Not at the gym. But in life.

I am currently sitting in a cozy room at the swankiest of hotels in Qatar. Sipping a glass of wine and eating a salad. Mostly because a classy romper I wore at the wedding a mere 120 days ago is uncomfortably TIGHT today. So it is salads from here on out for this girl.

I am not sitting in a hotel because of the romper – but because of a work gig – in case that last sentence confused you.

In case you want to know how hard it is too pull a classy anything out my current wardrobe – just consider it an act of God. And Jordan. She loaned me a blazer that pretty much makes me classy. Everything else smells like boat (can I get an amen, boat people???) But slap on a blazer and WHALAH – classy.

(Don’t tell anyone, but my last meeting ended promptly at 5pm and I walked barefoot back to my room. These boat feet haven’t seen the pain of heels for a loonnngggg time…)

Anyways – that was quite a rabbit trail.  The real reason I am here today…I got my butt kicked.

For a little history – I spent years getting my butt kicked by the international community on the regular. Nearly every day there for a while I was humbled, shut the heck up, and in awe. Of people. The world. Cultures different than my own. Life overseas is just different. In the most hard, impossible, ugly, amazing way possible.

But lately life has been pretty cush. (Someone remind me of this when I whine about #boatlife.) Yeah, living on a boat definitely sucks somedays. I miss having a car, a decent diet, a WORKOUT, my buddies, my independence, yada yada yada…but in the grand scheme of things life is good.  Hello – have you met my husband??  He is pretty much the best thing on ANY side of the Mississippi.

But my perspective had kinda skewed in the past few years. Entitlements crept back in. Expectations reared their head. All the things I worked so hard to shred had snuck back up on me. i kinda annoyed my own self, honestly.

Then today.

Hundreds of internationals. In one place. With one dream – serving their families. Giving smiles that are rarely deserved. I found myself with tears spilling down my face in the “Tea Lounge.” The smiling server was from the Phillipines, my fav place on earth, and she lived not far from where I had spent some of my favorite months. I pulled out pictures of myself in her country and she came to tears. We shared prayers and encouragement and I remembered.

A small glimpse of who I am and how much SHE is loved.  She works day in day out to send every penny back to her family. A 2 year old son raised by grandparents that she sees once a year. A life of sacrifice.

She spoke of loneliness that I can’t comprehend and a broken heart that is totally foreign to me. And all the while she served me and smiled and was geninuely thrilled to be there. Excited at the opportunity and SO thankful. A level of thankful I haven’t been in a while.

Even while I live in total and complete ABUNDANCE.

Jesus – bless them tonight. Every single heart that serves and longs and deserves so much more. Bless their finances and their families. Settle their hearts and minds tonight. Remind all of us how much you fight FOR us and are with us. In total abundance and in lack – you are for us. I needed my butt kicked tonight and I am so glad you are faithful enough to do it. I don’t want to forget.