a heart of gratitude

(11/26/12)  Grateful. My heart is so grateful.  I awoke Thanksgiving morning very sad to not be home. Let's be honest. Thanksgiving is my FAVORITE holiday in the US and mainly because I love how God has blessed me, paired with the fact that all of my sisters come home and are together for this one weekend a year . . . except this year. I was unable to connect with them for longer than a few seconds both times I tried to skype in, even though they were ready, cute, and waiting on both attempts (That's a feat in and of itself and it meant so much that they tried hard to be there when I could contact them. Aka early in the morning and again late that night!). I have a GREAT family. A GREAT boyfriend who spent part of Thanksgiving WITH my family (some of them meeting him for the first time in person!!). I really just have a GREAT place to call home. Thankful was I on that morning but sad too because I was missing it all. Hardest day of my Race thus far, for sure! With that said, I literally was LOVED. on by the people I call my H Squad family allllll day long. They are wonderful and I am so thankful to have had them to spend such a memorable day with. At one point, I went to my tent and just regrouped . . . I began to count my blessings. Quickly I realized how blessed I am on both sides of the world. One year away from home for the sake of God's mission was very little to sacrifice when I have a lifetime ahead of me. Also, it really gave me a chance to love what I have at home all the more. I prayed and thanked God . . .and then I went out to continue on my Race. Stopping first at our homemade Thanksgiving feast, made over a fire on the ground. Blessed. In short . . . I counted my blessings, thanked God for them all, and now I want to thank you: Thank you all for supporting me. Financially. Prayerfully. Thank you all for believing in this mission God has called me to and sticking it out with me from the other side all year long. You are great and I am blessed by you all. Thank you for continuing to support me . . . 6 months left!!  Can you believe it? By my birthday (Which I'll throw out is in 2 weeks, Dec 11th!!!), I will be halfway through this Kingdom Journey I'm on and I have LOVED. it. I am $4,300"ish" away from my goal and I know that God will fulfill that by January 1st, when I must have it turned in in full!  Fully funded by January 1st, this is my Christmas wish!!!!  If you would like to give my Race a gift, please feel free to click the "give a gift" tab up and to the left (Under my picture!). You all know that I would appreciate it and I trully believe that God blesses the giver :) Thank you all, you're so wonderful and if you hadn't figured it out by now, let me tell you again . . . I'm just so stinkin' thankful. I miss America but I love the world! Mungu Aka Buriki (God bless you!) LOVED., Lauren!<><+ Philippians 1:6