It's been a while...

I woke this morning with these words in my head, this is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.  For those that know me, know that I am more spiritual than religious. So for me to awake to scripture is somewhat ironic. 

But not really. Back in my more frequent church going days, I remember the preacher always saying,  let's prepare our hearts for worship. If we did so before Sunday service and it only lasted an hour, then how long does it take to prepare for a week of mission work?

I'm not talking about the physical preparations like shots, malaria medications and making sure you have enough pepto bismal for your two daily doses. I'm talking about the spiritual readiness to not only give of God's love but to receive it. 

I will joke that a mission trip is a whole lot of Jesus, and it is. To be honest, the first two days of the mission trip last year sat sourly in my stomach. I had come physically prepared but I was far from prepared spiritually.  

Starting now, I will begin my spiritual preparation.  I will think of the people we will serve in the coming weeks.  How medicine that is so readily available here is not there. Even if it was, most could not afford it. I will think of the little boy on the construction site whose cut leg I tended to. And how a simple cleaning with a disinfectant, a little neosporine and a bandage healed a badly infected cut almost overnight. 

Starting now i will be grateful.  Grateful mostly for the gift of being healthy, both Maddox and myself. It is a gift that I believe we all most often take for granted. 

There's more to come here so stay tuned.