Tuesday, December 17, 2013

counting the graces

thank you Father for

smiling and reconnecting with buddies at our foreign fellowship, sharing soup, dinner rolls, stories

shiny blue-wrapped gifts from Ye Ye and Nai Nai under our Christmas tree

stalling before bedtime: Mike says, "what should we talk about?" Titus says, "I know, let's all sit down together and have a talk about something"

Jonathon leaving for school first with Dad, "Bye-bye Mommy! Bye Titus! Bye Mai Mai! Ok. Ok. Bye guys! Bye!"

parents dancing and boys wrestling to songs like Wonderful Tonight and Brown-Eyed Girl in the light of the Christmas tree

Jim & JoAn who help to mail out our holiday letter

husband and I can make each other laugh like no one else can

boys in raincoats and boots, warm steamed buns from the cafeteria in hand on a drizzling Monday morning walk to school

free and secure in Jesus

Hi friend! We like to hear back from you. -- Rachel & Drew.

Neighbors 邻居

“It may be possible for each to think too much of his own potential glory hereafter; it is hardly possible for him to think too often or too deeply about that of his neighbor. The load, or weight, or burden of my neighbor's glory should be laid daily on my back, a load so heavy that only humility can carry it, and the backs of the proud will be broken. ...

"There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations -- these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit. ...your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses.”

- C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory