Hidden Gifts

I've been reading Ann Voskamp's book One Thousand Gifts.  If you haven't read it, you should.  It is a good reminder that thanksgiving is the gate through which we enter into His presence, in which there is fullness of joy.

We are learning to live by finding the gifts that He gives to us in each day.  He is so good.  There is an old hymn that says, "count your blessings name them one by one."  This is what I've been trying to do this first week in South Asia, in the midst of culture stress and morning sickness.  It helps my perspective.

These are some of the gifts from last week:

9.   The golden wash of dawn from miles above the earth.
11. Two young children entering their mommy's country for the first time.
20. Nephew, cute and fat, born on the 4th of July.
39. Linen kurta (long tunic shirt) on a hot day... soft, thin, flowing.
44. Southern hospitality and REAL SWEET TEA! 
50. Bath&Body soap on the opposite side of the world.
55. Cuddly, fat baby smiling in my arms.
62. A pile of sand behind which I could hide from the millions and get sick.
69. My first full night of sleep.

It has been a good first week... difficult at points, but He has been good to us and when we're really in His presence, joy is right there.