what can I give?

this has been one of those days where I hide myself in my room for a few minutes so I can dry my eyes and simply try to catch my breath.

amazed by the grace of the Lord.

there aren't any other words for it. earlier, a fellow missionary friend stopped by, quite unexpectedly, with coffee, hot chocolate and timbits. she just wanted to talk. well, didn't we finish off our school week early, meaning yesterday? and didn't dad get pink boy bedroom changed into young man grey late last night, so he could finally move in? so while ladies sipped and shared, boys helped each other assemble beds and put things away in closets. nice, warm morning.

then I received an e-mail from Sonlight, asking how they could be praying for us, specifically, which I also didn't expect. not only that, but before I could get over how much that sentiment touched me, another e-mail came asking if we were still missionaries with New Tribes because Sonlight offers a discount on curriculum for missos. I wrote, explaining our situation, thanking her for asking but not expecting any sort of re numeration at all.

God thinks differently than I do.

imagine the tears of thankfulness as yet another e-mail comes into my inbox, telling me this " you are still serving in your hearts " and we have credited back to you the discount.
yep, here come the tears again.

it only gets better. my husband e-mailed to let me know that he had had lunch with a pastor who wanted to ask some questions about our time in png and to present us with a cheque, a huge offering from one of the tiniest church bodies we have worshipped with but a congregation with some of the largest hearts. they also asked us to come share on the 15th of february, which, truth be told, means more to our spirits than even cold, hard cash, though needed.

there have been many, many times in my life, single and married, when things just haven't made a lick of sense. like now. why take a willing family half way across the world where you cannot speak the language, cannot make out the food, battle bugs you haven't a clue what to do with ... some of which insist on making your food supplies their lasting home, try to live every day in heat you never imagined in your wildest dreams only to have them fall madly in love with the people, miraculously learn to speak after all, embrace the meals, discover the humour in the wildlife, seem somehow to appreciate the heat over the cold and then tell them "that's enough?"

because God is God and He thinks differently than I do.

so as I type this post, and ponder the bounty of blessings, this song is brought to mind ...

what can I give Him
poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb

If I were a wise man
I would do my part.
Yet
What I can I give Him
Give
My heart