I have been corresponding with a homeschool/Orthodox friend, Daniel Goshorn-Maroney, who is currently a Peace Corps volunteer in Togo, a tiny west African nation. He recently posted on his blog--
The reason why I got a soccer ball for the kids was because I was tired of watching them play soccer with cans, balls of rags, or ripped up rubber balls. Really anything here works as a toy. My second host brother, Adjay, likes to chase around an old moto tire. Old bicycle hubs nailed to sticks seem popular, as does about any manner of junk or trash that no longer has any other use.
I got more actual toys for Christmas when I was 8 than kids in Nampoch get in their entire lives.
Think about that for a minute. Really, think about it. Now, look around the room you are sitting in. How much "stuff" do you have? How much stuff do your kids have? Can you live without it? Have you ever gone "without?"
Many of you know that we have an adopted son from Kazakhstan. When we gathered this boy into our family, he had, literally, nothing. He didn't even get to keep the shirt on his back, or the pants on his behind. We had to give them back for the next kid to enter the orphanage. He was missing many things in life, that you and I take for granted every day. Family, friends, clothing, toys, books, enough food, enough love. Can you live without those things? Have you ever?
Lent is our time to search inwardly, to be "weeding out" our internal "stuff." Weeding out sin, weeding out anger, unforgiveness, pain, resentment, greed,,,,,,,
While we are doing these hard things, may we also take time to thank our God for the many blessings we have, that we shamefully take for granted everyday.
Lord, Jesus Christ, forgive me, a sinner.
Lord, Jesus Christ, forgive me, a sinner.
Lord, Jesus Christ, forgive me, a sinner.
Lord, Jesus Christ, thank you for the clothes on my back, the family at my table, the love we share, our warm, sturdy home, continued good health, my husband's job.
Lord, Jesus Christ, thank you for running water, a soft bed, safe travel, enough food, more clothes than I can keep clean, more books than I can keep picked up, more stuff than I can manage in this big house.
Lord, Jesus Christ, thank you for the leisure time I have, the flowers I can grow, the yarn I pile up, the cars we drive, the gas we can afford.
Lord, Jesus Christ, thank you for my washing machine, my dishwasher, my refrigerator, my shower, my television, my computer, my telephone.
Maybe some of this sounds silly, but trying going without. Try carrying all your water tomorrow. Try walking to work. Try handwashing all your clothes. Try sleeping on the floor. Try going without love.
What do you have that you can send up thanks and praise for today?
I always try to wrap up with Scripture, but today, a little difference.
Here's a great old Lutheran hymn that popped into my head as I was typing .
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/n/o/nowthank.htm
Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices,
Think about that for a minute. Really, think about it. Now, look around the room you are sitting in. How much "stuff" do you have? How much stuff do your kids have? Can you live without it? Have you ever gone "without?"
Many of you know that we have an adopted son from Kazakhstan. When we gathered this boy into our family, he had, literally, nothing. He didn't even get to keep the shirt on his back, or the pants on his behind. We had to give them back for the next kid to enter the orphanage. He was missing many things in life, that you and I take for granted every day. Family, friends, clothing, toys, books, enough food, enough love. Can you live without those things? Have you ever?
Lent is our time to search inwardly, to be "weeding out" our internal "stuff." Weeding out sin, weeding out anger, unforgiveness, pain, resentment, greed,,,,,,,
While we are doing these hard things, may we also take time to thank our God for the many blessings we have, that we shamefully take for granted everyday.
Lord, Jesus Christ, forgive me, a sinner.
Lord, Jesus Christ, forgive me, a sinner.
Lord, Jesus Christ, forgive me, a sinner.
Lord, Jesus Christ, thank you for the clothes on my back, the family at my table, the love we share, our warm, sturdy home, continued good health, my husband's job.
Lord, Jesus Christ, thank you for running water, a soft bed, safe travel, enough food, more clothes than I can keep clean, more books than I can keep picked up, more stuff than I can manage in this big house.
Lord, Jesus Christ, thank you for the leisure time I have, the flowers I can grow, the yarn I pile up, the cars we drive, the gas we can afford.
Lord, Jesus Christ, thank you for my washing machine, my dishwasher, my refrigerator, my shower, my television, my computer, my telephone.
Maybe some of this sounds silly, but trying going without. Try carrying all your water tomorrow. Try walking to work. Try handwashing all your clothes. Try sleeping on the floor. Try going without love.
What do you have that you can send up thanks and praise for today?
I always try to wrap up with Scripture, but today, a little difference.
Here's a great old Lutheran hymn that popped into my head as I was typing .
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/n/o/nowthank.htm
Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done, in Whom this world rejoices;
Who from our mothers’ arms has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.
O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts and blessèd peace to cheer us;
And keep us in His grace, and guide us when perplexed;
And free us from all ills, in this world and the next!
All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given;
The Son and Him Who reigns with Them in highest Heaven;
The one eternal God, whom earth and Heaven adore;
For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.
Dianne, a practitioner of gratitude
Who from our mothers’ arms has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.
O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts and blessèd peace to cheer us;
And keep us in His grace, and guide us when perplexed;
And free us from all ills, in this world and the next!
All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given;
The Son and Him Who reigns with Them in highest Heaven;
The one eternal God, whom earth and Heaven adore;
For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.
Dianne, a practitioner of gratitude
WONDERFUL-- Thank you.
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