Thanksgiving

It is Thanksgiving Eve... Yes, not exactly a hallmark holiday, but a grand day nonetheless. A day of cooking, baking, and anticipating time with family and friends. I love Thanksgiving due to the emphasis on time together. Following Thanksgiving comes all of the commotion that goes with Christmas. I am choosing to avoid it this year, however. My church is embracing advent conspiracy which totally jazzes me. I am not against showing someone that you care about, or appreciate them through a gift, but I am against a meaningless gift just for the sake of it. 

We have a trading post set up at our church which is selling Fair Trade products from around the world through Trade as One. This is awesome to me! If I am going to spend money, I want it to go somewhere needed. Now, I write this as a hypocrite I realize, because all of the clothes on my body were likely factory produced. But, I am saying that I want to begin to be aware, and make more conscious and sustainable choices. Why not start with Christmas!!!?

A bit more revealed.

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." Psalm 119:105

This verse has brought me great peace in the last ten years. In school the next thing always seemed a bit predictable. After 6th grade comes summer, then 7th grade, then summer... etc. Since high school, however, it has been a bit more random. And the randomness is a beautiful thing. If you know me, you know I am organized. God has taught me over the years, however, that I need to hold lightly to what I think I know about my present circumstances. As I pray each morning for Him to direct my day, He does; and it wonderfully isn't always the way I would expect. God just shows me enough to light my steps in front of me for the moment, and in doing so, the path ahead comes into light.

The last time I posted I had accepted and understood that it was only going to be a week that I would be in Rwanda in February. Something inside, however, had me ask my administration for a week's leave following my February vacation. It was granted!!!! God has enabled me to go and be on the soil I long to have my feet on right now for two weeks. I am so thankful and quite speechless actually. Thank you God for lighting these next steps for me.