Ellen in Paraguay

Written on November 25, 2006

As promised, we celebrated American Thanksgiving at Oscar and Karen’s house on Thursday. It was the first time Karen ever made a turkey in Paraguay…just for me! But my favourite festive food by far is the stuffing, and I was not disappointed. Because we didn’t have much room in the oven, Karen creatively baked the extra stuffing in squash halves; not only did it taste great but the dish looked beautiful, very thanksgiving-ish. I had a lot of time that day to meditate on all the things I had to be thankful for, and I ended up composing this prayer in Spanish. I post it here for you to read not only because it is very telling of the things that I am happy to have here, but also so I can brag about how well I can write in Spanish, after only two months!

Dios Padre, que hizo los cielos y tierra, y nuestro creador,

tú nos diste vida, y nos das todas las cosas en abundancia para que las disfrutemos. Gracias por todas las cosas buenas de nuestra vida: la comida rica, las camas cómodos, las casas y patios, la seguridad, los cuerpos fuertes y saludables, el sol, la lluvia refrescante, los árboles de mangos, los niños felices, los bebes tranquilos, Edson, los libros y la capacidad de leer, las heladeras y las ollas especiales, una iglesia cariñosa, los amigos quienes nos invitan a sus casas para comer, las deportes, las siestas, el Internet, la música, el ajedrez, las cámaras, el tereré, los ventiladores, las duchas, los zapatillas, los hospitales, los supermercados, los cabinas, y los autos. Reconocemos que todas de esas cosas son regalos de tí y todo es creado por tí es bueno cuando lo recibimos con acción de gracias.

Perdónanos por olvidar a darte las gracias. Perdónanos por quejarnos a veces y codiciar. Ayúdanos a hacer el bien, ser ricos en buenas obras, dadivosos, generosos, y vivir con gratitud.

Señor, esta comida representa que tenemos y nuestra gratitud. Y cuando acabamos de comer y nuestras panzas están satisfechas, que sea un símbolo de cómo estamos satisfechos completamente por tu amor. Además, damos gracias por bendecirnos con toda bendición espiritual en los lugares celestiales in Cristo. Aun si parece como no tenemos nada, pido que dijéramos aun así:

“Aunque la higuera no florezca,

Ni en las vides hay frutos,

Aunque falte el producto del olivo,

Y los labrados no den mantenimiento,

Y las ovejas sean quitadas de la majada,

Y no haya vacas en los corrales;

Con todo, yo me alegraré en Jehová,

Y me gozaré en el Dios de me salvación”

Father God, who created the heavens and the earth, and our creator,

You breathed life into us, and you richly provide us with all things to enjoy.

Thank you for all the good things in our lives: good food, comfortable beds, houses and yards, safety, strong and healthy bodies, the sun and the refreshing rain, mango trees, happy children and tranquil babies, Edson, books and the capacity to read, refrigerators and special pots, a loving church and friends who invite us over for meals, sports, naps, the internet, music, chess, cameras, tereré, fans, showers, flip-flops, hospitals, supermarkets, neighbourhood places where you can go and make phone calls or use the internet, and cars. We recognize that all these things are gifts from you, and that everything you created is good and to be with thanksgiving.

Forgive us for forgetting to give you thanks. Forgive us for sometimes complaining and for coveting. Help us to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, willing to share and to live lives of gratitude.

Lord, this food represents the abundance that we have and are thankful for. When we finish eating and our appetites are satisfied, let it be a symbol of how we are completely satisfied by your love. Most of all, we give thanks that you have blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, through Christ. And even if it seems like we have nothing, I ask that we would still say:

“Though the fig tree does not bud

and there is no fruit on the vines,

though the olive crop fails

and the fields produce no food,

though there are no sheep in the pen

and no cattle in the stalls,

yet I will triumph in Yahweh;

I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!”

Scripture references:

1 Timothy 4:4, 6:17-18; Ephesians 1:3; Habakkuk 3:17-18