Giving thanks

These are a few of my favorite things

Happy Thanksgiving, y’all! I have never used a gratitude journal, but if I did, it might go something like this…

Surprises

In my last update, I mentioned I am unexpectedly enjoying early mornings and a weekly latte.¹ Here are a few more fun surprises:

• Oatmeal — I *never* liked oatmeal before Kona. Now I go to the cafeteria for breakfast only if they are serving it. I admit it may be less about my taste buds changing and more about my addition of brown sugar, apples, cinnamon, honey, salt, and almond milk.

• Hoops — The moment campus quiet hours end at 7 a.m., my first shot goes up. Those 45 minutes of movement nourish my soul, especially because the worship band rehearses in the background. It is well worth going to class sweaty.

• No vehicle — Not having a car in Kona is an (unavoidable) opportunity to practice interdependence. My classmates have been generous to offer rides to and from the grocery store, include me in off-campus outings, etc. It’s good to need people!

• Traditions — Beyond our weekly class schedule, my friends and I have created several traditions ourselves. They create a natural rhythm that makes me feel at home. Several favorites include Tuesday night laundry night, Friday evening worship sets in the prayer room, Sunday rest day, and a daily debrief over cards.

Camera Roll

More gratitude, but in photo form!

Friends — I love that I now have dear friends all over the world! Our diverse group is packed with intelligent, wholehearted people, and I am grateful to learn from them. Two weeks ago, a few of us headed to the beach for sunset with takeout from our favorite Hawaiian spot, Broke Da Mouth Grindz.

Laughter — I don’t have photo evidence of this, but some of this experience is emotionally *weighty.* The intensity is offset by moments like these. Here’s how it normally goes: Someone has a slightly rowdy idea. They pitch it to me. I get hype. I rally the troops. And we do it! (I almost said these are some of my more adventurous classmates, but then I realized it’s just that we are younger and therefore more willing to sacrifice our bodies for a photo.)

Roommates — Here are my nine beloved roommates! Only three are actual grandmas, but nearly all of us sleep like grandmas. On a typical morning, seven or eight of us are awake by 5:15 a.m. Such a perfect match.

My outreach team — Team Joy leaves for South Africa in three weeks! The 14 of us meet at least weekly to prepare for our two-month outreach. Barring changes, we will depart on Sunday, December 18 and arrive on Wednesday, December 21. (Yes, you read that right.) Home will be a YWAM base in Durban. Last week, we Zoomed with two local staff so they could help set expectations for living conditions and share about local ministries we may get to serve alongside. It is happening so soon!

Family — Last weekend, Karen and I reunited with our British “cousins” for an adventure north along the western coast. Being with them is so easy!

All my love to the mainland! Happy Thanksgiving!

1. This is still a thing, and I am occasionally sipping other people’s bevvies.