10(ish) Things We are Thankful For
“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High.”
Psalms 92:1
It's a season of Thankfulness for many people right now. Even in St Kitts, we see that the American holiday and its timing are used by many locals as a way to celebrate all they are thankful for. While thanking God should be a daily activity, we especially love this reminder to focus in on the good things we have. So here is our list of 10 things we are thankful for! There may be a bonus one (or two, or three) at the end. Hey, gratitude is a stress reliever. It's my list! I'll do what I want! Not that you would mind. Ok, here goes:
1. Fruit!
Pomegranate pictured at the top, passion fruit pictured just above. Still waiting on them to be ripe enough to pick and enjoy. In addition to literal fruit, we are so thankful for the fruit we see in Celebrate Recovery St Kitts, in Caribbean Christian Fellowship, and in ourselves as a family. Our kids wont have their own section (although we are more grateful than we can express to be their parents), but will instead be included in many of the 10. We pray daily for fruit in our children's lives. They have so much growth ahead, but hearing Dean sing his lungs out in praise, or Addalyn (unprompted) praying for other people before bed, fills our hearts with joy at God's amazing grace and work in all our lives.
2. Available Healthcare
We have spent quite a bit of time at a doctor's office in the last 6 weeks. Dentist (healthy teeth, yay), GP (the kids' impetigo is the bane of my existence, and it is slow in healing), and counselor (who is amazing!). Adequate healthcare is not guaranteed to everyone. While a major medical procedure could be problematic on our little island, every health concern we have faced has been care for by amazing doctors and health care professionals. Even Addalyn's smile is in thanks to dentist who could fix two chipped front teeth!
3. Community
St Kitts has such a strong sense of community. From pride in individual villages/neighborhoods to a country-wide sense of responsibility, to our church (and many others) who provide a community where people know they belong. In October we were able to participate in the Family Fun Walk for the St Christopher Children's Home (St Kitts is short for St Christopher!). Hundreds of people came out to raise money for this amazing home. They do face painting, warm up exercises, a walk or run, and dinner. We always see people we know and have a great time!
CCF (our church) hosted it's second Coffee & Canvases night! Our super talented friend Alexis taught us step by step how to paint a waterfall. It was very challenging, but a ton of fun! My favorite part is seeing how unique they all turn out, and hearing all the laughter and chatter as us less artistic ones push our way to through it. I'm hoping we can squeeze one more in before Alexis and her husband, Jonah, head off island to finish his Vet degree.
4. Help (from some amazing friends)
Amelia, Yamarlor, Shackila, and Tannis (not pictured) are not only some of our favorite people, and sweet friends, but they are also amazing co-leaders with us in our CR ministries. Thankful doesn't begin to describe how we feel. They give up time on a weekly basis to love, serve, and lead. They are committed to growing and walking in their own recoveries as well. It is a privilege to serve alongside them and get to be their friends. We are also excitedly looking toward Yamarlo and Shackila taking on more responsibility within CR!
5. The Flemmings
Kistian and Aaron have been co-pastoring our church, Caribbean Christian Fellowship, since July of this year. Kistian and Cassie moved here to St Kitts the same month we did 3 years ago! We have walked along this adjustment together. From different countries and cultures, we have not always understood exactly what the other was going through, but our love of the Lord and for serving Him and His people have bonded us together. I don't know what we would do without them here! Beyond the weight they carry to make the church service happen each week, they equally carry the (more important) weight of ministry - caring for the people God has entrusted us with. Plus, they are really fun, and they have the cutest one year old who gives snuggles and is full of laughter.
6. Visitors Who Came to Serve
Faith Promise Church, our sending church from Knoxville, TN, brought a team of 8 to come and care for us and St Kitts. We plugged them into CR, CR Inside (prison/juvenile detention), and our church. They led worship, built a volleyball net frame, taught the Word, ran a clothing drive, shared their stories, loved on our kids, and even sent us on a date! We appreciated so much the way they helped us accomplish goals and furthered our reach in ministry. We also enjoyed the southern accents and not having to explain why our tea was both cold and sweet. Thank you FP!
7. Chase Woods
One member of the mission team, Chase, has a special place in our family. We met him when he was in middle school and have watched him grow into a Godly and mature young man. He came with us to St Kitts almost 6 years ago and our kids came home saying, "Can we keep him mommy??" He is now about to graduate from Highlands College and is then hoping to come back to St Kitts for a 1 year internship with us and CCF. Chase impressed us all week by jumping in to serve at every chance. While he was willing to teach and lead, his was constantly in the background cleaning, setting things up, putting things away, washing our dishes, and doing whatever needed to be done. His humility and servant heart will serve him well as he learns more about ministry and missions! We are looking forward to his return once he has graduated and raised his needed support.
8. Dandelion and Clover
I mean, if you have pets you get this one. They provide snuggles, love, silliness, and joy. We are especially thankful because Dandelion (the cat) has been sick for over a week and is FINALY starting to feel better. Now that he is eating again, he is barfing more while he re-adjusts. Pray for us as we all have weak stomachs and feel like barfing ourselves when we have to clean it up.
9. Family Time & Rest
& Technology & a Great School! After the wonderful mission team left, we were happy but exhausted. That week the kids' had an extra day off school, so we spent the long weekend decorating for Christmas, watching movies, and going to the pool. Rest is not just pleasant, it's a gift from God, and a must if we don't want to burn out. We often are reminded of this the hard way, and so we are striving to be more intentional about our time "off" and together. Thanks to the invention of video calls, our kids still got to hear the story of the little Christmas tree told to them face to face by their Gradmommy and Granddaddy.
I'm also squeezing their school into this category. SKI has given us several fun ways to come up with costumes, brain storm ideas, and have fun as a family. I can't count how many special days they have had this term, and it's not over yet! Their school staff also has done so much to accommodate some extra needs in the classroom. They aren't required to, but they have always gone above and beyond to make sure our kids learn effectively!
10. St Kitts is Really Beautiful
One time a friend said to me, "I don't really pay attention to aesthetic." I could not be more opposite. Environment sets the tone for me in many ways. I blame having a father who is a home designer, always being around art, and having creatives for family members. Whatever the reason, God made me to appreciate my surroundings. Almost every single day I lose my breath as I drive around some curve or over a hill. The water, plants, hills, mountains, and sunshine make my heart cry, "Look what God has made!" I'm so grateful for living somewhere so stunning. P.S. Tennessee makes me feel this way too, especially when we visit. We notice the beauty more now!
BONUS! (or 11. Take your pick)
What Christ has done for us. Giving his perfect sinless life in ransom for our mess. Salvation & redemption are not things we take lightly. Praise God for these gifts, and for everything else that we have because of Him!
12. (I can't help it, I'm on a roll!) Our Supporters
It has been a rollercoaster few months with supporters having to stop giving, but new supporters coming alongside us. God always has been and continues to be our provider, but we are also incredibly grateful for the men, women, and families who sacrifice each month to allow us to live and serve here. We are still about 10% underfunded heading into 2020, so if becoming one of our financial supporters is something you are interested in you can easily give online through Shepherd's Staff - Aaron and Katelyn Comer or contact us for more information! Once a quarter we send out our thank you cards and we pray for every person on our list. Thank you for trusting God with your money and allowing us to pursue His calling here in St Kitts. Your generosity enables us to love and serve some of the most unreached people on the island - those imprisoned, both physically and/or spiritually - who did not believe there was hope for a new life until they heard about it at Celebrate Recovery.
Also, My husband.
What are you thankful for? I know it's cliche to ask this in November, but I promise you that it will change you whole attitude if you list it out! Write it in the comments, or under the link facebook. We are so thankful for each of you!
Love,
The Comers
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