Feeling Alive!

What makes you feel Alive?

I love quotes that say whimsical things like, "Find what makes you feel alive and seek it with all your heart."  I believe that we all have "God" buttons within that are just how we were individually created and it's these things about our personality that give us moments in life that show us what we love, or what we are created for, the moments that make life worth it.  Mostly, because as a Christian, when we realize that our identity is found in Him alone; abundant life, purpose and being dead in our transgressions but made alive by the spirit, all come from a personal relationship with Christ.
Things like this for me have been when we used to direct youth camps and would look out over the crowd and see a thousand youth in total surrender.

There are also those things that make you pause and soak in the moment.  You know, when the world stands still and you are in a surreal moment of a fulfillment, gratitude or just plain awe.
Moments like these for me before we moved to Haiti were a Friday evening, music blaring, the kids playing in the yard and bar-b-que on the grill.  LOVIN' Life!  Or, when we are driving out to the farm in Dublin, country music on down country roads where you loose telephone reception, and then we round the last corner when the driveways come in sight and the kids start yelling, "We're there or Poppy & Nanny!" and all the world feels right...
I could name a dozen other

Living in Haiti, those moments have changed but I can actually say the happen far more frequently.
Like watching the sunset rise or set over the ocean, riding on a taxi moto blaring some Caribbean compa music (my favorite is reggae) and just soaking in the incredible scenery, or people watching the world as it flies by on a moto.

Yesterday, I had a day full of "Alive Moments!"

- I LOVE to sing and lead worship through music.  I got the opportunity to do that yesterday and was so very blessed and filled.  One of our boys played guitar and I bellowed my heart out to the creator of the universe.  I prayed that God would use it deeply and someone shared afterwards that He did and it was a cherished moment for me.

-We eat primarily Haitian food all the time, but on Sundays IF we have Velveeta blocks (which we do because the WKU team brought them - Woot! Woot!) I make American Homemade Macaroni on Sundays after church. Yesterday, I also fried bread for them to have with it!  I hope they remember these times and Sundays, holding memories of home for their whole life.
 I love to cook and feed our family.   Sitting around the table full of our awesome children as they eat, laugh and share always puts me in a peaceful awe that God has called and ordained this big family!

- I sat in bed after Sunday night prayer group and watched a movie with Terah.  Earlier, we had our discipleship meeting and also victory for me because as we talked and she responded, I patiently addressed some of her answers and pointed out how they could "smart alikey"  (Boy, almost 13 has been fun...) and taking the advice of Mr. Gordon Lipscomb, later we just hung out without agenda, watched a funny movie and laughed together.  It was great...

-THEN, to top off a glorious Sunday - my husband took our boillon (stew) pot and propane heated some water for me.  I sat in our shower and bucket bathed the most glorious HOT water bath EVER!  It felt so good and comforting and the world was so right and full in that moment!  Aw...

I felt incredibly alive yesterday and it's those days that you can hold to on the tough ones.
Thank you Lord!