Birthdays from a kid’s perspective

Here is a regular conversation between one of the little girls and mama at the orphanage…

Nosiphiwe: Mama, I am cross with you.

Mama: Why are you cross with me?

Nosiphiwe: Because my birthday isn’t every month. Why not?

Mama: Well because you were born in July and birthdays only happen once a year.

Nosiphiwe: But why?

Mama: Because that is how God made it.

Nosiphiwe: Well I’m still cross.

Today was Nosiphiwe’s birthday…finally…and as you can imagine there was much joy and excitement for this special long awaited birthday.

He is all

God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8

He is all we need in all we face, so that for all we do, we can overflow with His grace and power. David Jeremiah

God, thank you for being all I need, in all that I face. I do want to overflow with your grace and power in all I do. Please help me be an overflowing bucket of grace, love and power to all those I see, hear, and touch today.

Snapshot

Isn’t he so cute?!

Little Chefs

Within minutes of arriving at the orphanage I am inevitably asked at least once if not several times “Auntie who is helping you today?”

It has become a routine to spend some one on one or more like one on three time as we make dinner together. Depending on what we are making I always have at least one helper if not several. I have adapted to cooking with the help of little chefs. Last week 7 of the kids and I made some scones for dessert.

Blessings from Grace

From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another. John 1:16

It is truly only by His grace that we receive blessings. What an awesome God we have that chooses to give us His grace in fullness and bless us again and again!

TIA; McDonald’s

I had a meeting yesterday at a McDonald’s; I know funny place to meet but it was central. On the door there read a sign that said…

Free Coke Cups Sold Here

I laughed inside and wanted to ask how much the free coke cups were but just carried on with the meeting. Yes even at McDonald’s it is T.I.A. (this is Africa!).

B.F. #2

Brooke sent me a picture of Landon this week…

He has discovered his thumb and will occasionally substitute it for his B.F.

World Cup

I’m beginning to despise the World Cup…ok maybe that is a little strong. But as I was stuck in horrible traffic for the third or fourth time this week I thought I hate soccer and the 2010 World Cup. Everywhere you go in Johannesburg there is road works (construction) due to the World Cup. I was stopped on the highway three times this week for 40-50 mins all for soccer! Ridiculous!

Up until now I was like oh World Cup being in South Africa is so cool…now I’m not so sure. But while I was sitting in traffic, I decided I should at least try and get tickets to a game or two since I’m experiencing all the lovely preparation for this event. Soccer is my least favorite sport but when again will I be in the country that is hosting World Cup.  I have no idea if it is too late for tickets but I’ll look into this week.

Coldness=lots of hot drinks

Yesterday and today have been cold.  So I have consumed a lot of tea and coffee. Tonight I’m curled up in my warm robe, with a winter hat on, drinking chai tea. A fellow American missionary gave me a recipe for chai tea…so I’m drinking a homemade chai latte. It is so good! I’ll share the recipe in case anyone wants it.

1 1/2 C. Instant Tea

2 C. Cremora (dry coffee creamer)

1 C. Powdered Milk

2 1/2 C. Sugar

2 t Cinnamon

1 t Cardamon

1 t Cloves

2 t Ginger

Put in blender and mix well…mix very well it leaves less dregs at the end. 3 T for one large cup of hot water.

I enjoy winter when I can just curl up under blankets with a hot drink.

Priceless Analogy

Yesterday afternoon Mpho, an 8 year old girl at the orphanage, was sitting in my lap. We were goofing off, being silly and laughing. While she was laughing I noticed this white spot on the tip of her tongue. She has had swollen tonsils for a bit so I wanted to check to see if it look like strep throat.

I asked her to stick out her tongue. She briefly did and then put in back in her mouth. Yep a white spot…so I asked her to do it again so I could get a better look and it was gone. I was like what the heck did you just bite off the white bump. She just started laughing so hard. Then I remember that I had just given the kids some dried fruit cubes that were coasted in graduated sugar.

She had saved the sugar from the fruit cube and was letting it linger in her mouth. I shook my head and said Mpho that is so gross then we both cracked up. Then a few moments later she said do you know how big God is? I said yeah He is pretty huge, thinking that was a random switch in conversation. Then she said that is how good this sweet is. What a priceless analogy!