Just do the next thing!

Thursday morning I would have given a lot to escape the days to do list. What ever made me think I needed to paint the library? Sure, it was a dirty white and looked dingy and cold, but what made me think I needed to do it? We were supposed to be enjoying Christmas vacation and relaxing a bit before the rush of activity that is happening in the beginning of January. But Vernon bought the paint, at my suggestion, and we were committed. So, three grouchy women, the girls and I, began our job. Thank God for a husband who whistled and sang while he helped us by taping all the little window panes in three windows! The grouchy didn't last long and we ended up having a fun day slapping paint on the walls and trying not to get in each others way! I'm suspicious that MAM headquarters hasn't seen such a house family before! We looked quite splattered and every time the door bell rang, there was a desperate attempt to get out of answering the door! There was singing and laughing and talking and some fear too, when we started on the accent color! Gone are the stark white walls and in their place are um.... different walls! Come visit us if you want to see them :) It was a long day, but one I will look back on with a special warmth in my heart for the opportunity of working with my girls, enjoying every moment of it, also the blessing of  Vernon's singing and whistling. I love it. One more precious memory is of Jared helping paint too, and how much he enjoyed being a part of it all, though when Linda invited him down to play, he went leaping out the door!
Today was a catch up day. We did laundry, cleaned, shopped, and the girls made a wonderful supper of garlic herb bread, spaghetti, salad and choco bananas and pineapple. A fitting ending to a beautiful, hot, sunny day. Adios!

Another Christmas Past

What we did on our Christmas in the tropics, even though the city is not tropical!
Saturday we spent the morning cleaning, doing laundry and cooking. We had a late lunch and I baked fresh buns and Vernon grilled hamburgers. It was delicious! After lunch was all cleaned up, Jared went on his treasure hunt that the girls had made for him. We all followed behind and enjoyed the hunt with him. He was so excited and thrilled when he found the treasure, some fireworks. Since then, I have had more years scared off my life by sudden loud noises. My initial reaction is to jerk upright, open my mouth and yell as my right foot kicks. It seems to be entertaining for the others! The weather was so sunny and warm we all piled into the van and went to the park about 20 min. from here. It has green grass and pine trees and swings and a small zip line and hiking trails. We made use of all of them and also had fun with the Frisbee, creating our own special Frisbee throwing competition. After we got home, we had a special supper of snacks and  then played an exciting and scary game of piggy wants a signal, in the dark. Vernon scared me so bad when I quietly opened a door and he was standing on the other side. We had so many laughs! Then we played games until the fireworks started. We kept rushing up to the open roof to check out the noise but when they really started, we knew! I have never in all my life seen such a show! We got a ladder and climbed up on a higher roof and the whole city was blazing with what looked like a grand finale that lasted for at least 45 minutes! The noise, smoke and lights were indescribable.
Sunday morning we had a relaxing morning and church started an hour later than normal. Brian preached about the innkeeper having no room and then asked us to look at our own lives, do we have time and room for Jesus? After  church Craig made strawberry milkshakes to tide us over till our late lunch at two thirty. We had some pork meat that I roasted in the oven and then Vernon put it on the grill to give it the smoked flavor. It was delicious! We spent the evening relaxing and playing games and talking of our families and what they were doing today. Did I forget to mention the fresh fruit pizza we had for dessert? Yum!
That is what our Christmas in the tropics was like and we made some very precious memories and had a wonderful Christmas even though we felt some pangs of homesickness for our family back in the states!

The Christmas Season!

The days are rushing by and Christmas is almost here! It is hard to feel like 'the season' when we have 75* days and blue sunny skies along with flowers blooming that are not 'christmasy'. Our flowerbeds are full of blooming geraniums and the tulip tree still has some flowers. Somehow to plop poinsettias in the middle of such foliage doesn't look right! In spite of appearance, we decided to get into the spirit and have done some special baking along with some chocolaty treats. Wednesday the church ladies came for a cookie baking exchange. After sharing a bunch of cookies, we ate lunch together. I enjoyed the morning even though I wasn't involved with the baking. Last night was the staff Christmas meal. We had a great time and Janelle had things beautifully decorated. The meal was delicious and then we got to sing some English carols after Roy told the Christmas story. He has a way of making it come alive and keeping the children's attention. The last thing we did was listen to the story of Mr. Toomie. The candle light, festive spirit, good friends, good food and thankful hearts made for a memorable evening. Today is the first day of school vacation and we celebrated by having breakfast a bit later than normal and making waffles! Marta and Priscila left on Wed. to spend 2 weeks with their families, so this morning Jared and I were mopping floors and wiping off the dining room chairs. The work load isn't as big as normal because we aren't getting any guests that we know of. So we will try to balance the work that needs to be done along with a bit of holiday time. This morning we were talking about what work needed to be done and the never ending dishes that seem to need washing, when Roy came into the kitchen and told us of a family in their church that had a 16 year old son who got killed in an accident in March and then yesterday the family was driving and got hit by a drunk driver and the 11 year old boy is in critical condition! Talk about perspective. "O God forgive me when I whine"...
One thing about Christmas this year that makes it special is the fact that we are so clearly reminded of the reality that 'things' are not what make Christmas!! There is the sweetest lady that has such a hard life that most of us would think we have a right to be bitter and to self medicate to ease our pain, but she sings and laughs and looks to God for strength. She has money to buy rice and beans for her Christmas meal, but no money for specil food, and instead of complaining, she looks forward to the fact that her sister is coming to visit. There is another family lives in a continuous battle just to keep food in the house. Two days ago, they had no food and the daughter works to provide for the whole family. They do what ever they can find to do, selling donuts and such like. How can I go spend money on more clothes, decorations, and things when I see such suffering? These are poignant reminders that contentment and a grateful heart is not an option, but a Bible command! So Christmas in the tropics is.... enjoying family and friends.... drinking fresh strawberry lemonade... sitting in the sun soaking up the warmth...... singing 'we wish you a merry christmas' in English, while dropping off some packages at a home..... hugging the hurting showing love through the language barrier.......... sitting in candlelight listening to Mr. Toomie.........watching the children play an active game of tag in the dark......... playing games.......... planning a treasure hunt for Jared to make finding a few fire crackers an adventure..... but most of all, remembering that Jesus was willing to come down here and live on this earth and face the hatred and rejection of so many of his creation, willing to die on the cross; he was willing to do that for me! That truly is what makes Christmas the most beautiful time of the year! ...............................................................................Merry Christmas!

You Never Know!

What a week! Spanish school is behind us, our weekend of revival meetings is over and we are spending Monday cleaning and doing mountains of laundry, mostly bedding, from having a lot of guests. The compound was full and because the church is here, during the day there were about 100 people here. Lunch and supper were cooked by native women and we had some wonderful meals! Sunday morning we served 40 people for breakfast. So it was a full week.
The bus rides to Antigua were an experience. Our first bus on Monday morning was so full, we were standing on the bottom step. We thought the bus was full, :) and we would not be stopping for any more passengers.... wrong! We took on a lot more people, just kept packing tighter. Some of the rides, I would watch the little children, and when their seat had 4 adults crammed onto it, they would sit up against the seat and hold on. Tuesday morning when we started to board the bus, the driver and his helper and Vernon were all excited to see each other and had their little hand shake ritual. Vernon has bused on their bus enough to be recognized and welcomed. Our time in Spanish school was great and I know it helped, but there is so much to learn and I had a hard time getting in all the study time I needed! We had guests come in during the week and my 'domestics' girl went home to the states on furlough and Marta went to San Bartolame for a few days. We were short handed, Jeana had a lot of responsibility. Jody helped when she could and Ruth and Elba helped out too.
The most unexpected part of the week was walking beside a young mother from Belize who was staying here while her baby was in the hospital. The baby was 2 months old and had been in the hospital since birth. He had one surgery at 5 days to repair some puncture that had accidentally happened. The real problem was that he was born with his small intestine malformed and it was sealed shut. He was a very sick baby when he got here. We were in the hospital with the mother on Tuesday afternoon and night while the baby had surgery. He seemed to come through alright and the doctor had hope he would pull through, but at 4 am they called and told the mother to come right away. We hurried to get ready and Vernon and I and Priscila went along. The baby died just before we got there. I went in to the intensive care unit and I can't describe how sad it was to see this young mother mourning her baby and all I could do was hug her. The baby was a beautiful baby and we both noticed what a peaceful expression he had on his face. We spent most of the day at the hospital half of it at the morgue just being there with the mother and baby. Because it was International there was a lot of paper work and the hospital wouldn't release the body till the bill was paid in full. There were many caring people at the hospital, doing what they could to help. This was Wednesday, and on Friday morning early, our mission pilot, Danny, flew the mother and baby to Belize City. Priscila was with the mother every day, and was a wonderful support and also was able to help the mother as she talked to doctors and etc. One tiny 5lb. life, and yet I will never forget it! Only 2 months old, but that precious baby brought heaven closer. We can think we have our life all planned out and figured out, but...... we never know! Pray for Sherri.

One Week..

How time flies! Some memories of this past week......
On Monday Vernon and I went to Clubco to stock up on groceries. We 'pulled' up to the check out lane with two full carts only to remember that Vernons membership card was at home! So Vernon went and talked our way through the check out lane. We left with a grateful heart for the manager who let us go ahead with the purchase!
Tuesday morning, Priscila and Marta took us to Trebol, a rough place in the city where more robberies happen than in zone one. We walked into the market and down narrow aisles crowded with people. We were looking for fabric for all the youth girls from our church here for a special program they will be giving at the girls retreat scheduled for January. I was impressed with the beautiful fabric displays in tiny little tiendas. Then I thought of the ads I have seen for hiring someone to come into our home and tell me how to utilize my space! Here, I can learn for free, just need to be observant. We found a beautiful fabric that all five of them liked, much to our delight!
Another memory is of MAM pastors coming from all over Guatemala for the pastors meeting. How they came in quietly, and sometimes hungry after their long bus ride, and how they were very polite and ate the strange tasting 'americano' food and graciously thanked me! Ruth made the main meal, a delicious one of red beans with meat and rice. It was so good we ate it all up!
Saturday, I went into the workshop and saw Vernon putting a few small boards on a wall and Jorge was watching and scratching his head in puzzlement. Soon the small pieces became a place to hang the clamps that had been piled in a corner, and Jorge began handing clamps to Vernon with a smile on his face. As I left they were chuckling and pleased with themselves about another clean corner in the tiny shop.
Another memory is the ear piercing shriek at our doorway when a scared spider crawled across Jody and Jeana's path.
A special memory was eating Sunday lunch together, just our family. I had made a crock pot of chow mien because we were expecting  to go to an outpost about 4 1/2 hours from here. Plans changed and so we ate at our table, in our little house, just the five of us. It was a good time!
I will always remember Reforma, a street in Guatemala city. We kept driving up and down that street looking for a family we were to pick up. This city is in zones and we were bordering zones 9 nd 10. The mix up was that both zones had the same street number right next to us and so we were driving up and down just one block  to the right of where we were supposed to be! We finally found them and now there is another part of the city we know quite well. :)
I remember playing lots of games this week, some with Jared, some as a family, and having a fun time of it.
Most of all, this week I will remember how God showed Himself so clearly through answered prayer. It is so beautiful how our Creator confirms to us that He hears and answers!
Next week, I expect more memories! Vernon and I are going to Spanish school and I am praying my brain will become a sponge and absorb it all!

Speak!

I stood at the door while two polite young men waited for my answer. A...um...hands wave....face looks frustrated....er...OH!!! um...how do I say that I want water and do they want the empty bottles and do I pay now?! Our water purifier gave out so we have been taking water bottles down the street to a water place and they fill them and deliver the water to our door. It costs Q20.00 for 15 gallons of water. This morning they came to see if we needed water during the weekend. I was trying to talk to them and finally one of the men asked me "if I can talk English better:?!!!!! Here he is fluent in English and I am reminded that it is good to "never assume".  I smiled real big and said, "I talk and understand English". So we talked and they got me 15 more gallons of water and never charged anything! They said we have been getting a lot of water the past two weeks, very true, and so today was free.  I had a good laugh over that experience, but how sad that I am living in a country where I understand a tiny bit of the language, but can't talk about the real things. How do I tell a woman that I see she has been serving a hurting person and allowing her husband to help this person, sacrificing their together time, and family time? How do I tell a woman that there are so many choices we make in life, that though they seem so small, yet they have an effect on the rest of our life? And so on....
I have had a real busy morning and fled the kitchen after lunch while the girls bake brownies for youth tonight. We have Danny and Lindas boys here today. Jared is so happy for this blessing and there are boys running, hiding and shouting as they play games. I'm enjoying watching the action from the kitchen window. Danny flew two couples to Honduras for a wedding today and they plan to fly back tomorrow. We are also getting a bunch of people coming in from Honduras and Antigua. They will be here for the weekend......The first group just arrived and I had enough chicken pot pie left for them, then the next van load pulled in and so we fried eggs, warmed up beans and I sent Tristan to get tortillas. They ate and then a group of three came and they ate left over eggs.:)  By then I was working on supper and just made a big pot of taco soup. We ate at 4:30 so the youth could head out to their host place for the evening. After that was over, Vernon and I and our "three little boys" piled into the van to run get a few groceries at Walmart, but the van wouldn't start, so Vernon just got a back pack and ran to the store and I helped the boys light a fire so they could roast some marshmallows. I am calling it a day.  Maybe I will dream in Spanish! They say when you start to dream in Spanish, it means you have a good grasp on the language. Ha ha ha!

Thanksgiving

What do I have to be thankful for? So many blessings! I'm thankful for the beauty and warmth of a relationship with God.  I'm thankful for my husband, children, grandchildren, family, friends, laughter, health, freedom, food, shelter, the beautiful blue sky..................... We are so blessed!
Today in Guatemala there will be an American Thanksgiving celebration and it already started at 4:30 am. Danny and Vernon began to burn a huge amount of charcoal and then tried to wake us all up with some loud fire crackers. I helped Vernon wrap our 20 lb. turkey in many layers of foil. We are having a 'turkey in the hole'. By 6:30, they had the turkey in the hole and were piling the charcoal around it. Such excitement! It makes my cooking seem quite simple. We are having mashed potatoes, gravy, salad, dinner rolls and pumpkin, pecan and apple pie. I guess we will just remember the sweet potatoes and cranberries this year and be thankful for what we have. I have such mixed feelings sometimes when I see the hungry and homeless and then place so much food on our own table! We do feed the hungry that come, but it is so hard to know how to help them. How many are 'angels unaware'?
Today I am also thankful that my dad is enjoying heaven and waiting for us there. It is 16 years today that he died from melanoma. I miss him very much, and thank God for the legacy he left. The legacy of living for God in good times and bad, a humble man who loved and valued his family and quietly helped more people than I will ever know.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Lonely!

I talked to Harold today and asked how is he doing.....with the loneliness? My heart goes out to him when I think of him trying to navigate through life without his wife, the one who looked out for him, cooked for him, who made life sweet, who prayed for him, loved him and shared over 60 years with him. How do you live after such a loss? The only way is to walk into the sorrow, to know that God walks with us.  He doesn't take away the sorrow but He helps us carry it! And while Harold is grieving................................... we are living life with a rich enjoyment in family. What a treasure! God is so good in that He creates us with the ability to enjoy the blessings He gives us even though our hearts ache with sorrow over the pain in other lives. My conclusion is that we are to enjoy each day God gives us. Some days are full of happiness, some are full of joy, some are full of suffering. So enjoy the good times, and know that the hard times are not times of being alone, but they are times that God is in the pain with us.
Our family had a great time going to Belize for a short visit. We spent some days with my sister and then spent family time out at the ocean at a beautiful place that had a comfortable, lovely house to stay in, total privacy and ocean at our door! It was delightful and felt so good just to be together as a little family. One highlight for Vernon, the girls and Jared, and my sisters children, was when they went through a cave back in the bush. It was not a tourist cave, and two friends of my sisters family took them through. It took 6 hours and was dark and they had to swim some of the time. Vernon was fascinated by the history of the place, silent reminders of people who lived and died there many years ago. If those objects could tell stories about their owners! What a reminder that the things we prize and love, are just that, things, that we will leave behind when we die. And on that note, I will sign off and go spend some time with my son. He has a soul that will not stay behind.

Do the next thing!

We have been very busy this past week. There were five days of meetings out at the 'farm'. We call it Institute. These meetings were for all the MAM churches in Guatemala. There were interesting sounding topics and a lot of activities for the children. Priscila, Marta and Ruth were asked to help with the cooking so we took over their cooking, cleaning and laundry responsibilities here at Headquarters. It kept us busy through the day and then we went out to the farm for the evening message. Of course, everything was Spanish, but James offered to translate and we were very grateful. This morning was a bit wild. I made breakfast for 30 hungry people and we were just cleaning up when Tristan pulled in with a van load of people on their way to the bus station. They were hungry, so I quick made some eggs and re fried beans and tortillas. I was so glad I had listened to my impulse to cook up lots of beans on Saturday! That is one of the challenges of cooking here, I don't want lots of left overs but I never know when some hungry folks may come by. So, listen to your 'hunches'! While we were rushing about, a guests child needed some clean clothes so we ran about finding those, all in the middle of trying to decide exactly what the best way to bus to Belize is! We decided to take the land route and bus out tonight. We have three days to spend in Belize so will have one day with my sister and two days together as a family. We are looking forward to it and I am hoping we can sleep on the bus tonight!
Vernon and I had a fun time walking to Walmart to get some queso fresco for lunch. It was a lovely sunny day and I enjoyed walking and talking with him and laughing! Laughter is such a gift!
Until the next time....... lets use the gift of today and all our todays to reflect what a great God we serve.

One Week

What a week! It was a good week and such a full one that I never got to see the blooper on my last post till today! It is almost 4 pm and I am determined to get this done before I am disturbed, so am hiding in Jody's class room. Where to start? This past week was a very special time and we all enjoyed our visitors very much and Jeana did a great job of showing them a slice of "Guatemala life" in the six days they were here. Saturday, they got to experience Childrens Bible Club and shopping at the market for me. There was a street volleyball game in the evening. I made some authentic Guatemalan food as well. Actually, we had empanadas for lunch, and Marta helped by taking over and telling me what to do. Eddie and Wilmer came by and helped us as well. We were making them for about 18 people so made a bunch. They are a lot of work and I appreciated the help because I had no idea what I was saying when I planned to make empanadas! Then for supper, I made tostadas and that was a big hit too, at least they said it was. Sunday the youth got to go to Pital for church. It is an outpost that once was a thriving church but when the pastor was martyred, it slowly faded and now it is a little old lady who brings some children. Pital is a 3 hour drive from here. Vernon and Jared and I, and Marta were the only ones here for Sunday lunch and I had not planned anything because we were thinking of going along with the youth. There wasn't enough room, so Sunday morning  I decided we would have some hash browns and make a salad. Then I found out there was a family that needed to stay at headquarters till afternoon church, so we shared our strange lunch with them and I wanted to make excuses, but decided not to. Monday was a work day. The men were all at the church pouring concrete, some of it from wheel barrows, and Jeana and Danielle cleaned, washed down a room and did a bunch of odd jobs for me. At 3 pm we all went to zone one to take the guests shopping. They picked out some fabric for their moms and I enjoyed watching the boys look and try to figure out if their moms would like their choice. I think they did a great job! After that was done, we went to the tourist market and wandered around for a while. On the way home from zone one, we got stuck in traffic and so it took a very long time to get back. Tuesday, the youth and men went to other zones in the city and passed out tracts, and in the afternoon they played soccer with a group of friends. Oct. 31, - Nov. 2 are holidays. From Halloween, which isn't such a big deal here, to the days of the dead. Nov. 1 is the day to remember the children who died and there are hundreds of kites flying and graves visited and flowers left. Nov. 2 is the day to remember the adults who have died. It is another day of flying kites, (sending messages to the dead), and visiting graves to leave favorite food and flowers. A side benefit for the beggars is that they eat very well over these holidays if they eat in the cemeteries! Wed. we went to Lake Attitlan. It truly deserves the distinction of being in the top seven most beautiful lakes in the world!! Danny and Linda and their family came along. The youth planned to bus to the lake just for one more experience for the guests. When we drove past the bus stop an hour later, they were still there and so we picked them up and figured they would bus back to the city in the afternoon. The lake was beautiful! We were blessed with a sunny day and vibrant colors. Most of the group had a zip line ride and then we were talked into a boat ride across the lake to Santiago. It was interesting and I found my heart can be quite hard when it comes to buying products that are being forced on me. One woman worked on us all the way down to the dock and when we headed to the boat she tried one more trick, she gave a fake sob and started to rub her eye! Our ride back to the lake was rough and our boat driver took his time and kept watching the waves and heading into some of them because they were pretty big. All in all, it was a real good day. Having some 'home folk' here was a special blessing, and even though we get homesick for Idaho,  it showed me that our hearts have changed and the people in this country have a special place in our heart as well. Thursday and Friday were busy, we did mountains of laundry and cleaned and cooked and enjoyed some beautiful sunny days along with a bit of welcome rain. Today, I have been thinking about relationships. This place gives lots of opportunity to practice:) We are a group of people who are all from different places and families and customs. We have decided likes and dislikes, yet we can work together. Gods grace makes it possible to work together, no matter what our likes and dislikes are! I am blessed to see someone who is not 'feeling' great, yet they choose to laugh at the poor jokes or spilled food, or whatever. I think it all comes back to that same old problem, self focus! Am I focusing on myself or am I focused on living today for God, doing whatever needs to be done. I think of a book I read of a man who was ashamed of the work his father did. It was a small job that didn't give him any fame. This man realized later that his father had contentment. His father was a street sweeper, but he chose to be the best street sweeper he could be! This story was in the book Safely Home by Randy Alcorn. I often think about it when I am doing boring, unnoticed, little things. Am I the best dish washer I can be? Am I the best toilet cleaner I can be? Am I the best wife and mother that I can be? Only by Gods grace!!

Guests!

The alarm went off at 5:15 am and we got ready to head to the airport. I wanted to leave in plenty of time so our guests wouldn't have to wait. We were ready to leave and Vernon couldn't find his passport. He was sure he had laid it on the dresser so he would have it. I felt the first twinge of panic, but chose to remain calm. I looked on the dresser, under the dresser, behind the dresser and in all the drawers. We widened the search and looked all over the room, in all the shirt and pants pockets, clean and dirty. Then one by one we began to panic. The dresser drawers were dug through and the top of the dresser looked like a tornado had swept over it. Still no passport. I felt more panic and wondered what I would say to Deb, Judy and Dorthy when I would have to call and say we couldn't get their children because we lost the passport! I think I sounded quite grim when I said "lets pray". It's hard to pray when there is this angry feeling simmering below the controlled panic. We widened the search and kept looking. I was even searching all the kitchen cupboards and much to my relief, I found it up on a cupboard shelf. Put there for 'safe keeping'. We did thank God for answered prayer:) And I am reminded once again that tests come when I least expect them!
 How do I describe the wonderful feeling of seeing home folks and how do I express my appreciation to the parents for allowing their children to come visit? I guess one way can be by taking good care or their children:)  Jody and Jeana took them to Antigua by bus. They ate lunch and then explored the city. Antigua was the Spanish capital years ago and so there are old, beautiful churches and buildings. There are a few Mayan ruins but the real ones are about 10 hours from here.
We are having a special meal tonight. Craig, a vser and Shawn, brother to Craig, who is visiting here with his wife and children are making the meal. They are guarding the kitchen so my curiosity will have to keep growing. I just saw Shawn out in the courtyard with something round in a dish towel and he was swinging it like he wanted to spin moisture out of whatever it is. Oh well, supper is in 20 minutes, I can be mature and wait!

Cheetos and Games

My Wednesday ended in a wonderful way! I had spent some of the day with Vernon and then in the evening we had a family time! I had splurged and bought a bag of Cheetos and saved them for the evening when we could all sit down together and munch! After supper was over and cleaned up, and emails checked, we went over to the house and decided to play settlers. The only problem was that Sharon owns the game and it was stashed up in one of the kitchen cupboards. Jody and Jeana got a bright idea to sneak over to the kitchen and get the game. They included Jared and made a game out of it. I was watching from the roof and it was so funny to see them creeping through the shadows and into the kitchen to grab the game and I guess they decided to steal the candy jar as well. So we had a lively game of Settlers and crunched on our Cheetos and then they crept out the door, through the workshop, down the hall and past the rooms, into the kitchen to put the game back. The sneaking was a bit noisier than earlier. I kept hearing a loud shhhh! It was a good ending to our day. Today we woke up to the most beautiful clear morning and a breakfast of waffles and blackberries! Some of our guests headed up to El Chal and I kept busy doing laundry and cleaning and the day flew by. I made a stir fry for supper tonight and I was impressed with how good it was! :) There were lots of different veggies, guisquiel, broccoli, snow peas, carrots, celery, peppers,cabbage and steak( a tough missionary budget steak) and the sauce had lots of ginger and other good stuff in it.
 Jared caught a live roach and fed it to 'the' spider and the boys came running to drag me over to watch! They were enthralled with the way the spider ran after the roach and then they were thrilled that they even heard a crunch when he ate it! I am grossing out just thinking about it. Today Jodys class played capture the flag and it was so amusing to watch. There was such tension and leaping and running and yelling and laughing. We are learning to keep an eye out for small people charging around corners. So far none of us have been run over, though there have been a few close calls. What did I learn today? Well, if you have a tile shower, and it has water marks and build up of whatever, take some Axion, a green scrubbie and a small piece of fine sandpaper. Combine that with some elbow grease and you will have a sparkling clean shower with glossy tiles!  Now to use this on our shower that must be about 35 years old!.... tomorrow.....

Sun and Spiders

What a beautiful day and what a blue sky! There is not a cloud in the sky and the sun has such a comfortable warmth! Can you tell we have been quite chilly the last while? Today is Wednesday, my 'day off' and I spent the morning riding around the city with Vernon. The first thing we did was take one of the girls, who had bussed in on the overnight bus, to the University to do a final exam on Teaching English. I don't know what the formal title is. When she is finished she will have the option to teach in a lot of countries. When we got to the university she was told the test was switched to November. I can tell she has lived with adjustments because she chose to 'flow' with it instead of get all bent out of shape! While walking through the university halls, I thought of the states and what parents would be saying about their children learning in such full classrooms, crammed with desks and students. One thing I noticed when we walked past the open doors was the way the students seemed to be alert and focused on the teacher.
The next jaunt we went on was going to the market and getting fresh produce to last a few days. I am also trying out the idea of buying my meat at the market. It is fresh and the same price as the 'greasy' meat from Walmart!
We have guests here at headquarters and are excitedly looking forward to three more guests (special ones for us) coming on Friday morning. Hopefully we can keep them busy with a balance of work and play:)
One other 'guest' we have here is a tarantula!!! The family that Jeana lived with in Santa Rosita sent it to Jeana as a joke gift. I'm sure they had a lot of laughing over the idea of the shrieks that would be echoing off the compound walls. Much to my surprise and Jeana's surprise and horror, she had Vernon help her build a cage to keep the thing in!!!!! She has a real like, hate relationship with it, and Jody has to bear the brunt of having it in her classroom with six very excited boys. There are strict orders - no one is allowed to open the cage unless Jeana or Jody give permission, which won't happen! The boys have had some roach hunts and watched the spider eat a roach. "If only we had a scorpion" is the remark I keep hearing,"we could watch them fight"!
Is this what we need to liven up our days? 
Guatemala City has huge Mega Paca Stores, (thrift stores) and I was told the stuff comes from the States! Does America really have such an excess? How do we teach our children to be content and have grateful hearts? We thought the forts our children built in the woods were so cute, how about if that fort of sticks and tin was our home? I think of that verse about 'to whom much is given, much is required' and I believe God will hold me accountable for how I have used what He has given and I think of the times I look at what I have as "mine" to use for me! May God help me to always look at what I have as His gift to me to be used for His glory! When I go Mega Paca shopping I think of how amazing and fun it would be to find a name that I recognized on some of the items! I am planning to go look for some warmer clothes like flannel shirts, leggings and sweaters. But for now, I am absorbing the warmth of the sun and the laundry drying quickly on the line. Farewell...........

Surprise!

We were eating Sunday lunch and Jared told me that today is a day of rest, and I was working when I cooked lunch! He decided  it was necessary to work when I suggested we go hungry next week.
We have been rushing about getting ready for a surprise birthday party for Sharon. She was at Brian's for lunch today, that was very convenient for us! We have the conference room set up all pretty, and the menu is her  favorite meal, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, jello salad. and lemon delight for dessert. Sharon thinks we are having her special meal tomorrow night and she is making her own 'cake'. It is two different kinds of baked cheesecake. So we will have that tomorrow evening and laugh about the sunday surprise! Yesterday,  Prisila, Jared and I walked to a roadside flower stand and got flowers for  two  beautiful centerpieces, made by Prisila. When we were walking back we had to walk past a blockade set up on one traffic lane. There were police and army guys with their  fingers on the trigger. They were on the look out for someone. It felt funny to walk past and know the gun was pointed at our backs. One street down from there, we saw two men being handcuffed by some more police.
 Today has been a beautiful sunny day and we revel in it even though the air has a chill that makes me long for a small wood stove!
We are getting company this week. One family from Pa. coming for 2 weeks to visit family here at headquarters, another family flying in and then heading up to El Chal.  There is one special group that our family is all excited about, some home youth! Jeana has the days and hours counted and has made plans over and over; fortunately, she is aware of the Guatemala saying: " Go ahead and make plans but they are subject to change any moment". I made that up, but that is how it goes. Maybe I could say, "making plans is like the weather in Idaho, wait 10 minutes and it or they may change!" We are also getting a few workers coming in this week to help do concrete work on the new church floor. Sounds like the days will go by swiftly!
Today Brian preached about trying to take short cuts to heaven. I got the gist of what he said, God is our Creator and allows what comes into our lives, some by our own choices, but it is our responsibility to take what comes and use it to serve Him.

Coping with Change

Last night Vernon and I went on a date. We have very interesting dates:) This date took us to zone one at 10:00 pm. A family wanted to take the overnight bus up north and the bus stations are in the zone uno. We had a good time talking while we drove home. Zone one is considered a dangerous area, and some of the people I saw walking seemed to be on their guard. This morning we woke up to more rain! Our tropical depression is giving way to a low front that is moving in, so we should have more days of rain. Living in the city protects us from the reality of mud slides, floods and misery that people in the country are dealing with.
Linda, Miriam, Sharon and I went to Norma's house for an 'english' coffee break. We decided to get together once in a while to talk together and share heart talk that is impossible to do when you can't talk the language. Miriam asked me to share about how I cope with change. Interesting, how about throwing a temper tantrum?!
It made me look back over my life to some of the big changes. Our lives all have different stories, but I think we all have similar struggles.
These are some of the lessons I have recognized and am learning:
Isa.29:16, Jer. 18:4, Isa. 45:9 - Shall the clay say to Him that fashioneth it, what makest thou?
1. First is to have a correct view of God. If  I don't view God in the right way, I will be looking through a distorted filter.
2. Allow myself to grieve the change
3. Lay it down before God, over and over and over and...
4. Look for something to be thankful for
5. Treasure what I have and hold it with an open hand
6. Choose to believe that God loves me
7. Choose to trust God
8. Tell God it's ok because I know He loves me and is with me in all life's changes
9. Do not listen to feelings!
These were some of the things we shared today, and I was refreshed and encouraged to keep on giving my whole heart to God. What a mighty God we serve!
Isa. 40:31 - They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Rain drops keep falling...

Rain has been our constant companion these past weeks. Yesterday we saw sunshine for the first time in a week and it lasted about 10 minutes. I never knew there were so many types of rain. There is the deluge, the downpour, the steady rain, the fine rain, the rain mist and the sudden rain! Our clothes are always damp, papers curl at the edges, and we have webbed feet! (not quite)
Today we canned tomato juice and tomorrow we will tackle 100 lbs of apples for apple pie filling. We don't do a lot of canning, but try to keep a few things on hand. Canning doesn't make a lot of sense when a person can get so much fresh produce; although, canned food does come in  handy when we are in a crunch for time.
I was trying to think of the comedy for today. I would have to say it was my husband cracking a real funny joke at the supper table and every one was talking so loudly, I was the only one who heard it and got a good laugh from it!  Next on the list was Jody laying in bed this morning and telling Jeana she needed to get up and help me with breakfast. Since teaching began to rule Jody's life, I don't get so much help as I used to, but I guess I get some kind of help yet! Note: both girls would like to insert a comment just now.
Thought for the day: ?

Milestone

This weekend marked a time of conquering fear and emerging with victory!
 July 1999, I went flying in a small airplane for the last time in 12 1/2 years! I had such a fear of flying and my flights were spent in praying and placing myself in Gods hand, but the knot of fear was big. September 1999, my husband died in a small airplane wreck. I had no desire to fly again and the thought of it was enough to say a hearty no!! Now I am in Guatemala and............ when we came down I did wonder what I would do if I had to fly in the mission plane...........................
This weekend, our family flew to Santa Rosita to pick up Jeana and bring her back home. We were planning this for a few weeks and I didn't talk about it, but did spend time praying. I didn't know what my feelings would be!
We headed for the airport at 6 am on Saturday. It was a lovely morning in the city, but cloudy up north where we were heading. Santa Rosita is a 1 1/2 hour flight or a 13 hour bus ride over rough, crooked roads. We took off and I didn't have a fearful, panic feeling at all. I know it was Gods answer to my prayer! I also think I have learned to trust God more over the years and I believe that God holds us in His hands!
We had a good flight and as the clouds got thicker we did pray for an opening. Just as we got close there was a hole and as we flew over it we saw the runway below. It had a horse, a tuk tuk, some people walking and a truck on it! By the time we circled to land, had to do a pretty tight spiral, the runway was clear. 
We got picked up and headed to the river to finish the last 30 minutes of travel in a wooden Guatemala boat
that feels very tippy, but supposedly, doesn't tip.
The village of Santa Rosita is small and  coming in by boat made it feel like we were in a different world. We enjoyed our short visit very much and it was fun to see another part of Guatemala. As we walked through the village with Jeana, we could see her love for the people and also realized how much she enjoyed her time there. On Sunday afternoon we drove out to El Naranjo and caught a bus to El Chal. We spent the night at mission headquarters in El Chal. The village there is much larger and the mission has a clinic and school for the village children. The freedom to walk around was extra sweet because we recognize how precious that freedom is! Monday night we took the over night bus back to the city. I would like to drive the road during the day sometime. I think we went through some very rough terrain! A few times it felt like we were right on the edge of the corner!
Now we are back within the walls :) It has been raining all week, and forecast is for lots more!! Where is the dry season?
 Last night I planned a campfire supper. We had hobo meals with cake and strawberries and hot chocolate. It was so cold and rainy my plan for a campfire didn't work, so I took the 'campfire' indoors! I made a centerpiece with lots of candles and wood pieces and turned off the kitchen lights and we ate our hobo meal around a 'campfire'!!  I think some of our group wondered about this strange Idahoan idea!  Variety is the spice of life.

Wednesday

Technically, Wednesday is my day off. This is how a day off can look..................

Woke up and slapped my alarm three times at 10 minute intervals.
Enjoyed breakfast made by Sharon.
Tried to hang laundry on the line, some is still drenched and hanging on the line.
Did flashcards with some of Jody's students.
Went to Clubco and the market with Vernon.
Got back late for lunch.
Enjoyed a wonderful lunch made by Marta. It was soft shell chicken tacos and salad.
Took time to read some chapters in Amos, not sure why I chose that book, but what I read made me think of America and the choices we have made as a nation.
Checked to make sure that the rooms are all ready for guests, of course they were!
Caught up on some paper work.
Went through all the photos we have taken so far, and ordered some so I can make the six scrapbook pages that Deb asked me to make.
It took a long time to look at all the pics! They were so much fun to see! :)
Helped Sharon finish getting supper on the table, had 6 extra guests.
Helped washed up piles of dishes.
Started to work on chicken marinade for tomorrow, ran out of seasoning so Vernon made a quick run to Walmart. Tomorrow is Pastors Meeting and Ruth is making lunch. She asked Vernon to grill chicken. We are looking forward to a real treat!!
Tomorrow is our Anniversary! Nine years of wedded bliss :) with a few grouchy times in between :)! God knew what I needed when He gave me Vernon for my husband! I am proud to be his wife!
Life is Good!

So ends my "day off"! ...................

                                                      

Happy

  Anniversary

    Sweetheart!

I Love You

Passing out tracts

It is Sunday evening and we have just enjoyed a delicious meal of Baliatos and now I am listening to an active discussion about passing out tracts and somehow it morphed into submission! Why pass out tracts? Is it a good thing? Does it bring souls into the kingdom? Who is at fault - women who have a problem with submission, or, men who have a problem in godly leadership?  Note: I am only a listener :).
Last night we got a phone call from Jody, she was busing back to the city  from being in Santa Rosita for a few days. The first bus went from Naranjo to Santa Elena and then she planned to get a real nice bus with the ADN bus line. The first bus she was on broke down out in the middle of nowhere and  what should have been a 3 hour bus ride turned into a 5 1/2 hour time. A micro bus (van)came along and everyone on the bus piled in. Jody figured there were about 30 - 40 people!! When they got to Santa Elena, her bus had left. There was a bus from another line ready to head out to the city, and so she hopped on and we went to zone 1 to pick her up at 6:30 this morning. I felt vulnerable, thinking of my daughter on a dark road, 10 hours from us, and bus breakdowns actually a reality! God used this to remind me that Jody is His child and as much as I love her, He loves her even more, and she is in His hand! I thank Him for answered prayer in watching over her. Now that it all turned out ok, she says it was a great adventure!

Saturday........

Good health is such a blessing! We don’t realize how precious it is till we catch some sickness and ache all over and feel like we got run over by a motorbike! That’s how I felt today and I immediately thought of those strong folks who have constant pain and never let others know how they are hurting. I have a mother in law like that. Over the years, she was always busy, working and doing interesting activities, and any time I dropped in, she would welcome me and I would realize later on that she had been in great pain and just kept going anyways! 

Saturdays here at headquarters are very busy. I have been here almost four months and still am not in the groove. It starts with the ‘pancake prayer breakfast’, then a quick run to the market for fresh produce, after which I rush into lunch prep while most of the others go to the park for Children’s Bible Club. Making sure supper is ready on time (5:00) because youth is always Sat. evening and starts early. Today Vernon went to market for me because I was making lunch for Cesar and Eva and their family. She finally had her baby girl and we are so excited for them! So most of Saturday is taken up with cooking and I am learning that it is the wrong day to try to have ‘family’ moments. Any day but Saturday!  Today we had a family come in for the night and then they are heading to one of the outposts early in the morning for the service.  The youth were here at 5:30 for youth night and I made their snack since Jody and Jeana are gone. I made caramel popcorn and finger jello. It’s easy to forget the humidity factor till soggy caramel popcorn reminds me! I had to retoast it in the oven.

I was reading in Joel for my devotions and found this verse that intrigued me. Joel 3:14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. I don’t know what all the deep and profound meanings are here, but the thought of multitudes in the valley of decision, aren’t we all in the ‘valley of decisions’? And what a profound effect our decisions have on our lives! Those small decisions that we make every day on how we will react to tones in voices, unexpected circumstances, burnt food, feeling sick……….. They matter and they make a difference not only in our own lives but the lives of those around us. If only I would remember this when I need it!

I am sitting with my sweetheart beside me on the couch and I am wondering if life with me has been too hard on him. He is jerking his arm out in the air and back again like he is trying to catch a mosquito that isn't there.
He dared me to post this so I accept the dare! I'm not too sure about myself either, because I think what I wrote is pretty funny.
This week has been very busy. We had a major rain storm on Wed. night. The rain came down like a huge spigot had been turned on. The problem was that the spigot didn't turn back off! At 3am, the Spanish school and one family's house flooded. The water was knee deep. They cleaned up most of the day and the story repeated itself the next night. Vernon went down at 3:30 am to help shovel water. Have you ever heard of shovelling water?! That's what they did and it worked. They scoop it into a drain. Friday morning found the men all down at the school building a block wall to funnel the water over to a drain instead of coming down into the compound. In the middle of all this we had a baby shower for Eva who calmly cleaned up her flooded kitchen and then came to the shower and I didn't hear one word of complaint or fuss about such a mess right when her baby is due!
 My week seemed  very busy just keeping up with things, and I realize how much my girls help me! Jeana is having a great time and enjoying the freedom of living up in the boonies in spite of the heat. We are hoping to see the area when we go pick her up. Jodys world consists of teaching and very little time for anything else. She had the students start building a kite for art class. Vernon found a kite tangled on some wires here by the mission. It was very creative. It was built with newspaper, twigs and thread. The students are using it for pattern.
There seems to be this cold and sickness here at headquarters that has affected only the male population so far. There are coughs, sneezing, growly voices and high squeaky voices. We can't help laughing a bit, even while we sympathize.
Tomorrow us ladies - Priscila, Marta, Sharon, Ruth, Elba, Jody, Janelle, Miriam and Linda and myself are taking off for San Martins. It is a classy, coffee shop bakery combo. Forget about diets down here! They don't seem to work. I had an idea that I would go back to the states about 30 lbs lighter..... ha ha. The food is just too good!
Sharon put a quote up on the white board the other day. She found it in a recipe book. I have been thinking about it quite a bit.
"If a commission by an earthly king is considered an honor,
how come a commission by our Heavenly King is considered a sacrifice?!"
Until the next time.................

Letting go.........

Today is a gray, chilly day and I have opened my hand to release my daughter to head up north to a primitive part of the country. She will be living with a family and helping the mother who homeschools three children and  works with the daily demands that living primitive brings. Jeana will help cook, tutor and be involved with the village children when they come every day at 4 pm for a 2 hour play time. I think the cooking looks like the biggest challenge, not to mention the spiders:). Snakes would be preferred! She is driving up with 4 others and will arrive at Jeff's at midnight and head on from there in the morning. It's about 13 hours.
I had to have my surrender conversation with God. She is His, praise His name! But oh it tugs at my heart to let go! Yes, I know it's only a few weeks, and I am thankful she can have this experience. Pray for her, and for us as we go about our less exciting duties here at the compound with walls! I was thinking of how we can focus on the walls or we can enjoy the sunshine that comes inside the walls and focus on building relationships with the people who live with in the walls.
 "Godliness with contentment"..................... that was the message on Sunday morning.

Day by Day

 What is more distracting than shouts of laughter rolling out of the kitchen windows along with the smell of freshly baked bread? We have some extra folks around here who are waiting to head home to El Chal. There is a protest going on and the roads are blocked, so they postponed their trip till this evening. Youth Institute was out at the 'farm' this past weekend. Youth came from different areas in Guatemala and there was a nice sized group. Jody and Jeana enjoyed themselves in spite of only being able to say 'hello, how are you, what is your name, where are you from'! It is different here in the sense that when a young person here gives their heart to the Lord, they are counting the cost. Down here people live in communities.There isn't the distancing that we can have in the states with our acres of land and big homes. Down here there is the pressure of unbelieving family and friends and no big church with lots of friends and family to insulate us from the reality others have to face. I look at some of the people here and find myself feeling shame for the many times I wasn't willing to stand for the truth, no matter what others thought!
Darlene's death last week has reminded me to take a look at my life and relationship with God, and it has given me a deeper appreciation and enjoyment in my family. It has also made my arms ache to hold my granddaughters and to talk face to face with my sons and their wives. Till I can do that, I will keep praying that God will give them strength and wisdom for the path He has given them.
This morning we sang 'my song'. Day by day and with each passing moment, strength I find to meet my trials here. Trusting in my Fathers wise bestowment, I've no cause for worry or for fear. He whose heart is kind beyond all measure, gives unto each day as He deems best, lovingly, it's part of pain and pleasure, mingling toil with peace and rest. Every day the Lord Himself is near me with a special mercy for each hour that I lose not faiths sweet consolation, offered me within His Holy Word..............

What a day! I think I will need a few days to process it! Vernon and I woke up at 4 am to the voice of Harold calling for help. His wife had gotten up during the nightt, and he found her laying on the floor and didn't know if she was alive or not. We rushed over and found that she was not alive and had a doctor come out and comfirm it. It must have been a heart attack. There is no dignity in death. It is the legacy of faithful living  that gives dignity to the shell we leave behind.
Our minds went to the evening before when we had talked and Darlene had said with utmost conviction,"when it's your time to go, it's your time to go!" I asked her when she was going to start acting her age? She grinned and said "oh, when I get to heaven!" How many 83 year old American women will bus around Guatemala, on buses that some people hate to ride on because of the dangerous road and drivers. Then she shows up at the door with a smile on her face. Harold and Darlene had 64 years of life together. How well they must have known each other! The short time I learned to know her, I learned that she was a very sweet woman who loved the Lord and now is enjoying the reality of His 'well done.' Today was a reminder that death will come to all of us. Will we be ready to face God?

Life after Death

I believe there is life after death! I only have to look up at the sky at night when there are millions of stars shining and the longer I look, the more heaven seems to be shining down through the stars. When I look up at brilliant,white clouds that pile up in such a beautiful way and I see the  blue beyond, it makes me think of Heaven and the place Jesus is preparing for all of us who love and obey Him!
I believe in 'life after death' here on earth too. I have learned that the same God in Heaven is with me here on earth and has walked with me through the valley of sorrow and has given me peace that passes understanding. He has given me the ability to treasure and enjoy those I love even more because I recognize clearly, that they are a gift from God and belong to Him.
 God in his gracious mercy, has blessed me with precious family, and it circles out to include extended family and friends. Yes, Jesus loves me!

 

In Memory  9-11-1999

Joy in my Heart!

Today was a good day. Vernon drove a van load of us women to Ruth's house for 'Reunion de Hermanas'. It is a once a month gathering of women for a sharing and devotion and prayer time. Today one of the women talked about joy in our heart. I couldn't understand her but I came away encouraged and impressed, if I can say that. This woman has had serious health problems, Lyme's and hepatitis. She has two adorable children and a husband that is not a believer, yet she has a joy in her heart.
We have been very busy this week. On Wed. we all, everyone at the mission,plus Danny Beachys and Brian Yoders headed to Oratorio for a surprise birthday party for James Allgeyer. James used to live in the city and fly the mission plane.  Oratorio is about a two hour drive from the city. When we got there, we were soon surrounded by curious children. Some of them remembered Vernon from a previous time he had been there and they wanted him to come play ball with them. James and another single guy, Steve Steckley, are renting a house that is very interesting. They get water for 4 hours every two days. On the "off" days, they have learned to shower with a half bucket of water, and laundry gets done on 'water' mornings or not at all. The interior of the house is a dirty, ugly green with a few light bulbs dangling from the ceiling, but they have these lovely arched doorways that I love.
Since we were in Oratorio, we all went to prayer meeting. The church there is very small and so we filled it up. We had to walk up a steep rocky path to the church and Vernon couldn't find a good place to leave the van so he drove most of the way up before spinning out on some wet slippery rocks. While we were praying we felt a pretty good earthquake tremor! That area has registered 3000 tremors since July 1!! Some of the tremors are too small to feel, but it has made some folks feel a bit nervous. Adios amigas...........

Labor Day!

Today is labor day and we celebrated it by............laboring! I made waffles with fresh strawberries for breakfast and by the time we started our days work, the clouds and rain had given way to blue skies, fresh breeze and sun. Jeana and I were talking about how some people have a thankfulness for each day just because God created the day and the circumstances are just an added blessing. That is my goal! I want to wake up with a heart that is grateful for the day God has given me! These were my early morning thoughts and comments. Then our flexibility was tested. We had four waves of guests come in today, we are actually waiting for the last wave to arrive. Some are workers returning from furlough, some are workers coming to the city for a few days, some are natives who couldn't be flown to their homes with the mission plane because of weather and mud, so may have to take a 5 hour bus ride when a 40 min. plane ride would get them home! It is a blessing to have a clean, safe place to stay while in the city and we try to make it a comfortable, pleasant stay.  Limited Spanish can be so frustrating! When I want to welcome a young very pregnant woman and make sure she is comfortable and has what she needs and to let her know she is very welcome, words definitely fail me! Then there is the mother and her children and they are very cautious about getting in our way and I want to tell them, they can be comfortable and relax! I finally got Priscila to come with me and translate! We don't understand all the little important things about this culture, but courteousy and kindness can help bridge the gap!

How I see it!

Today was a beautiful breezy day, the kind of day when you want to run outdoors and keep on going through the trees and up the mountain! Instead, there are the streets and cars. Thoughts of being trapped can pop into ones mind. Then we think, it's only a matter of time, we won't be here that long!  How about those who live this all the time, year after year? How do they feel when they hear complaints about feeling penned in? It makes the complaints die on our lips! It is all in how we look at it! God has work for us to do and He gives grace and acceptance to do it. It is an interesting experience!
Cooking has been a bit of a challenge today. Vernon has been tiling the back splash in the kitchen and so all cooking takes longer and more moving around of stuff. The kitchen cabinets and back splash have an interesting history. Their first life was concrete forms for the kitchen walls and ceiling. Then they were sanded and turned into cabinets. The tiled back splash will look much better and maybe some energetic person will decide to resand and varnish the doors!
 We had about 4 extra people here for lunch and I panicked and quick heated up left over pizza to go along with left over 'haystacks'. Of course, there was plenty! Went to market today and  Jared came to help me carry things. The people are getting used to us. They know we can't resist pineapple and strawberries! I felt quite proud of myself, walking about with my basket on my arm, buying potatoes, peppers, onion, zucchini, strawberries, blackberries, lettuce, pineapple, limes, cilantro and bananas! I could even get the price the second time they said it. There is something about putting the produce on a shelf in the fridge and knowing that there are a lot of options for cooking sitting there! I made platinos for lunch. They were very good!
Tonight we will walk down the street to Dannys to celebrate a birthday. Cake and ice cream for Caleb who turns eight years old.

Gringos in Guatemala

Nothing like heading out to explore a country you have been living in for three whole months! Tuesday we went to the Pacific coast. We tried to do our homework and used google map to get directions, but it couldn't give us any. Vernon asked people, but the ones who knew spoke Spanish and the ones who knew and could talk English, were about 13 hours away and no cell service. So we looked at the map and headed out early Tues. morning. We hoped to miss the rush hour in Guatemala City, but ended up caught in the crowd. We drove part way with Ross and Donita Good who were headed home to Pasaco after taking care of some business in the city. We arrived at Puerto Quetza by 9 am! I told you we left early!! We headed left along the coast, close enough to see a bit of water but unable to get to it! We drove in a few places but they always ended up along a canal and people watched us and of course, I got ready to get back onto the main road! Then we pulled into this fancy gated place and tried to get some information. The man knew only Spanish and the fact that his front teeth were missing made it impossible to understand any thing. Vernon kept waving his arms and talking about muchas agua and other words that only left us all more confused than ever. The man then took Vernon's license and opened the big gate. We drove through and drove around the place. It was a housing development for very rich Guatemalans. We circled back to the gate and were happy to get the license back in our possession and then headed on. Sometime during the search, Jared was talking in the back seat, "I guess this won't be a very good day after all", he was quite concerned we wouldn't find the beach!  We kept driving and finally did find a beach that was very empty and quiet. It looked like the area would come alive later in the week, but we were very happy with the atmosphere. It was a hot, muggy, overcast day. The sand was black and very hot. The water was warm and the waves were pretty high. We had been warned to be careful about the water, it has a strong undertow, so we were careful but we had so much fun. Sometimes the waves came in with enough force to send some of us flying onto the shore. We headed home sticky, sunburned and full of sand but full of that wonderful feeling of contentment and well being after spending a bonding time together. What was most enjoyable? Just being together, laughing at each other,  relaxing and realizing that we can get around and find our way, sort of! Jared ended up having lots of fun, I couldn't keep him out of the waves!

An Answer!

Today I was sitting in church and a thought came to me! How surprising is that:) No, really, it was about my ho hum feeling. I had to ask myself the question, "is God enough?" Is He enough that I can be content with my circumstances and that I can do my work with joy? I know how to do work with a grim determination, but I don't want to be satisfied with that! I want look beyond myself, and do what I do with a joy to be able to serve others.
Once again I sat under a solo Espaniol message, but I was able to catch most of the Bible references and it seems like the words leap off the page. We discussed this at lunch and the girls notice the same thing. When we can read the verses in English, and those are the only words we understand, Gods Word becomes alive and powerful! Like the verse that mentions that Jesus was the Son, yet he learned obedience through the things he suffered! How can I refuse to learn obedience when I have that verse staring me in the face?

We are having areal thunderstorm and enjoying it very much! Feels like popcorn and relaxing time. Oh for a bowl of ladyfinger popcorn with brewers yeast....... What was my profound thought about contentment?!
Dios le bendiga

Ho Hum.......

How do I handle routine, every day same, same? This place can have that feeling at times. Yes, new people come through and the pace can be rushed or slower, but there is a sense of 'sameness' that is present. So,....
I need to remember that the things I do are not for myself or my benefit, but they are things that need to be done and feelings are unreliable!
Today we went to the market and I was awed by the variety of fresh produce once again. The watermelon hasn't been so good lately, but the strawberries are big and sweet.  There were the vendors with their foods that smelled delicious and looked wonderful! I am learning to check markets and tiendas for things before going to Walmart. There are clothes, dishes, chicken, and other things. The chickens look kind of scary, but the vendors are very careful to swish the flies away! Today I saw one man grab a cauliflower leaf  from the ladies produce right beside him and he sat there fanning his chicken so the flies couldn't land.
We have one family coming for the night tonight and then they are going to a church about an hour away from here tomorrow. I am trying to decide what to make for Sunday lunch. I think maybe chicken enchiladas. Tonight I am having tostadas with all the little toppings - beans, Guatemalan salsa, guacamole, dry cheese, cilantro and onion slices, with mango for dessert! Yum!
Jody has been very busy getting ready for school. Our school will start Sept. 1. Learning! What a privilege, and blessing and what hard work! If I would have memorized 5 Spanish words a day since we got here, I would have a vocabulary of 450 words. That's enough to depress me!!! Guess I'll go start right now, hasta luega...............

Back to work!

My first day of life in Guatemala after a flying trip to Idaho. Jared and I did fly to Idaho for a family reunion and the days did fly by! It was a wonderful time with my family and Jared relished some of the things he had taken for granted before we left for Guat. in June. He always wanted to be dropped off  at the end of the driveway and run. He told me, "mom, I can just run and run and there are no walls!" We absorbed as much of the clean pine scented air as we could, ate fresh blueberries and peaches, and even jumped into the cold water of deep creek. Best of all, we got to spend time with Jeremys! Jared keeps telling me how much he enjoyed his nieces.
Our flight home to Guatemala was extra long because we spent 3 hours with Justins in Denver! Talk about extra blessings! It is good to be back! I missed Vernon and the girls so much. Unpacking was quite time consuming as the brewers yeast powder and clear gel I was bringing back looked like it had exploded in flight. Everything had a coating of white and yellow dust! Lesson learned: pack all stuff in ziploc bags!
This past week has been a treasured time of being real with the families I love and the church family I love! Then to come back here and see the welcome on faces! It is precious.
God is gracious and does abundantly bless. I am grateful for every person that touched my life this past week and I pray I can be a blessing to others in return!

Be aware of lifes blessings!

I am packed and ready to leave for Idaho tomorrow. Jared and I are flying up for a family reunion this weekend. I am feeling sad that Vernon and the girls can't come! They are telling me to enjoy the trip and I will! But I can tell they would love to be there too!
Did I read my Bible today? Did I treasure the time? I have been thinking about this all week. On Sunday the pastor told the story of Joseph and used big pictures to illustrate. After church was over, I looked outside to see a cluster of people, old and young, looking at the pictures and hearing the story again! There are many who can't read, or who can read a little, which makes comprehension difficult. We have so many blessings and we take them for granted! I pray that I will always have a delight and hunger to read Gods Word!

Be my guest!

Sunday, a 'day of rest' that had people heading in lots of directions!
Vernon, Jared and I went to a small church about an hour from here. Mark and Norma Gingerich took us. The people were very friendly and smiled at me with a true welcome. We got back for a late lunch and fed a few women who were here waiting to fly out to their home village. At 4 am Tristan took a van load of people to San Marcos for church, a 5 hr drive one way. Jody and Jeana and Marta went to cottage meeting with a van load of people this afternoon. We stayed here to keep the place going. Sharon made us a delicious supper of bread sticks, left over pizza, popcorn and pumpkin dessert. I had a little time to sit and think and thank God for my family! For a husband who calmly does what needs to be done even though he is getting requests for help from different directions, and who surprises me with a lovely bouquet of roses he bought while sitting at a stop light, and then tried to sneak them past all the visitors that were watching! I am thankful for my daughters who are a joy to watch as they interact with the local people and just do what ever job they have to do, something that varies quite a bit! This week they cleaned house, painted, got sick, did children's Bible club, washed mountains of dishes, swept, mopped  did laundry...etc... Their humor is a treasure and I love it!(usually) Then there is Jared who leaps and races around the compound, sailing paper boats in the rain water, or catching flies for his 'pet' spider! or playing soccer with any one willing to play. What a blessing, and I pray that I will always treasure the days! Note to my married children, I haven't forgotten you :)!
 Tonight 3 men from El Salvador are coming in and tomorrow there are 13 people coming through, some headed to the states for Mark Andrews wedding in North Dakota and some headed to Antigua for Spanish school. Vernon has been drawing up plans for cupboards for the house Roy Beihns will be living in. We went over to the house and moved the stove and fridge around trying to find the best spot for both in a kitchen that is  7' x 10'!! Then to add cabinets to the small area is interesting. Vernon would love to get them done by the 18th, when they fly in. Tonight he had to run Danny Beachys boys up to Brian Yoders to do their chores as they are gone for 3 days. Janet Meyers came in tonight and will head to Oratorio tomorrow for a 2 week stay with a native family as part of her training for life in Guatemala. "A day of rest is as restful as my attitude and may not depend so much on how much rest I actually get," is the conclusion I have come to today!

.....God will take care of you................

No, I wasn't in physical danger! I was in need of much wisdom, medical and otherwise! Monday started out very good. Ruth was at work and I was so happy to see that her burn was healing well and I was feeling great about getting lots done. We had a wonderful time around the dinner table, laughing and enjoying each other. Sharon and I ran to Walmart after lunch and when we got back, Marta came running with a scared look on her face and told me Priscila was very sick. I ran into her room and didn't know what to do! She was so weak and dizzy and throwing up and every one was looking at me - the house mom - for direction. I was praying desperately. I urged to take her to the doctor and just as Vernon carried her out a terrific rain storm came in and we all got wet trying to get in the truck. I had Priscilas head on my lap and Vernon and Brian hopped up front and just then, Ruth came running with umbrellas and climbed in the back with us. I was so glad to see her. I am only a 2 month stranger here, and felt Ruth would be comforting. So we held hands and prayed and looked at each other and it didn't need language to read the concern and love in each others eyes. The doctor came out and checked her right away and we waited in the truck till he had seen the 2 patients that were waiting. The windows were fogged and the rain was pouring down and we waited and waited. The doctor said it was vertigo, sometimes caused by inner ear infection, but sometimes by inflammation in part of the brain. Today is Thursday, and she is much better, but still somewhat dizzy and is relaxing all day. Now we are praying for inner peace for this time of resting when the to do list is growing. Priscila is the secretary here and very busy with all manner of paper work!
Jody and Jeana are sick now too, I think it is strep throat, and Vernon is recovering from strep. Other than that, life is good.
Jorge, a little old man who comes and works here every day, made a towel rack for me. We call him 'grandpa Dan' and his wife Emna, we call 'the candy grandma'. After church, she hands out little bags of candy to the children and I might have the nerve to crowd around her yet!  We seem to be very busy and getting busier. We painted the room Jody will use for school and I sewed her curtains. Am also sewing some very simple curtains for our little house since the girls painted the kitchen and living room and when I took the old curtains down, they were rotten.
Tuesday Vernon had to go out in the pouring rain to look for a man who had been robbed at gun point right close here. We walk past the place when we go to Walmart. The man was from Chimaltanango, and had been at the bank. He was driving along when this car pulled in front and stopped and men jumped out and held guns on him, grabbed his phone, keys and started digging through his car. They got his money and slapped him across the face while they were at it. Vernon stayed with the man till some guys from his church could come and helped him.
Thursday was the day we had planned to take off and leave headquarters behind, all of us, and go do something fun, but plans had to change with the sickness. Instead, we went and cleaned a house for Roy Beihns, a couple moving down here indefinitely, to be administrator. As consolation, we ordered in pizza and had floats for dessert.  There is a beautiful lightening and thunder show and I need to go up on the roof to watch! Adios.....

Rest and relaxation ahhhh!

What a nice day! Sharon made Sunday lunch for me! It was so sweet of her and it was much appreciated. We only had 12 people at lunch and now we are all relaxing, well, reclining as much as possible! Jody and Jeana are studying Spanish. They have an agreement with Sharon that they each put in 3 hours of Spanish study a week. Whoever falls behind gets to treat the others to something good. I think Sharon is studying too:) Brian preached about Gods definition of 'rich'. I couldn't understand much, just enough to find most Bible references and so got the gist of what he said. We had some translation of the message  at lunch. It was a timely message, just when I have been making a list of goodies to bring back from Idaho! I am craving some real good chocolate and black licorice and ladyfinger popcorn with brewers yeast on it, to name a few things! Things! How important are they? How much do they define me as a person?  We have it very nice here in the city. There are a lot of rich Guatemalans in the city and yet there is so much spiritual poverty. I was reading over my blog from yesterday and noticed my blog title wouldn't make sense to any one but myself. I was feeling stretched and pulled towards many different needs and wants at the same time and I realized I can descend toward spiritual poverty by my attitude or I can look at each person and need as an opportunity to try to reflect Gods spirit with in me. Then I had a test... we have this cellar right below the water filter where we fill the jugs for drinking water and I went to fill the jug and forgot to shut it off till I felt the need for coffee and..... the cellar had a lot of water in it! Since I have been here I have had a few cellar cleaning opportunities and we have a very clean cellar floor. Could almost eat off it! That felt a bit like the last straw and I felt like crying but I was so hot and sticky and didn't want any more dampness! Such is life! Vernon thinks he should fix up an alarm that goes off in 2 min. to remind the jug filler to turn off the water.
Tonight is visitation and so today feels very relaxed. We are going to play games after supper.

.........and I love you too..................

Today has been a very busy day and I can't catch my breath! We had our Saturday morning breakfast of pancakes again and had about 18 people. I had a blackberry topping, yum! Vernon had to take Maria, Eileen and Janet to the bus station at 10:15 and the Steve D. family went along because they needed to do some shopping in Zone 1. Before they left Vernon ran Sharon, Jody, Jeana, Marcus, Isaac and Wendel to the park for children's Bible Club.They had 14 children show up today and usually have active games of soccer before the time ends.
The Bible Study group came home starving but I planned lunch  a bit late to accommodate Vernon and his group and when they didn't get back by 12:30, we ate any way. It was Mitskas on the menu. This is a glorified hot dog sandwich. Take a tortilla and spread it with guacamole, cabbage that has been stir fried with onion, tomato, oil and salt, and then topped with a hot dog. By the time we cleaned up lunch, Vernon's group came home and ate and then Vernon and I ran to the market to get produce and some of Lucinda's Queso fresco. Vernon loves to 'talk'with the vendors and we came home with watermelon, bananas, pina, lettuce, strawberries, ....  The phone rang just when we got home and here a fellow had been sitting at the airport since 12 pm!!! The flight status showed the plane delayed for 4 hours, so we didn't worry. Vernon went rocketing out of this place (did leave time for the black doors to open before he shot through)! They just got back and Vernon is giving Craig the tour of the mission. He is a possible v.s.er.  I have to go work on supper. It is youth tonight at 6:00pm so I can't be late with the meal. Last night was a beautiful night with a half moon shining, the kind of night that reminds a person of God and eternity.  I need such nights!

What is Family Time?

Wednesday is the house moms day off, (technically). Usually the house parents are older than Vernon and I and their children are grown. We are a family of 5, living with an extended family of 3-5 more single adults. So, Wednesday has become family day for Vernon and I, Jody, Jeana and Jared. We have been strongly encouraged to make sure we have enough family time together so I have been thinking of "what is family time"? Is it sitting on the girls bed and having a late night discussion, is it talking with Jared when he comes with questions and fears, is it going to Clubco with Vernon to stock up on groceries, and having a few minutes of time to talk all by ourselves? Or should it be grand adventures that make for great stories long afterward? What comes to mind when I hear family time? The first thing I think is... connection. It isn't what we do, but the attitude and love that comes through what we do!
Wednesday was my day off and it started off early! Vernon had to run to the bus at 5 am and pick up 4 tired travellers. After they had breakfast, he had to take them to the airport and stop at the dentist on the way home. Mean while, Ruth had called in sick and so Jody and Jeana were doing her cleaning jobs and getting the girls dorm ready for the next wave of occupants. By 11:25, we were ready to leave for our 'family time'. We had decided to stay in the city, so first stop was a Shoe Mega Paca, translate - thrift store of shoes only!!! I found some real nice ones, but they didn't fit. Then we headed to Pizza Hut for lunch. The pizza was so good, that crunchy, greasy crust just like we remembered it! We had a great time, actually discussed 'what is family time'! After lunch, we followed San Juan road and headed to Zone 1. We spent a lot of time driving around looking for the tourist market. Then Vernon got a call to go buy some bus tickets for 3 girls heading to El Chal on Saturday. We got home at 4pm in time to put a fruit salad together with mango, pina, and kiwi, and head to Danny's for supper to plan the first 'mission children' school at MAM Headquarters. It sounds like it will be an experiment and will take a flexible teacher, which, fortunately, Jody is! The school will be in a room at headquarters and they may run down the street to the Spanish school for the half hour morning break. I hope it works out, Jared will have more exposure to Spanish. School starts on Sept. 1.
Today was a pastors meeting and about 25 men came in from all over Guat. Ruth made lunch with the help of Elba. She made a Guatemalan beef soup which had meat and veg. cooked in a wonderful broth with lots of seasoning including cilantro. To serve the soup, she dishes the chunks of veg. into bowls and we put rice in our bowls, then the meat with broth and then potato, carrot, cabbage, vysquil and tortillas. De e licious!
Ruth got burned when a pressure cooker kettle that doesn't work, did build up pressure and blew hot water on her arm when she went to take the lid off! I was trying to act calm and think what would be best?????  We put her arm in cold water and then I got out my B&W ointment. Hopefully it won't be too bad! We served 26 guests for lunch and after the burn excitement, everyone pitched in and got the rest of the meal ready, maybe that could be called....... 'family time"!

Lunch today was a delicious meal that Ruth cooked, total Guatemalan, and was chicken, potatoes, cabbage salad with lemon and cilantro, tortillas and watermelon. There are no words to describe the flavor of all the finely chopped peppers, onions and garlic and whatever else she put in! All I know is that every bite was oozing flavor! We had a discussion about which language is the strangest - English or Spanish - there was no agreement :) We had some real laughs though. When we say 'pick a song' the Spanish translation of those sounds is 'itchy'!
The rain has returned again after about a week of hot, humid weather. It is a gamble to figure out when to do laundry. Every time it rains, there is a loud drip right outside our bedroom window, that reminds me of the proverb about a whining woman. I am seeing it through a mans eyes. That drip is very annoying!  God has a way of using nature for object lessons.
God also works in our lives in the small things, as we were reminded again yesterday. Jody and Jeana were babysitting for Brian and Janelle Yoder at their house which is a 20 min. drive from the mission. Jared was along too and when it got close to supper time we called to see how it was going and they didn't answer the phone. We found out why - they were locked out of the house! There they were with 5 children, Austin 10, Isaac 7, Olivia 5, Alisa 3 and Jared. They managed to reach in a small open window with a broom stick and with the boys looking in a window from the other side of the house, they were able to direct Jeana how to swing the broom to hit the lock. Janelle said they have tried and tried to open that door when it swings shut behind them, and never could. I believe God heard their prayers. Olivia made the comment that 'she wishes they would have thought to bring warm clothes out in case the door locked them out! The girls enjoyed babysitting. It is something they haven't done for a while. There was never a dull moment, including getting chased with a dead spider. I think they may have exerted their authority with a broomstick after a short while!
Jody and Jeana and I were washing down some of the concrete walls in the open area today. They were so dirty and I made the comment that a group of Hutterite women to clean would be great and Vernon seemed to have very sharp ears just then because he reminded me that I have Hutterite roots, so, there was a group of 'Hutterites' cleaning. This is such a big area when it comes to keeping it clean, especially when it is kind of open to the outdoors! Jared and Dizhon, a little boy who is staying here with his parents while they get a home ready in a new area they are moving to, have been playing hard all day. The wood shop has been a real magnet as they build things and then next thing I know, they are being monkeys, climbing on the swing and eating bananas. We have a lot of people coming through here this week. Lydia Zook who was visiting and plans to do v.s. in El Chal, Jerry and Kayleen Hoover coming to get her sisters at the airport, Ann Lehman who is flying in tonight to surprise her sister Judy, Steve Steckly who has to leave the country to get his visa re stamped, pastors who are coming for the pastors meeting on Thursday, the Steve Defenbaucher family who will spend the weekend here before flying home on furlough, Craig Miller who is coming to visit and see if he wants to volunteer for a term...................... that's all I know of right now. Jody and Jeana are baking cookies with Sharon. They have to bake a bunch of them for the pastors meeting. I am going to go sew a zipper in Jeana's dress for her so..... blessings to you and keep us in your prayers.

How true that no two days are alike! Today we had a great breakfast and then I was very busy buying a ticket to fly to Idaho for a Hofer family reunion Aug. 19-21. I had started to plan the reunion before we knew that we were taking off for Guatemala. My heart is torn between longing to see my mom, siblings and Jeremy's, and leaving Vernon, Jody and Jeana here when they would love to come along. Vernon and the girls were so sweet and encouraged me to go, so Jared and I will fly out on the 18th.
I talked to Sharon and Marta and Priscila to see how they felt about the housemom deserting her post so soon and they gave their blessing! Marta tried to keep a straight face and told me "no, you can't go, there is too much work!" So I dried my eyes with the dusting cloth and told her ok, then she told me that I could go if I started working real hard from today on!!
I am sitting in the kitchen trying to keep my thoughts collected as Jody and Jeana and Sharon charge around preparing food. Jody and Jeana have to make snack for youth activity tonight, fruit pizza with fresh strawberries, sweet pineapple and kiwi. It is a feast for the eyes and looks delicious too!  Sharon mixed up this wonderful dessert for lunch tomorrow.
Shopping for kitchen tile is a learning experience in Guatemala! Vernon and I took Priscila and Marta along to translate and ended up searching through 4 stores till we found something that matched our new paint job. We had a lot of fun, literally driving in big circles trying to find the right street that would take us in the right direction! After finding the tile we felt would work, we enjoyed looking at the beautiful designs and colors of tile that didn't fit a missionary budget. Danny and Linda and boys came over after supper and Brian Yoders dropped by and we had a good time visiting while the boys played volleyball in the courtyard with chairs for the net.
Thought for the day - "Bitterness is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die." I couldn't wait to use that one. Hasta leuga............

A Monday in the life of a housemom.................
5:15am wake up hearing church bells getting louder and louder (it's my alarm clock)
5:40 getting breakfast for the 'water girls' before they leave for Pasaco to paint a house for Ross and Danita Good. Also sent a lunch along for seven people.
6:15am start breakfast for Jody and Jeana before they head to Antigua to live with a native family for the week as they study Spanish.
6:20am Vernon finds out he has to drive the girls and Danny and Linda to Antigua, so he eats and leaves at 6:45.
6:50 make breakfast for two guests and find out one gets sick when he eats eggs, but he insisted on eating them any way. I offered something else.
7:25am  Sharon, Priscila and Marta came to the kitchen. They had decided to skip breakfast since we had a special Sunday eve. snack of waffles with homemade ice cream, peanut butter and syrup and strawberries!
8:00-10:00am started hanging out laundry.Got a phone call from Brian telling us we would be getting a family of five for supper and the night. Vernon got back from Antigua just in time to take a visitor to the airport to fly back to the states. I started to prep the kitchen for a paint job on Tues. James came in from Oratorio to drop off a vehicle that needed to go to another out post.
10:30 Vernon got back from the airport and helped take some things down in the kitchen. We put away all the pizza sauce we had canned on Friday. I kept trying to get my laundry done.
10:45-12:00 sanded the kitchen walls with 60 grit sandpaper because we thought the old paint may have been oil based and we wanted to use a water based paint. We got that dusty job done before lunch thanks to Jared helping me. Vernon ran to the airport to pick up Janet Meyers, a RN who is starting a term of service in El Chal.
1:00-5:30pm After one of Elbas delicious meals of rice, beans, tortillas, and 'quesa fresca' and a cup of wonderful coffee, I was ready to get going. Sharon and Janet walked to Walmart to get a few groceries we urgently needed.
Vernon and I worked in the kitchen and got a coat of primer on the walls and ceiling and got everything ready for the paint job next day. Jared was helping too, and was pleased that he got to do some painting. We received a call that the family of five got held up in construction and would not be coming for the night; but maybe the next night.
Sharon made a delicious supper that I felt almost too tired to eat.
The evening was a bit more relaxed and I got our laundry done and started working on a large bi weekly grocery list. Had some story time and talking time with Jared before bedtime.
This is a birds eye view of one day in our life, and I have learned that every day is different!!

Yesterday was a great day! It was very busy but interesting. Sharon was managing the making of 100 jars of pizza sauce so I was doing all the cooking. I made tostadas with refried beans, guacamole, guatemalan salsa, and all the other little fixings that go on top. It was a challenge to get it all made correctly  and on time, but we sure enjoyed the results!Then for the evening we had a campfire over at our house and made mountain pies with the best homemade ice cream!!  We had a great time sitting around and eating and laughing and then there was a very loud active volleyball game in the courtyard.
The grandmother of some of our friends died this week. We went to the wake on Thursday eve. and it is a very sobering reminder that God has given us the freedom to choose His gift. We don't know that she chose this, though her grand children shared the plan of salvation with her. May we all be reminded that life is a gift from God to be used for His glory for His light to shine through us and draw others to Him.