Giving Thanks

In much of the Dominican Republic, summer is summer is a time of oppressive heat. It is often drier, and the combination of heat and drought make many plants turn brown and even lose their leaves, but without the beautiful fall colors seen in the US. Dominicans don’t talk about spring or fall. These are simply times of slightly less heat. But in the winter, it cools off and we have more rain. We also have little wind. It gets quiet. It is like nature is resting and enjoying the comfortable conditions. There is green growth everywhere.

Right now I feel like this. At camp we had our busiest year ever. While this is good (tons of kids accepted Christ, many of these returned for discipleship weekends and training camps, and 34 Dominican churches made use of Pico for their retreats), it comes at a cost. We are tired. But God is good. He gives us seasons in our lives, including times to slow down a bit and reflect on all He has done for us.

I love Thanksgiving. While this is not an official holiday in the Dominican Republic, we have made it a tradition at Pico Escondido. We take the afternoon off and invite the family members of all of our Pico employees to come for an afternoon of fellowship, followed by a time of reflecting on all we have to be thankful for and then a big evening meal. We had about 60 people around our table this year. We have much for which to be thankful. I am thankful for my family. As someone who didn’t get married until he was in his forties, it is still somewhat of a miracle in my mind that I have an amazing wife and three wonderful kids. I am thankful for all the people that have contributed toward making Pico the place it is today. This list is long: financial supporters who have given generously both to build Pico and sustain me and my family; Pico staff and former staff who have poured their blood, sweat and tears into this place; volunteers from the US who have come and made Pico better through their time here; wise counselors who have helped guide the process of managing these resources. But most of all, we are thankful to God, who makes all things possible.

Thanksgiving dinner at Pico

 

Thanksgiving, part 1

Of Buiscuits and Life

When it comes to cooking for three small children, it can feel like you're on one of those cooking shows when time is pressing, and there are three judges who will hold nothing back. It's often a hit or miss. Not with biscuits. Biscuits (and tortillas con frijoles) are one of those few tried and true items everyone in our house loves - every time!

So, on Wednesday, I thought biscuits were the right choice for the evening. I was on the phone with a friend, kids were running around, and I was making this recipe I basically know by heart. All was fine, but I inadvertently grabbed the smallest biscuit cutter and I suddenly found myself with over 20 biscuits, needing to use two baking sheets. I was still on the phone when the husband started setting up the table and suddenly there was only one baking sheet with 6 biscuits on it where I had left two.

There's a table on the side of our dinning room, and there I saw the other baking sheet full of biscuits. So, I went ahead and prepped the plates for the boys with what I had in the kitchen, putting two biscuits on each plate to cool off (because, temperature is as key as flavor is, folks), and knowing that the husband and I could get our own from the ones in the dining room.

The boys came in from washing their hands, plates were served for them, each boy with two freshly baked biscuits on their plate, baby girl with one, and I had put one in Roy's plate to finish the ones in the kitchen. But when one of the boys saw this, he completely lost it. Right then and there, this boy who loves biscuits had a meltdown.

As we tried to calm him down and find out what had upset him so, we were able to gather that from his perspective, two biscuits for him wasn't right. He was sad there would be no seconds. He was upset his papa only had one. He was mad that the biscuits had run out before he even sat down. He had no control, no saying, over how biscuits were given. He had not seen the baking sheet on the corner, a sheet full of biscuits, fifteen of them! Even after showing him the other biscuits, it was hard for him to overcome the initial disappointment and it was a while before he could actually enjoy his food.

Later that evening, I was with a group of friends at Bible study, and the subject was on fear of the future. We had watched a video, and we were talking about the different things about the future that make us afraid. I have a brother battling cancer. I have a kid going through a very rough time. I have trips that need to happen soon and what seems like a tight time frame to make them all happen. And as we shared, I thought of the biscuits.

Oh so many times I am that child who receives one of his favorite things for dinner, but the arrangement still doesn't feel quite right. What if I want more? What if I want seconds? Will there be enough for me in the future? What if there's more for someone else but not for me? And while I am asking all these questions, I'm missing out on the meal that has already been set before me.

"You fathers - if your children ask for a fish, do you given them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him." (Luke 11:11)

"Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't he also give us everything else?" (Romans 8:32)