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Friday, May 27, 2011

Holy and Happy

I’m currently reading Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas, which is essentially about how marriage is designed not to make us happy, but to make us holy. While marriage continues to play a huge role in the Lord’s sanctification in my life, I am blessed to be a part of a marriage that also brings me great joy. I realize that not everyone is in the same situation and I definitely don’t take this incredible gift for granted. But I do think that while God does want to use the marriage relationship to sanctify us, he also gives it to us as a gift that he means for us to enjoy. And such is true of life and relationships in general as well.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

What brings me joy…

- Thursday Russell dinners (plus Paul). We recognize that it’s not common to have family with you on the mission field and we know it’s probably not forever, so we are enjoying taking advantage of it now.

- Halle’s limeades. On Wednesday nights, I get to be a part of a Bible study with a few amazing girls (which also brings me joy), but I greatly anticipate the icy cold, fresh (as in, made from limes grown on trees in his yard), delicious limeades that Halle makes for us each week. Though nothing could replace Sonic’s strawberry limeade in my heart, this probably comes as close as you could get.

- Watching House. Chase and I have been watching a couple seasons of this TV show and although I’ve never been one to be interested in medical TV shows in the past, I’ve found it quite entertaining in this season of life. Almost every episode brings me back to those first few days in the hospital in January when my team of doctors was trying to figure out what was wrong with me. I realize it might be weird that I enjoy this, but hey, what can I say. And I have a strange satisfaction in recognizing many of the medical terms that are tossed around as they try to diagnose a patient.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Camino de Vida, est. 2009

Today marks the two-year anniversary of our first kids service at Camino de Vida. It’s a long and short amount of time all at once.

Short in that 2 years hasn’t shown us what kind of impact the ministry will have in the kids lives as they become adults. Short in that for all we’ve learned, we know we still have so much more to learn about developing and managing a ministry that successfully connects kids to Christ. Short in that our rate of change and development has hardly slowed down.

It’s feels long when we reflect on the number of people (kids, parents, volunteers) who have passed through our doors—who has stayed, who has moved on, who has grown closer to God, and even who has grown physically taller.

Thanks to all of you who read, pray, support, and visit! We couldn’t be here without you.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

lately

I haven’t given a health update recently, but since I frequently get asked the question “how are you feeling” in person, some of you may be wondering the same from back in the States. You are probably one of two types of people. The first is the type that wants to hear a simple “good” or “not so great” and not much more than that. The second is the type that wants to hear all the medical details and ramblings of my mind. If you are the first type, the answer for now is “good”. If you are the second type, read on…

Most days I feel great, and I haven’t had any major issues since leaving the hospital the second time. I’m still trying to figure out my spastic blood pressure, which seems to enjoy the depths and heights of blood pressure potential. I have had my appetite back and am really enjoying that. Who knew – life is not nearly as fun without the enjoyment of food. (My mother-in-law aided in this arena by making a variety of amazing dishes while she was here!) My only other medical issue at the moment is anemia, which is really not that big of a deal – it just makes me a little more tired than normal. So I am back to taking shots, which my sweet friend Jessie (who was a nurse in the States before moving to Nicaragua to become a missionary) so kindly administers to me. I can’t find the courage to give myself a shot, and apparently Chase can’t either, so we are both thankful for Jessie! I have blood tests and a doctor’s appointment again in 2 weeks (this will be my longest stretch – 3 weeks total – of not having to go to the hospital since January!) Last time I thought I would have a 2 month break between appointments, but ended up in the hospital the next week, so I’m hoping for a successful (healthy) time away this time!

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Interruptions

A friend recommended Henri Nouwen’s book Reaching Out and here is an excerpt that has challenged and inspired me this week.

Don’t we often look at the many events of our lives as big or small interruptions, interrupting many of our plans, projects and life schemes? Don’t we feel an inner protest when a student interrupts our reading, bad weather our summer, illness our well-scheduled plans, the death of a dear friend our peaceful state of mind, a cruel war our ideas about the goodness of man, and the many harsh realities of life our good dreams about it? And doesn’t this unending row of interruptions build in our hearts feelings of anger, frustration and even revenge, so much so that at times we see the real possibility that growing old can become synonymous with growing bitter?

Monday, May 2, 2011

ashamed to admit it, but…

We are procrastinators. Poor gecko.