Thankful

I have 2 weeks left here in Honduras. WOW. Here is some of what I'm feeling. Grateful that I am returning in August. Sad about leaving friends who won't be returning to teach next year. Sad about ending my current job. Happy to be going home - 9 months away is a long time. Excited to see friends and family. Eagerly anticipating the things God is going to do at Camp Patt this summer. Tired. Content with where I am. Very thankful for all my friends here.

Yesterday on the way home from Valle de los Angeles (which is not a valley and doesn't actually have any angels), I was watching the scenery zip past and loving the way the fog settled on the mountains and I was overwhelmed with love for this country. I love Honduras and the people here. A lot. I was almost brought to tears from the strength of the emotion. One of my goals for next year is to intentionally make more friendships with Hondurans. I just want to be Jesus' hands and feet in this world and my friend and I are going to become best friends with our neighbors and we're going to start with abundant baked goods and friendly smiles.

Recently I started a thankfulness and joy journal. Right now I'm numbering each entry. It is really helping me to curb my complaining and search for things I am thankful for and things that give me joy each day. I'm a little bit addicted to writing in it. I leave it open with a pen in it all the time. There are so many things to be thankful for. I wanted to share some of the entries with you.

1. funny texts from good friends
3. whispering and giggling during movies in the theater.
8. baleadas at Norberta's
11. great books
15. shoes all lined up in a row
18. laughing over nothing
20. waking up with one more hour to sleep
25. friends who listen
32. getting dumped in a fountain
36. laughing so hard it hurts
39. a pastor who preaches from the Word
41. gentle rain
57. making a mess while cooking.
59. good songs stuck in my head
74. times when no words are necessary
78. worshiping with friends
88. skpye
91. peach Mennonite ice cream
95. red leather sneakers that fit perfectly
98. beautiful photographs
106. apologies and freely offered forgiveness
111. hot water
121. wearing my TOMS shoes
134. eating raw asparagus
141. hot sunny mornings
147. holding chubby babies
150. falling asleep while reading

That is all I have to share but I came across this scripture this week and wanted to share it.


"If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
    with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
    and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
    and your night will become like the noonday.
 The Lord will guide you always;
    he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
    and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
    like a spring whose waters never fail."


~Isaiah 58: 9-11

Cold Oatmeal

That's what I eat for breakfast most mornings. Cold oatmeal. I know what you're thinking, "Gross!!", right? Now, let me clarify, I don't eat cold oatmeal on purpose. No one would ever do that! I make my oatmeal, mix in a little brown sugar and milk, sit down at the table and lift my spoon to my mouth - Then it happens: Life. Someone needs help with math homework, I just need to go look at this cute picture online, my phone is ringing, the baby birds in the nest just outside the window are looking like they're going to jump...the list goes on. I'm usually about half way through my oatmeal when I look at the congealed mass in disgust and try to decide if it's worth eating. It always is. I doubt I could make it through my morning without my breakfast. You might be thinking: "Why don't you just heat it up again when it gets cold?". Don't be ridiculous. We all know it will just get cold again. I'm doomed to a life of cold oatmeal.

I think I like cold oatmeal. 

All that to say that life is busy here. As always. Days are filled with school and kids. Weekends are usually filled with fun and friends. I'm reading some really interesting books right now. One I especially recommend is: "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp. Very well written. Fantastic message about thankfulness. 

Dark spots in my happy days: I'm ridiculously tired all the time. I'm a little down in the dumps because I'm leaving soon. Just 5 weeks to go. I think the leaving and the tired are related. I think I'm slowly climbing out of the sadness to find an equilibrium were I still feel the pain of leaving, but live with the joy that I've been given another day of life.

I was reminded last week that sometimes if we listen hard we can hear God speaking to our souls, telling us "It's not about you. It's about Me." Does that sound harsh? At first it does. Then the truth of it seeps in and takes over. Life is about God and serving Him and His people. The second I take my eyes off of Him the earth shifts. I get frustrated. I give in to despair. I listen to the lies. But take heart! Jesus has not taken His eyes off of you or me.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." ~James 1:2-4

Is this a trial? I'm not sure. At any rate, I was encouraged and challenged by these verses.