Give thanks

More and more recently, I’ve been giving thanks for everything to come at me, good and bad. Showing praise and gratefulness for the moments that come into my life and also the lessons brought by the obstacles.

First, Thanks be to God. Thankful for His all. Thankful for His grace, love, and forgiveness even when I feel least deserving of any of them. Thankful for His providing and provision even when I had my own doubts. Thankful that He opened the doors in allowing me to fulfill His calling in my life. Thankful to all He has graciously given despite my lack of thanks.

I give thank for the almost 90 kids I get to share a home with. Thankful for those who have left the Casa Shalom neighborhood in the past couple of months, and also for those that will join the family in the next few weeks, months, or years.

I can’t forget about the moments I share with each of the kids. Giving thanks for a little boy wanting to show me how he can ride down the ramp while seated on the skateboard.  Thanks to the small hand that slowly works its way into mine while walking to our next destination. Thanks to the young girl wanting to carry my bag for me, and frowning when I wanted to take it into the house. Thanks to the pre-teens that fight over who I should eat my next meal with. Thanks to the young men and women who often times get on my nerves, but also accept me with arms open wide.

Thanks for the staff members of Casa Shalom. Thanks for the maintenance men who got up on my roof to stop a leak. Thanks to the cooks for working early in the morning until late at night providing 3 hot filling meals for the day (although I’m often too lazy to get the first one!) Thanks to the office workers for coordinating events, visitors, and other essential information that I am often times unaware of nor give notice to. Thanks to the psychologists who assist in the healing and processing of each child at the orphanage. Thanks to those volunteering, whether intern, full time, or short term missionary, for finding needs and fulfilling them to their greatest potential.

Thanks to the therapy group I get to be a part of. Thankful for the healing brought by our furry four-legged friends, cat, dog, bunny, or horse. Thankful for the creativity that can be shown with a few dried out markers and scratch paper. Thankful for a sand box filled with another world. Thankful for construction of racetracks and train tracks. Thankful for the laughter shared while hitting a puck on the air hockey table. Thankful for lifting up one voice together in praise and worship as well as a bible story.

Thankful for the sponsorship program. Thankful to have so many sponsors pouring into each of the kids. Thankful for the donations that are given for birthday gifts, good grades, and general needs. Thankful for the contact shared between kids and sponsors exchanging letters and photos. Thankful that I get to be a small part in that translation.

Thank you to my friends, family, church, and sponsors for encouraging me, supporting me, checking up on me, and continuing to pray for me and the ministry of Casa Shalom. Thanks for your confidence in me and keeping my head up at times it may begin to fall. Thanks for still allowing me to be a part of your community, while I am still searching for  my footing here in Guatemala. Thanks for staying up-to-date with everything that is happening in and around Casa Shalom. And thanks for taking the time to read this blog! If I might’ve forgotten anything, which I know I have, I’m thankful for that too! What are you thankful for today?!

 “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” 1 Chronicles 16:34