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Sitting in my refrigerator is the last pack of “birthday cake Oreos” my parents sent in my Christmas barrel this year ¹.

As I finish those, I’m reminded how simple pleasures of life bring us great joy…..

and that it’s okay to ask for things.

Occasionally friends in the states will ask me if there is anything that I need. My answer to that is almost always no, because there aren’t many things needed in Saint Vincent that I cannot get here. And honestly those things we can’t get here you can easily live without.

At times people will ask “is there anything that you want?” and unless there’s a serious need, my answer to that is no as well for the same reason ². But occasionally you run into people that won’t take that for an answer 🙂

While in the States last summer for eye surgery, my mother instructed me to write down a list of simple pleasures that my family could send as presents in my Christmas barrel. The list included small things.

1. Like good pens
2. Oreo cookies
3. Flavoured coffee
4. Gatorade powder
5. And a favourite kind of body wash, and deodorant
   

The truth is I felt kind of silly requesting these simple pleasures because they weren’t huge necessary things. In fact my life may have been better without them (the Oreos have made me fat)! But the The Lord through this experience reminded me it’s okay to ask for the silly things

Because the Lord has provided a family of prayer supporters and friends who take great joy in providing for my oreo cravings. And I serve a God who takes great joy in providing for my insignificant needs.

1. They won’t last long! ↩
2. You can live without the things you can’t get here ↩