Remembering to be thankful
Tonight as I was lying with Luke in his bed, getting ready to pray, I said "Luke, we are so blessed to have this wonderful house, this comfy bed we're lying on. Do you know that some people don't have houses and have to sleep outside?" He didn't give much of a response, so I continued. "What if we didn't have this house and you had to sleep outside?" Luke responded, "We could move my bed outside, Momma." Good answer. "Okay, so Luke, some people don't have BEDS either. Can you imagine?" And Luke thought a bit, then said, "Well, I guess we'd have to move the couches outside..." Good thinking once again. I then asked him to imagine for a minute that we had no house, no bed, no couch, and just a few blankets we could pile up to make a comfy bed outside. Luke said, "Where is my blanket, Momma? Can you get it?" So that was the end of that conversation!
I got his blanket and said a quick prayer of thanks to God that we have SO much, and that God brings it to our minds to remember how much we have, and to pray for those who don't. I've been to Africa twice - and we all are so, so rich, here in America. Even the poorest here are rich in comparison. I hope I can teach this to my boys. It will be hard when we are surrounded by the simple riches we take for granted often (Like electricity! It went out the other night and it was so QUIET and DARK. Here at the Hannig home we all sleep with the hum of fans and I was going crazy in the silence. Of course I couldn't sleep and was still up at 3am, but I had no internet to surf, no lights to read a book. I couldn't even brush my teeth or flush the toilet. Electricity is not something everyone has. Still much of Africa...no electricity...when the sun goes down, the lights are OUT. Oh, and did I mention that my husband drove 20 miles to the Walmart in Willmar at 3am on that QUIET and DARK night to get D batteries for our little fan that runs on electricity or batteries. Wow are we dependent on electricity!).
For tonight I'm thankful that God put the reminder in my head to be grateful for the soft, cushy bed I was lying in with Luke. And also for my husband, because as I wrote that line above I realized how crazy and tired I was that night...and how caring and thoughtful he is - to drive 20 miles to Walmart at 3am just because he thought the hum of a fan would help me get some sleep.
Sleep well, friends.
I got his blanket and said a quick prayer of thanks to God that we have SO much, and that God brings it to our minds to remember how much we have, and to pray for those who don't. I've been to Africa twice - and we all are so, so rich, here in America. Even the poorest here are rich in comparison. I hope I can teach this to my boys. It will be hard when we are surrounded by the simple riches we take for granted often (Like electricity! It went out the other night and it was so QUIET and DARK. Here at the Hannig home we all sleep with the hum of fans and I was going crazy in the silence. Of course I couldn't sleep and was still up at 3am, but I had no internet to surf, no lights to read a book. I couldn't even brush my teeth or flush the toilet. Electricity is not something everyone has. Still much of Africa...no electricity...when the sun goes down, the lights are OUT. Oh, and did I mention that my husband drove 20 miles to the Walmart in Willmar at 3am on that QUIET and DARK night to get D batteries for our little fan that runs on electricity or batteries. Wow are we dependent on electricity!).
For tonight I'm thankful that God put the reminder in my head to be grateful for the soft, cushy bed I was lying in with Luke. And also for my husband, because as I wrote that line above I realized how crazy and tired I was that night...and how caring and thoughtful he is - to drive 20 miles to Walmart at 3am just because he thought the hum of a fan would help me get some sleep.
Sleep well, friends.
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