new every morning

Every morning starts the same way: I'm confused at the noise that wakes me from my sleep, and after about 10 minutes I figure out that I've been sleeping and I need to be awake. But what day is it? Why am I waking up?
Maybe it's Saturday, what do I need to wake up for? Do I have plans? Oh no, am I late to meet someone????
No, it can't be Saturday-I'm pretty sure I went to church yesterday....yeah I did.
I went to church yesterday? AHHHH it's Monday! I'm late for work! What time is it?
6:00am.
Whew.
Get up, boil water, turn on fans, make coffee, make oatmeal, get bble, sit down, pray, drink, eat, read, pray, drink, eat, read, pray...
Oh no! 8:00am.
Get dressed, go to work!

My mornings usually seem to follow this pattern. It might sound frantic or stressful, but it's not. It's my routine now. The confusion of sleepiness keeps everything feeling new and spontaneous :)

For awhile, my mornings at work were all the same; going into the office, answering emails and working on documents and plans for incoming Friendship Teams. Different tasks, but almost always in the office 8:30am-12:00pm for my morning before lunch. Lately I've gotten to spend more time out, seeing and doing. I can see how this was necessary now. I was content working in the office, I wanted nothing more-I loved the work I was doing!
Once the Friendship Team arrived, I (as the Friendship Team Coordinator) was with them all day, everyday, at the orphanages, doing things with and for the kids. Orphan Voice does so many different projects in and around Central Vietnam and I've been learning a lot about them all in the past 5 months. But without seeing and experiencing, I was kind of detached.
Now that I've spent so much time with the children at the orphanage I am getting to know them-I know their personalities, their ailments, their favorite jokes, their love languages, their preferred games and tricks....I long to be around them.





My mornings aren't always in the office now. There are many things I need to get done on the computer still, so I do that of course. But now, seeing the kids has become a priority. If it's been a few days and I haven't seen them, I can say "I'm going to Promise House because I haven't been in a few days," and that's completely acceptable.
That's what I love about my job; going to Love the children is a beyond acceptable reason to go out for a few hours.





My mornings always start the same, but my days have been transforming as my knowledge and love for the orphans in Da Nang has grown in the past month. My heart and my desires are changing and transforming in ways I never thought was "me." I love behind the scenes, administrative, support, clerical work. I always have. And I stopped there, accepting that's who I was.
I was wrong--that's not all I am.
The Maker of Heaven has much more in store for me and His purposes surprise me and mystify me daily. Here I am humbly saying again "You are God and I am not. Thank you. I will follow You, Your ways are not my ways."
And for that, I am grateful.