Grateful Fast Sunday XVIII

This is AJP at the Japanese Gardens in Buenos Aires last time we visited. I can't believe how much he has grown!

This Fast Sunday marks a week or so of pretty cold weather here in SP. We have been experiencing a lot of rain and temperature that do not get higher than 80 degrees. It feels more like winter than late summer. Regardless of the weather, I have much to be thankful for this Sunday. I am specifically thankful for the following:

1. My in-laws impending visit. It should be great fun. My mother-in-law has a list of things she wants to do and most are on my “to-do before I leave Brazil” list as well. That in and of itself is enough to be grateful for but there is more to the visit. We are also planning a quick trip to Buenos Aires with them. I am over the moon excited for the chance to see one of my favorite cities again. It will be made extra special since AJP’s best friend from Colombia now lives there and we will be visiting with him and his family. AJP lights up every time we talk about it.

2. My adventurous spirit. I have often found this a liability in my life (choosing a major in college was difficult when I wanted to try every new class . . .). However, now it is one of the greatest assets I have. I am not fazed (er . . . too much) when we move to the other side of the world or when I have to make a recipe with only a few of the ingredients on the list. I get excited by the prospect of seeing new things and love to find creative substitutions for unfound ingredients in a recipe. Usually this spirit is kept in check pretty well by my pragmatic side but it is still a great blessing that I would miss greatly if it disappeared.

3. The power of prayer. I have been trying to improve the quality of my prayers lately. In the past, I all too often fell asleep during my prayers and did not think about much but myself. I have been trying to focus on ways to stay awake and that seems to be working. I have also tried to focus on others in my prayers as well (OK – maybe I am just trying to give others at least as much time as I do myself). I have not seen any big miracles or felt any great manifestations but I have felt the quiet and simple peace that comes from working at a relationship with our Heavenly Father. That is definitely a great blessing.