Shower

There are times when I feel like China cheats me out of certain experiences, holidays, family birthdays, Mt. Dew etc. I know that I don't really need to feel this way because the Father never says I'm entitled to any of those things, but he does promise that we will find the most joy when we are living for him and doing what he wants. Sometimes it's a battle to live in this way. I thought that having a baby in China would bring out a lot of those feelings of being cheated, but it hasn't been too bad.

Ok, ok there have definitely been those times when I thought "this would be a lot easier if I was in America." For example in the 1st trimester when anything slightly pungent made me toss my cookies, I would often have thoughts about how lovely America smells as I was passing by a pile of garbage, the fish section of the supermarket, or a friend with particularly stanky breath. But the point of this is not to complain about struggles, but to share about some blessing.

My co-workers made me feel super blessed and right at home this weekend when they threw me a baby shower! (hopefully pics to come) Ladies from cities all over the area sacrificed a Saturday to travel to our city to come to a shower for me and a friend. And trust me, travel isn’t always easy – we’re talking about waiting in line to buy tickets, taking a bus from their house to the train station, pushing through the weekend crowds and navigating a new city just to fellowship and bless.

We ate awesome food (many of them filled with coveted import items and dairy products), played some sweet games, and got to open a mound of presents for our little one. It doesn’t stop there. Tomorrow a group from Mississippi is throwing a virtual shower over skype. We’ve never even met these people but they are all taking a night out of their week to bless us also.

So a big thanks A, LA, D, and K and all the ladies that traveled to our city thanks so much for a great day. To Faith and the folks in Mississippi thank you so much for being willing to bless a stranger and take an interest in our work, and to Kim and family thanks for being willing to haul a bunch of stuff all the way over here when you come to visit (and to mom and dad for filling up the suitcase they are bringing). So I wanted to give a shout out to these people that have made these past few days feel homey and fun, but also to say thanks to the Father who provides encouragement and comfort when we need it.