Give Thanks

Today I am thankful for this verse

James 4:5:  BUT HE GIVES MORE GRACE.  No matter what is happening there is more grace.  Enough for the whole human race.

I am thankful for Scott returning from Uganda, energized by the great South Sudan team, meetings and prayer and hope.

I'm thankful for my kids making it to the end of exams, only one more half-day of school in the term.  Yeah!  Jack, Julia, and Acacia are ready to crash.  And Luke and Caleb already have, thankful for Scott's parents who are feeding them and providing beds, quiet, mountain bikes, and an ocean view in CA.  And my sister who is enfolding my mom into her celebration.  If we can't all be together, it is good to know that we're in groups together.

And thankful for our Paeds team, especially Amanda Hansen who is providing the venue for the Thanksgiving-Dinner-for-Forty-One that I've been trying to organize this month.  One more hour, the turkey is out of the oven, the stuffing is baking, the tables are set, and we're almost ready to roll.

 

 Thankful for patience, and Patience.  Two-month birthday on the left, 3-month on the right as this tiny preemie and her mom moved out of nursery onto the maternity floor for a few days to be sure that she was ready for discharge.  She had tripled her birthweight.  Her mom brought US cake, bought blankets for the next five preemies, and took OUR photos.  Celebrating this fruit of patient care.

And this little family miracle, much improved.  He and his mom nearly both died as she bled and he was premature, but they have emerged from their side-by-side ICU beds to the point of hope.

Tis the season of parties.

Thankful for the Kindergarten class who came to visit and sing carols for the hospitalized kids.

Thankful for friends.  This family faithfully sends us a Christmas package EVERY year, with a puzzle that we can spend hours of relaxing family time putting together.  It has become part of our yearly tradition, and the consistency of this package finding us here at Kijabe just made my day.

Thankful for this friend, who sent HIMSELF to Kijabe to work in pathology.  Ron G has been a friend since he and Scott went to med school together.  He was a groomsman in our wedding.  He is a supporter in the best sense of the all-around financial and prayerful and concerned friend.  He came to Kijabe for short term trips long before we did, and we're privileged to both be here together this year.

I'm thankful for our jobs here which involve intensive care of the sickest children, teaching the next generation of African physicians and clinical officers and nurses, research and data gathering, being stretched to work on difficult diagnoses (like possibly rabies this week!), sitting down to chat and encourage coworkers, learning from people much smarter than me, prayer around bedsides, and long term dreaming of excellence and mercy.

And that brings us back to grace, which is always MORE, more than the deaths and sadnesses and stresses and challenges, always available, always deeper than every trial.

Happy Thanksgiving to you too.