Blessings :)

Finally found time to write a second post. :)
First, Happy Thanksgiving! I hope everyone has full bellies and happy hearts from a wonderful Thanksgiving day.

I often forget how thankful I should be for the many blessings in my life, no matter how tiny or large. My favorite type of blessings are the ones in disguise. I often overlook people or situations placed in my life as minor, ignoring them because I did not see the importance in them. I have come to realize how wrong that view is. Many small blessings have made their way into my life and have changed the way I view happiness. I have learned to stop striving for people and things that I believe will bring me the most happiness. Instead, I try to embrace the numerous simple blessings that God gives me daily. God has so many times "messed up" my life (or so I thought) and put it back together even more beautiful than before. As much as you may want to plan your life, it has a way of surprising you with unexpected things that will make you happier than you originally planned. :) BLESSINGS. They are the best.

To help remember and recognize these blessings, our family created a thankfulness journal. It sits on our kitchen counter, a place we would all see often and remember to be thankful for much. We ask everyone who comes over to write down a few of the blessings in their lives or things for which they are most thankful. My mom had an idea to start this about four years ago and it has turned out to be a blessing in itself. People from all walks of life, backgrounds, and countries have written in this journal. It truly is something special to flip through the pages filled with love, memories, acts of kindness, and above all, bundles of grace and thankfulness.

Looking back on the journal gives me goosebumps. I didn't realize how truly thankful I should have felt for a person or thing that I wrote down as a blessing, because some of them are gone today. Knowing that not all blessings will last forever is a gentle reminder that we need to always enjoy what we have, never wishing for more, but instead dwelling on the many wonderful gifts God has given to us.

With all that being said, I decided to go through our "Gratitude Journal" and make a list of a few of the things people have written in the journal over the years. Looking through the hundreds of pages of gratefulness, I picked a few of my favorites that I thought I would share. :)

 

1. Good books. When a book inspires you, brings you to tears, or makes you laugh.

2. Gifts for friends. Finding the perfect gift for a friend and seeing the look on their face when they open it.

3. Old photographs and videos. Going through old photographs. Looking back at old times, how people have changed, and the sweetness of memories is something irreplaceable.

4. Laughing. Uncontrollable/silent laughing, especially when you are not suppose to. Laughter that turns into tears of joy.

5. Happiness. Making someone feel special. Being happy for no reason. The fuzzy, warm feeling in your heart knowing you can make a tiny impact in this big, crazy world.

6. Rock-Paper-Scissors. This one made me laugh. I'm not sure who wrote it down, but I guess I could see how it has come in handy for me several times- whether it has been used to decide who has to do the dishes or who gets to eat the final piece of chocolate cake.

7. Peaceful mornings. Toast, tea, and talks on the patio.

8. Singing. The beautiful voices that give you chills. Songs that inspire or move you. Singing at the top of your lungs in the car.

9.  Seasons. The feelings of leaves crumbling under your boots. Leaves changing color. Cozy, warm blankets in the winter. Snowflakes. The warmth of hot, sunny days on your skin. Jumping into swimming pools. The scents of spring. Flowers blooming. Four perfect seasons. 

10. God's promises. How sweet these are. The Lord has promised us freedom from anxiety, along with His peace that passes all understanding, if we simply trust Him with everything (Philippians 4:6-7). He promised to supply all our needs (Philippians 4:19), supernatural joy to His followers (John 15:11), an abundant life (John 10:10) and answered prayers (John 14:14). Thank Him always. :)

Start a gratitude journal of your own, or even just take a few minutes each day to reflect on the things you are thankful for. It will be something special to look back on later in life, and will brighten your mood knowing how truly blessed, thankful, and loved you should feel ALWAYS.

 Happy Thanksgiving, 
--- Lauren

p.s. Thanks for coming back :) 

a glimpse of God's grace: Guatemala :)

Life is full of adventures. I'm embarking on a new adventure as I write to you right now. College :) But, that's not the adventure I am going to share with you today. I'm sharing with you an adventure that I can think of at anytime of the day and be filled with complete joy and happiness. One that takes my mind off of being away from home, and reminds me of how blessed I truly am.

Last February, I was leaving for a mission trip which created memories that will live with me for the rest of my life. I am going to attempt to describe my experience to you, but the joy and compassion I experienced on this trip is indescribable through words alone. My heart was heavy with grief but full of happiness all at the same time. God was present at all times, and it was through Him that our mission team reached this small and very remote village in the highlands of Guatemala. Here we go... :)

Bags packed, goodbyes said, and tears shed.  My mom, brother Nicholas, and I were off with our 25-person mission team at 12 a.m. to drive to Chicago to catch the red eye flight to Guatemala.

After a full day of plane rides, a night at a seminary in Guatemala City, and then a 10-hour bus ride up a mountain, our destination was finally reached at an elevation of 12,000 feet, arriving to the Quiche village at around 10 p.m. the following night.

Our first night was a little harder than I had anticipated. From the 30 degree weather to the lack of bathrooms, poor sleeping conditions, no clean water, and inability to use cell phones, I was beginning to wonder what I was doing.

When morning came, I got my first glimpse of the village of Escapotzi. Breathtaking. Calm and peaceful.

My first day was a day filled with emotions. Although I have taken years of Spanish, I was unable to communicate fluently with the children and adults of this village. However, I didn't have to use words to express my thoughts and feelings with the beautiful people. It was through God that we expressed our feelings and emotions to one another, and could understand near perfectly what the other was conveying.

As we walked up to the village school the first day, tons of children came running at us and jumped into our arms. They wouldn't let us go. Hugs, hugs, and more hugs. Their smiles were contagious. The children deeply loved us, and acted if we had known them our entire lives. I spent much of the first day braiding little girls' hair, teaching the children English phrases and words, playing soccer with the boys, and above all, spreading the word of God. The boys absolutely adored my brother, Nicholas. He was so popular with the Guatemalan kids, that even the little girls I was playing with would leave me to go hang on him. :) Nicholas worked so well with the children, and it was moving to see how much they appreciated his kindness and love towards them.

    

   

 The second day was spent at a high school (with kids ages 9-12), a few miles away, that had never been visited before by outsiders. We sang worship songs with them, then played games, taught them about Jesus, and handed out toothbrushes, toothpaste, and taught them how to brush their teeth- something completely new to them. They felt special that they were being cared for and treated with love.
Before our group left that day, we broke into sections and made bracelets with the children that represented Jesus. Each color had a different meaning. As we read together what each of the beads meant from their cards, the smiles on the sweet girls' faces grew. I was blessed to be part of the experience of them learning about Jesus. The day didn't end without a few surprises though. :) They threw us a "glitter party". WOW! Glitter literally everywhere.

I met many, many unforgettable, crazy, precious, loving, strong children throughout the week. I grew as close to them as I was to people back home I had known my entire life. I had an extra special connection with a 12-year old girl named Sandra, and she stuck by my side throughout our entire mission. Every morning I could expect a running hug and snug squeeze from her that I wished could last forever. She had a deep love for others, always was protecting her friends and siblings, and had a smile that could light up the entire word. Her dream was to be a teacher when she grew up, and I don't think I could imagine a more perfect teacher. I wanted to bring her back home with me so bad. At one point, she asked me to sit down, Sandra had taken off her necklace and was placing it around my neck to give to me. It was a wooden cross, with many scratches and marks on it, that made it even more special. I felt extremely bad accepting it, as I knew it had to be one of her only pieces of jewelry. But, she wouldn't let me give it back. She knew I would always remember her when I had it on. It was a beautiful moment that I will always remember. I pray every day that God allows me to one day see Sandra again. I loved her, and will always have  special place in my heart for her.

I've talked a lot about the children's team that I was apart of- I would forever if I could :) However, there were also two other extremely important "teams" we brought with us. First, the construction team. The men worked from daylight to sunset building an addition to the church for this small village. Despite their many obstacles, they continued to find a way to teach the villagers how to build and improve their impoverished village. I had the privilege of becoming close to some of the men on this team. Their dedication to God, their families, and this village of Guatemala was incredible to see. My brother was so blessed to be able to look up to them throughout the whole trip, work by their side, and experience this once in a lifetime trip with goofy, but Godly, compassionate, and humble men.

Second, the medical team- composed of a Guatemalan doctor, EMT, dentist, pharmacist, and nurses. We came prepared to get the job done :) But wow, little did I know how intense, heart breaking, or magical the medical clinic would be. God was present at all times. There were hundreds of Guatemala people waiting to be seen at the make shift medical clinic we set up for the week. Many had been waiting in line since 6 a.m., and traveled hours to be seen. The medical team worked nonstop, seeing and hearing several cases that were unfixable. It broke my heart to hear about certain children and families that had lost loved ones from a mere stomach ache or headache. One woman had 8 pregnancies with 3 miscarriages, and looked around 50 when she was only 23 years old. Several villagers came in barely able to see. When they were given inexpensive glasses, their eyes lit up and the grins on their faces were enormous. They could see clearly for the first time in their life. There was no medical system or resources to help with the Guatemalans sicknesses, so day after day people died from easily curable diseases. The residents had never been able to take a proper bath or drink clean water. It is hard to even wrap your head around that. After each patient was done being seen in their prescribed unit, the doctor, dentist, or nurse would pray with them. This is where many tears were shed and several villagers gave their life to God. To experience such a powerful, emotional moment is hard to describe. I will never forget the stories I heard, the illnesses treated, the many problems we couldn't fix, and most importantly, the many lives that God allowed this medical team to touch.

I think sometimes we often forget how lucky we are to have a doctor just a phone call away, a teacher that gives their time to further our education, or even a family member that cares enough to make sure we have enough meals and love everyday. This village didn't have any of that. They got to experience it for a small time while our mission team visited them. The most incredible part of all is that the adults and children of this Guatemalan village were so very happy despite not having all of these things. Their happiness comes from the right things. They love each other with all of their heart, and are so happy to be able to have just a little corn meal for the entire day. The joy they contain is immeasurable. Their love for life is like nothing I had seen before. The children truly cared for one another, and loved their friends like family.

             

God touched this village in Guatemala in February, but just as much, He touched the heart of my mission team. He allowed us to experience what it was like to live without baths or bathrooms, clean drinking water, bitter cold sleeping conditions, limited food, and no connection with the world outside for 10 days. I feared I wouldn't be able to handle the conditions, but those 10 days were filled with more joy, love, compassion, and Jesus than I had ever experienced. We went in thinking we could change their lives, but little did we know they would be the ones changing ours forever.

Saying our last goodbyes was extremely rough with many tears shed. Not only did the children not want to let us go, but the adults were very emotional about our departure, as well. We created a relationship with this village in only a few days, and leaving them was like leaving our own family members. I cried when I left my home because I would miss my family, and I cried just as hard when I had to come back home. I didn't want to leave these beautiful people. This experience is hard to even put into words, but one that reminded me of the many blessings I have, along with the need to continue to spread God's love to the entire world. God blessed me immensely to allow such an experience to happen in my life at such a young age. My heart is still full of memories, sadness, happiness, joy, and amazement at the beauty of that week and the affect it had on me. It will always be my dream to end up on the top of that mountain with the most selfless, happy people I had ever met once again.

They taught me that little things don't matter as much as I thought they did and to treat every day as a blessing. It has given me the ability to put my "problems" in perspective. Give love to each other, live every day to the fullest, and smile - BIG. :) They called us angels sent from heaven and did not want us to leave. I feel like we made a difference in their lives those few days. I wish I could give them more, bring them home, make their lives perfect, but that's when I have to remember they are already happy despite their conditions. They have no idea what the rest of the world is like. True happiness is found in the little things. Their lives are simple and full. I have much to learn from them.

I realized how blessed I was, and that I have an obligation to pass along my blessings to others. As we were leaving the village, one of my team members told me, "I've never been so dirty, and felt so clean." This totally described how I felt. Clean, renewed in Jesus. I hope God allows me to continue to use the gifts He has given me to help throughout the world, make a difference, and spread His name.

-- Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed :)