A Dear One...

I am overjoyed that Chnida is working at Sonlight this year; meaning I still get to see her everyday.  Her mother is working in our home this year, and I love the opportunity to truly her family.  The greatness that is Chnida has been overtaking me, so I thought I would share it.

Chnida, is incredibly quiet and sweet. She has a heart of gold, ready to serve, and to encourage anyone around her.  If you ask of her any task, she does not question it; she will simply complete the task without a second thought.

We are changing Sunday School this year.  We are bringing together the English class and the Creole class.  It has gone well so far, and with big numbers.  We are walking through "The Storybook Bible" with the kids, and it is a great story-version of the Bible centered around Jesus Christ.  Thankfully, we have this Bible in both English and Creole.  Bringing the classes together, we needed a translator.  Our first Sunday, I saw Chnida passing by about to go home, and I grabbed her and asked her if she would be willing to help us this one Sunday.  She followed me upstairs, and has been working with us every Sunday.  No one needed to ask her.  Asking her if it is okay for her to continue to do this with us, she said, "Of course!  I love it, I love the kids, and working with them.  I wasn't sure what I would do for Sunday School this year.  I am happy to be here and to serve."  Love her and her heart!  This is us at church this morning.

Here she is speaking in front of the children at Sunday School.

If you could, pray for her.  She is sweet and intelligent.  She has a desire to go to college in the States.  It did not work out this year, but we are working, praying, and hoping for next year.  Pray God will show her the school she needs to attend, and that He will provide the means.  She wants to be a nurse, and definitely has the ability to be equal parts loving, caring, and  intelligent to handle the medications.  God is good, and I cannot wait to see how He will work in her future!

Marley and Me, Friends, Blessed

Working on school stuff today, I watched Marley and Me.  Love this movie; love the story it tells of a family during different stages in life.  The couple reminds me of my dear friends Ryan and Lauren.  They have been married for four years, and are living the life of young professionals in Connecticut.  They have a golden doodle named Jackson, full of energy and fun!  I love spending time with them, laughing, and consider their dog Jackson my own nephew-dog.  They remind me greatly of the John and Jenny Grogan characters in the movie: fun, easy-going, light-hearted, and down to earth. 

On top of that, I spoke with one of my best friends yesterday, who is about to visit Haiti (not my city, hoping to travel to see her), and thoughts of times with her and husband filled my heart with joy.

Watching Marley and Me stirred thankful thoughts in my mind.  God has blessed me with so many wonderful friends; friends I consider family.  Yes, every girl has her girlfriends she can talk to about life and day-to-day issues.  But what I am extremely thankful for are my couple-friends.

God has blessed me with windows inside each of their lives.   I have been able to watch all of their relationships develop, danced at their weddings, watch them grow together as married couples, and some of them beginning parenthood.  Basically, I felt nostalgic missing many friends, game and movie nights with them, and how their company makes me a better person.  And not just couples my age, God has blessed me with numerous families I consider part of my own family at multiple ages.   All of whom, I have learned from about life, family, relationships and how to handle situations that arise.

Marley and Me also shows a loving family.  Which of course, makes me miss everyone in my family terribly.  I want to hang out with my parents, go to my grandparents’ house, and visit with my aunts, uncles, and cousins.  It makes me think of the times at grandma’s house when everyone is there; the house is full to the brim with people, laughter, food, and shotguns.

All in all, I am thankful for all of my family-friends, thankful for God blessing me so, to the point of being spoiled-rotten.