2011 Blog Reader Awards

I have to take this opportunity at the end of the year to thank you friends that read the ramblings here, that email or pray for us.  Thank you.  I’m guessing that many of you have fantastic small groups or churches to attend on Sunday morning where you can connect with a great group of people who you love and who care about you.   Well... in a really important and very long-distance, high-tech sort of way , you are that group to us.   

Thank you for letting us hear from you.  Thank you for your feedback on these posts.  Thank you for the tips and treasures you share with us (sermons, posts, books, music...).  Thanks for emailing us your family photos.  It might sound like there are dozens in this precious group, but actually you are an elite few (with others of course welcome to join in!) Thank you friends!

And in the spirit of giving awards, there’s one more to give.  To the Kind Lady in McDonald’s.  Thank you for caring for our kids.  

Last night we took our kids to McDonald’s (we actually do value nutrition, but...).  It was a night to honor our beginning readers with an ice cream sundae.  Both our big kids have read 5 early readers now.  We are so delighted and proud!

I can’t even think of the last time that we’ve been out of our house when a stranger has said anything to our kids except “Oh look, foreigners.  Look at their white skin, blue eyes, yellow hair...”  (I’m sure I sound extreme, but I promise it’s true.  It’s as if folks here have all received the same 4 page script of things to say to foreigners and questions to ask, like: Where are you from? Do you know you can only have one child in China?  Aren’t you tired to death having four little kids?  Have you bought your apartment or do you rent? How much money do you make?...  It’s the same script everywhere we go and it’s not bad.  We are the fish trying to swim on this land... the oddball foreigners in this heritage-rich, full of wisdom and beauty culture that we still do. not. fit. in.)   

So...  to sit down across from one other American family and have that mom speak individually to each of our readers and tell them she thought they must be really smart and tell them good job for working so hard.... it just about makes this mama’s heart break with joy.  Thank you, Shelly.  Thank you, Lord. 

Thank you, Lord, for all these friends...