Sunday, July 20, 2014

The act of giving thanks

 I realized that I often write and bear my soul when I've walked through a grievous, heart wrenching or soul seeking experience.  Those are my moments when God pushes, provokes even me into writing until I sit and pound at these keys until something is birthed out of what is swarming around me or churning inside my soul.  Today is not one of those days.  Instead I want to share a few peak moments from our week here in Uganda.  I'm going to try to do this more at times, so you can have eyes into our regular life.  This is also a gracious grace to my heart as I look ahead to the next week.  Sometimes I can think there is too much mundane, too many trips with a child to the potty for my life to be exciting.  But as I look through these moments and remember, I am made full again by the act of Eucharisteo. The act of giving thanks.



This was last Sunday! Our New Hope Thanksgiving, where we take time to celebrate what our Tata (Daddy) God has done through this past year. It was glorious! This is us with Samuel family and some of its associates. Our kids made it through a 4.5 hr day of church!  Lunch was at 3 pm, and boy did we enjoy it!


We do a thanksgiving "march" with all of New Hope before entering church.

 

Sometimes a little girl just needs a few creative moments with her mama. And even boy #1 joined in and strung himself a necklace! 


This picture represents how life here is not always that simple.  When we travel into Kampala, it is a 1.5 hr hour drive in with traffic usually waiting us on the other end.  It can easily be 2.5 hrs in the car before reaching the grocery store.  The roads are long and gorgeous, with no Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts on the way. Back in the gluten filled days, we would grab a chapati on our way through Kiwoko, but those days are long gone. Instead I usually bake something like this in order to have breakfast on the road.

Yes, that is a bird in his container next to him.  This week he found a delicate baby bird, sitting in the stroller.  Of course, Isaiah made him feel at home in our home. :)


This does not really need any comments, but this is for cute factor.  I love his hair after a bath!


This week was our mini-Envisioning, so Keith and I were gone in sessions two days this week.  One afternoon I came home to 5 stir-crazy kids wanting a water fight. So they got it! I enjoyed sitting with a cup of coffee, savoring their energy and excitement. 



Get ready for this one!


These are the flying ants of Uganda! They are literally a local delicacy. It's cracked me up to see how excited Isaiah and Elliana have been to eat them again! Zae collected this all on his own and put them in the frying pan. Most people eat them raw and squirming, but some like my kids saute and salt them!


I let him do it himself. Ewwww...those ants were doing a crazy dance when we turned on the burner!!!

Loving their snack!!! Even Malakai enjoyed his ants!


Last month, we had hundreds of mangos falling off our trees. Keith did most of the cutting and froze them for the day I'd be able to make something out of them. 


My sister-in-law gave me an old fashioned apple sauce maker, which turns out some mean mango butter!!! Thanks Angie!!!


Mango butter, in all its glory. Does it not just make your mouth water?! I made a batch with cinnamon too, for some added dimension. 

Just one week, so many special moments in which we can lift our hands and say "How great is OUR God!"  Thank you Daddy for these moments, clothed in simple grace. Eucharisto.  Once again my heart is changed by giving thanks. 

5 comments:

  1. Love, truly beautiful windows into your life there in Africa. Hugs.

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    1. Thanks Jam! Trying to see things fresh again and communicate them well!

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  2. Love this friend. Hugs to you.

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  3. Love hearing about your every day life in Uganda!!

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  4. Miss you fam and all those delightful crazy moments of life in Africa! Your heart so openly shared with others has blessed me today. Gods favor is on you! Hugs, Renee

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