Today I am Giving Thanks for: Water. Internet.

Yes, I know. An odd combination. But both can be invaluable. Let me be really clear though – Water is a matter of life or death if you don’t have it. Internet is NOT in the same category, but it sure is handy! I am so thankful for the mindless activity I can usually do all day. when ever I choose. as often as I like. pretty much anywhere I go – get a glass of water, clean drinking water, or get online.

I found the pictures of the Peru Compassion trip! How amazing to see photos in a Flicker stream and they say ‘photo taken 5-7-8 or 9 hours ago’.  The ones that really struck me were the ‘5 hours ago’! How crazy is that?!  Go see them for yourself – it is amazing to see all the beautiful faces. big eyes. smiles. {ugh! seriously, why is that stupid ‘ going the wrong way in front of the 5 – it won’t even copy/paste the right one from this question?!}

Oh.my.goodness! I love that I can see photos taken just a few short hours ago from almost 8,000 miles away!!!  We live in a culture where you have to work at being disconnected. I want to remember to always be giving thanks for the opportunity to be connected and not take the amazingness for granted. Those photos were taken on a Canon EOS 7D – we’re not even talking ‘just’ iPhone pictures. [Even though I see iPhones in the pictures] The ones in the link above were taken with a ‘real’ camera, those pictures had to still be uploaded via internet. Just think, inside of 5 hours they were taken, uploaded, and I viewed them nearly 8,000 miles away. Now, by the time you see them it will be longer, but you’ll know where to go to see them sooner now :-D!

This connection is made possible by the internet. It used to be you didn’t hear from people on the mission field or trips until they came home – or months, which ever came first. My mom has the letters her mom wrote/received from family when they were on the mission field in Africa. There aren’t very many. I can email my brother any day of the week – and – depending on his flying schedule, he’ll answer. Sometimes in an hour. Sometimes in a week. The other day I talked to my sister-in-law for over an hour by Skype. I watched as the kids got up and come in the room one by one. I can see their living room. It makes them not seem so far away, even at 5300 miles away. A couple weeks ago my brother flew my sister-in-law and their 3 kids out to a tribe for 10 days. When they got home, she uploaded pictures a few days later – within an hour of her posting pictures online, I’d taken a virtual trip through a tribal town. Internet. It’s amazing. Really.

Please, if you feel the tug in your heart, and know it is what the Lord wants you to do, sponsor a child through Compassion. I would venture to say, if in doubt – go for it! You won’t be sorry. For sure, a child [and mama] somewhere won’t be sorry either.