Overlooking His Gifts

There was an awesome lightning show last night! It was incredible to watch God's creativity and majesty so boldly on display! May we not overlook His gifts even in the normal every day things.  It took the beautiful storm to remind me of some things.  I have been convicted that I haven't stopped lately to enjoy these wonders and have been missing out on so many of His daily blessings.  These things come in all different shapes, sizes and colors, but it is often only the "big" ones I choose to praise God for and overlook the "little" ones that are just as deserving of thanksgiving and praise. 

 

A few days ago we climbed up 3 or 4 waterfalls and swung on vines with some half naked Ugandan kids who we couldn't communicate with, in a setting similar to how I imagine the Garden of Eden (snakes included!)...

 

I get to watch kids struggle and work hard to learn something.  And then find joy and pride when they finally understand...

 

 My hair gets braided, unbraided, pulled and snarled often by 4 or 5 sweet little hands at a time...

 

I played hymns on my flute with other instruments and people praising God on the day we remember Christ's resurrection and his greatest gift of salvation to us...

 

 We climbed Mt Wanale and dried off in the sun after splashing around in the water fall there...

 

Daily I am surrounded by kids who call my name in a cute accent who want/need love and attention, and I have the honor of giving it to them, but fail so often to do so...

 

 I get to hear laughter after something funny is said in a language I can't understand and still laugh along because laughter is just that contageous...

 

 I get to hold little babies and pray over their precious lives...

I love it when these faces appear at my windows and I hear their greetings...

 

 

I am encouraged and challenged by the ladies prayer group and look forward to that time of refreshment every week...

 

Dance parties in between football games where the kids laugh and make fun of my attempts to dance like them...

 

I love getting skype calls and silly voice messages on my phone in the middle of the night from my little loves Isaiah and Elysse...

 

 I am even learning to be thankful for the constantly dirty floors because it means my home has been filled with many feet and I am surrounded by God's children...

 

  I can even be thankful for the sick stomach I have right now that made me rest and think on these things!  So often I neglect being amazed at God's goodness, His blessings and the gifts (big and especially the small) that He sends.  It's easy to be distracted and overwhelmed by the great needs there are here.  It is in Him that we live and move and have our being and so often I forget to praise Him for that.  It can become habit to pray "Lord may we glorify you today in everything we do" and much less make a practice of it.  I can get so task focused and forget the important stuff.  I can worry so much about the state of things around me and before I know it, my own life is out of sync with God's will for my life and I have lost the joy He desires me to have in glorifying and serving Him.

 

Psalm 8:1 - O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens... when I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? ... O LORD our Lord how majestic is your name in all the earth!