delight to be able to chat about the lecture and enjoy good food, such a rare treat.
-Sometimes the gifts are harder to accept, like nights when the neighborhood is loud with dogs or drunken parties. With our windows wide open, sleep is elusive on those nights, so then we receive the gift of dependence for strength and energy the next day. And we appreciate the gift of sleep even more the next time we rest well.
-Our children are certainly gifts. And Katherine brought me much joy when she turned her boring breakfast bowl into a smiling masterpiece.
"If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"
Matthew 7:11
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