Some days, I fantasize about living in a remote village by the lake, where there is no internet access, my iphone is not tethered to me 24/7, and I cook with whatever vegetables are grown from my garden.
No television, no processed food, no beautiful window displays in shopping malls to rob our money. Just peaceful time spent knitting, maybe chatting it up with a neighbor, and going to bed at 9pm.
I think I just described the lifestyle of my dad’s generation growing up in Shenzhen, China. He has always told me that despite the hardship of growing up in poverty, life back then was fulfilling and happy in very simple ways. A plate of chicken on the dinner table, a pair of new shoes once a year, a visit from an old friend….the simplest things could instill the deepest gratitude. How is it possible to teach such things to our children of this current generation, when an abundance of clothes, toys, and other material goods are at their disposal on a daily basis?
Gratitude is something we really want Bridgette to understand. Every night before going to bed, we pray to express our gratitude to God for giving us food, shelter, warmth, and family. Whenever Bridgette receives gifts of any kind, we remind her to express her gratitude not just verbally, but with a handmade thank you card. But, we know she still does not know just how incredibly lucky she is, and how to count her blessings. It is an ongoing goal of ours, to teach and to show her true gratitude.
Some things we are grateful for this past week…
Happy Friday! Happy Weekend!
