MORE BLESSED TO GIVE, THAN RECEIVE…..OR BOTH???In scrolling through some pictures Sarah posted from Africa, one can hardly deny that missions mindedness and world travel runs in her blood. She has always been the fearless and adventurous one….always going about making the most of every opportunity and living life to the VERY FULLEST (and then some)! The sparkle in her eyes does this mothers heart good. She is in her element….even though it is half way around the world.

On the home front we are on our final 6 day countdown. Just a little more than three weeks ago, we were wondering what Christmas and New Years would be like without our Sarah…..well now, we know! All in all, I’d have to say we are amazingly blessed. I understand in a whole new light what it means to say, “it is more blessed to give than to receive”. We have opened our hands and our hearts and given our daughter. We have made some adjustments and set aside traditions. And even in that, I’d have to say Christmas 2009 will go down in our family’s history as one of the most memorable for everyone involved. (even the webcam that provided a really fun New Years Day show and tell thru skype). Picture noted above :)

I know that Sarah will bring home lots of stories and neat experiences to share with us for weeks and even months to come. I am already seeing the lifelong fruit of this trip coming through in her writing, in her voice and in her heart. Who knows? Maybe it is the very reason for the sparkle in her eye too.
How I long to wrap my arms around her neck and welcome her back home….and I will cherish every moment so that when the time comes to let her go again, I can do so with gladness and completeness in my heart. God has truly been my portion and my peace. He has breathed into my spirit, a “God” kind of confidence and understanding that would be necessary….knowing that a very special 16 year old young lady would be….

*Spending Christmas away from family, yet finding a new family while opening her heart to the things of God in a deeper way.*Seeing the vastness of our world in a new way.
*And making a difference, touching lives every single step of the way.

Oh we have experienced incredible blessing in the giving of our Sarah….but so much more, we have received.

Crystal