more on the best bithday ever...

it is beautiful thing to be loved and loved well. i felt loved really well on my birthday. i was lavished with beautiful gifts from the ladies at sari bari...i received a sari, a salwar, 2 sari blankets--one that was personalized with "happy birthday sarah" that everyone worked on and made together and many other sweet gifts. As i received the packages one by one they were more than i could hold...as they kept coming more and more tears followed. I was so overwhelmed with the generosity of these women. i know their salary and what their expenses are and i was so aware of their deep and pure hearted generosity in their gifts that really i had a hard time stopping my tears. they gave me lavishness out of their poverty...it was stunning. they put flowers in my hair and showered me with glitter...i felt like a princess, a beloved. they made me feel how i want them to feel everyday when they come to work.

that was just the begining of the day...i had a free night at the hyatt so kristin and i lived it up a little and rested in the air conditioning after several days of sweating our way through cleaning up our "bird invaded" apartment and yes, still the smell of bird poop lingers even after hours and hours of scouring. so back the birthday, i received so many emails and calls and gifts (thanks bethie). I felt lavishly and undeservedly cherished on my 33rd birthday. Kristin and Beth gave me a beautiful chocolate brown shawl and a hand carved cross--kristin and i enjoyed a early evening swim at the hyatt and a glass of wine along with some good food. I was really an amazing day.

it felt very undeserved and i guess maybe that is why my overwhelming feeling on friday was that it was most certainly God using the beloved people in my life to show me how much he loved me. i think i am still not expressing how amazing my day was but mostly i just want to say how thankful i am....

i love the ladies at sari bari. i love kristin and beth. i love the faithfulness of my parents. i love that i am 33. i love that i have beautiful amazing and lifelong friendships. I love that Jesus first loved us.