the leftover crusts

waves lazily creeping up on the shoreline

the princesses quietly played in the salty water

the {heavenly} Christmas breeze is still strong

making the air cool enough that they only dipped their toes in the water

Usually the beach is deserted but today a man from the fisherman village nearby was sitting out on the dock.  He was trying to catch some supper with an empty plastic bottle, a string, and a hook.  There were two women and about 5 little kids with him.

Our children soon started playing together.  Games like "who can throw rocks in the water the farthest" and laying on their bellies, on the dock, trying to spot the biggest fish.  Interesting how children all over the world enjoy the same things.  Just goes to show that deep down we're really all the same.

My girls played with the fisherman's children for an hour or two.  After awhile, the girls came to me and they were hungry, so I gave them the boloney sandwiches that I'd packed. They sat by me, on a stone under the giant seaberry tree, and ate.

Then one by one they returned to their friends leaving behind the crusts of their bread.

When the family started toward the road, to walk home, they passed by me.  The man was carrying 3 tiny fish which he proudly stopped and showed me.  Beautiful.  I was honestly impressed, and told him so.  It's not an easy task to catch a fish like that.  It takes a lot of patience.

The man and the woman started walking down the road, toward their home.  The children kinda trickled along behind, you could tell they didn't want to leave their new friends.  One little boy about 8 or 9 walked by me.  He glanced back a few times at the leftover crusts, laying on the napkin.  My heart turned over and I suddenly felt like I might cry.  I quietly said, "You can have them, if you want."  I had to repeat it again because he didn't believe me.  Then he inhaled it.  I felt so guilty, wishing I had saved my sandwich to share.  It was now plain that those small little fish were his family's meal that day.

we take so much for granted.

I have never sent my children to bed hungry.

God has blessed me so much.

"Lord, I humbly ask you to forgive me when I'm ungrateful."

Now to you, dear ones, do you complain?  Do you think that you deserve more than what you already have? What problems do you have compared to this little boy?  And he's not complaining.  When is that last time you gratefully ate someone's leftover crusts?  I've never had to.  I think it's about time we thank God for that.

count your blessings

#199 that a smile is a smile in any language

#200 the simplicity of bread and boloney

#201 salty air