The blessing of visitors

so. sigh. the blessing of having visitors. 

1) conversations all the time. 

2) Delicious food. taking people to our favorite spots and having our fridge stocked with Lebanese fare to dine on..

3)  showing our lives and watching people take in all the exotic things that have become normal

4) explaining cultural differences

5) to really be inside someone that you loves’ life. hours to hear stories, happenings, parenting questions and breakthroughs. 

6) all types of moments to be had. walking along the Cornish, parks, amusement places, visits, views. 

watching them lavish love on my girls. 

7) work out buddies

and then there are some highlights:

-late night talks. debriefing, swapping stories, laughing and teasing. 

-introducing them to our beloveds and being able to just soak in the way that they honor and love our Lebanese friends. wow. 

 -time with their mighty kids. the observations, the processing, getting heart connects with Asa, Phin and Lainey was like pure gold to me. 

-Taking them to a syrian refugee camp and watching all of them just pour out of what God has given them. praying for the sick, taking pictures and showing worth, playing games, singing songs, and just communicating value as they spent time with the Syrians. 

-Being able to do a clinic with Dr. Bonner. 

 -taking a taxi adventure with a 9 year old ( Lainey), holding her hand as we walked down the street and loving how freely children give away love

 -watching how the older kids served and blessed, played and took care of our little bunch of cuties. i only wish i could have videoed most of it!

- watching two women really joyfully serve me as they decorated my house. honored and humbled by their love. 

 -translating for 14 and 12 year old Syrian boys who fled the country to Lainey and Phin and just watching their hearts be affected. what a meaningful exchange. Lainey and Phin waiting on the Father and then giving words of hope and life to the boys. 

I could go on and on. I felt so blessed by having the Bonner’s and Billingsleys stay with us. They came in with a wave of life- Lydia’s birth and the craziness that followed and they just breathed life right into my soul. 

   Abbey and Emily kept communicating leading up to the trip how much they wanted to be a blessing not a burden. I could not have imagined how blessed i would feel in the end. So many gifts, my house re-done. my fridge cleaned out. My girls swept into their arms and kissed on. Treated to incredible meals. my heart bonded even deeper to these hero's of mine. and their kids, their beautiful deep kids, i was able to really connect with them. it was so rich. 

  at the end of the week, although i was exhausted from our jam packed week, i kept thinking- i want to find joy in serving others like these amazing women do. 

   so blessed by the time that they gave to us.

we are walking on sunshine....