It's the little things...

Having spent a couple of weeks in the States after four months in Kenya, I've realized a few little things that we have to be thankful for here in the good ole US of A. Granted, there are the big things like education systems and a not-so-corrupt government, but hopefully these few minor items will give you a little something to think about or thank God for...

1. Hot water sinks - I am blessed to have a hot shower in my house in Kenya, courtesy of an electric heater on the shower head, but I was amazed to get back home and have hot water in the sink to wash my face at night, or even to wash dishes with!

2. Rain without mud - When it rains in Kenya, EVERYTHING gets covered in mud! Here in America, though, its possible to go all over the city on a rainy day walking on a succession of carpet, wood, concrete, asphalt, stone, tile, and plastic - none of which turn into mud when wet.

3. Ovens - Almost all Kenyan food is cooked over a stove, so I've been in heaven at home with a constant succession of cookies, cakes, casseroles, and all kinds of other BAKED goods!

4. HDTV - This one is pretty shallow and self-explanatory, but I had totally forgotten how good a football game looks on a big screen in HD...wow...

5. HVAC - Another acronym (there are many more of those in the US), being able to control the temperature of a room or a car with heat and air condition is amazing!

6. Seasons - There's something in me that feels like Christmas should be cold, and four seasons simply add so much more variety to the year. Living at 1 degree latitude in Kenya leads to a pretty constant climate, with the exception of rainy or dry periods, and I'm learning how cool it is to experience the changes between summer, fall, winter, and spring that I've always taken for granted.

Those are just a few of the many things that we have to be thankful for in America, but they are some of the ones that have stuck out to me in the past few weeks. I hope all of you had a very Merry Christmas and are looking forward to a happy New Year!