March 6th

Today was a day full of blessings. I woke up earlier than usual, feeling very refreshed and ready for the day.

In my devotions, I was reading about the old testament sacrifices. That's not usually the most exciting topic, but what is exciting is that Jesus fulfilled ALL of that through His ultimate sacrifice. He made us clean, innocent, and beautiful to the Father. How amazing is that? That we, filthy rags as we are, can be something beautiful, something pleasing to the Lord and King of the whole universe!

I actually ate breakfast today — blueberry bagels and cream cheese. They were delicious.

Work went very well. Because I actually got up at a reasonable time, I was able to get in more than my usual number of hours and still have some free time during daylight hours. I am so blessed to have a good job. It's a dream job really — I choose my own hours, don't have to leave home, get paid for my time spent learning new things, and have two great friends, one of whom is my brother, as my co-worker and boss.

This afternoon, between projects in work, I got a short text message from Ma informing me that she now has a phone! Her very first cellphone. :) It's always great to hear from home, and it's great that she now has a phone so I can send text messages to her directly and possibly even call her sometime. I've been very blessed with the best mom I can imagine.

I also got to chat for some time with a very dear friend. God has blessed me abundantly with friends. Even now, when I hardly ever see anyone in real life besides my brother and co-worker, God has given me friends to communicate and share with over the Internet, and uses them to encourage me, to give me courage, to remind me of the things in life which are truly important.

I was also blessed with lovely weather today. The temperature was so comfortable, and the sky cloudy, so that it felt almost like rain — with that freshness and cleanness in the air. I went for a bike ride and took a few pictures on the way back. Many people are not healthy enough to ride bikes. Many have never had the privilege to learn to ride bikes. Many, including my own brothers living in Zambia do not have bikes to ride. I've been blessed with a good bike, good health, and a camera.

This evening I re-heated the food I made last night — chicken, potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion baked together. I've been so blessed with plenty of healthy food, a clean, indoor kitchen, and a brother who can enjoy the meal also.

Those are just a few of the countless blessings God is constantly pouring out on me. The challenge to me now is to appreciate His blessings, and to use them to bless others.