Rice and Beans of Life: June 2018

Friday, June 22, 2018

Bringer of Light

Before he took his first breath, it was declared that he would be "A bringer of light in darkness." In 2011, we lost 2 wee ones before they knew life outside my womb. Darkness and despair surrounded me for what seemed like an eternity. As my soul started to heal, I was able to hear Father's promise in Psalm 30:5 ... Though sorrow may last for the night, joy comes in the morning ...

September 2012, from the moment we knew this gift had taken residence in my womb Daryl covered us in prayer. Not only was a wee one forming, developing and growing in my womb ... A light of hope was also forming, developing and growing in the dark recesses of my barren soul. Life was declared! My than 40 year old body put up a fight. Uncertain it could live up to it's clear Calling to shelter, nurture and infuse life into this created One. However, my soul ... laid bare before the One who creates ... had no uncertainty that this life was Father's precious promise that joy would come in the morning.

As we passed the stages in pregnancy of our previous losses, more hope grew and His peace that passes all understanding became my resting place. Three weeks before this anticipated birth, circumstances surrounding me allowed anxiety to rear it's ugly head. In my blubbering and mumbling before the Throne, He gently asked ... "Do you trust Me with this life? I have promised joy to replace your morning. This wee one is to be a Bringer of Light"... And ... 5 years later, he has certainly lived up to his calling!

Happy 5th Birthday Adam Luke Hoover

Bringer of light in my darkness ... lover of Jesus ... uninhibited dancer ... bilingual cherub ... You have stolen the hearts of all you encounter, your childlike faith and invitation to know Jesus continues to bring more into the Kingdom of light!

Starting the celebration two weeks early ...
Butterfingers sundae at Smash Burger!

The day is just beginning ...
Of course he wanted a donut for his special breakfast!

Celebrating with his classmates!

Happy Spiritual birthday Jedidiah ... yesterday!

Friday, June 15, 2018

Simple Things

"A bed boat" ...

Wow ... I started this blog two weeks ago and never finished it! Life has taken us on a whirlwind ride!

This week I've been contemplating the simple things we enjoy in life, particularly those that have Kingdom impact. What are simple things we have to share that make a Kingdom mark? Obedience, smiles, hugs, prayer, a listening ear, laughter with those who rejoice and tears with those who mourn ...

Reading together about the widow's mite, she gave what she had and was called blessed for giving all she had. The conversation became animated as we started recounting all the simple things' we were able to share that day and in turn recognizing the ripple effect said things caused in the Kingdom.

Cashiers and food service personal at Price Smart who open lines for us because our friendship started with a smile ... IMAS approved child care for Martha's 4 small boys because "where two gathered in His name, He was there" ... After hauling bucket loads of dirt from the driveway out front to the patch out back, the dump truck drivers friend suggested we measure the gate. What do you know, it fits! AND, because we're closer than 'down the hill', we can have their extra loads dirt for a fraction of 'normal' price ... Plans for a prefab house for Samuel taking shape because a relationship was built ... Pharmacist friend recommended anti parasite medication because she cares and values our friendship ... A music teachers affirmation of Jedidiah and the opportunity to use his personal guitar for school lessons because he recognizes a gift of God ... Looking everywhere and finding "no-salt" substitute for an experiment at a random end cap display ... Neighbors who feel the freedom to call and ask me to check if they forgot to turn something off because God is building trust in our hearts ... Native Spanish speakers speaking English and Native English speakers speaking Spanish ... The gift of shoes that didn't fit our feet but God knew who needed them ... Dreaming, scheming and planning with the leadership team because everyone is valued and everyone's gift is important ...Three hour Sunday afternoon nap, souls being restored ... Coffee and dessert with sistas, wings with brothas, because He knows the community we need ... Boys who want to share their talents ... Receiving a 'praying for you' text, sending one out and feeling the hug from Father ... A two minute asking a neighbors forgiveness for the noise our family makes became a 2 hour coffee heart to heart ... Another neighbor asking to go to church with us, her significant others approval and wanting to have her son dedicated ... Perhaps by Father's grace, our actions toward those created in His image, lifestyle choices, and simple obedience truly are outshining our selfish humanity and making a Kingdom mark!

Simple things ... Start with a smile ... Kingdom mark

Life on the Mountain
Our teams have all safely returned from outreach and have filled Casa VidaNet and our hearts with love, laughter and lots of life ... A well hidden Roller skating rink in Heredia proved lots of bumps, bruises and laughter with a family of 30+ ... A day at the beach in Cauhita on the Pacific coast, celebrating with the churches near Talamanca and returning to our refreshing mountain home ... Guitar lessons, joining the school band ... Family talent show ... Remembering and missing Dona Margoth - 6-11-17 ... Buying food for the army, kids club snacks for 1000 (raising up the army) and the blessing of strong helpers ... A week of checking off a long list of last minute details before we welcomed the life, energy and excitement of a Vida Missions team of 25. Everyone did their part! ... Late nights, early mornings, full days, sound sleep ... and finally, a few hours at home to catch up on life!

Praises
Simple things bringing life
Family Roller skating night with family of 30+
Wknd adventure with Students to Beach and church in Talamancha
Nellie and Santi want to join us for church
Heart to hearts with our Landlords
A cloths dryer during rainy season
Sound sleep

Prayers
Health, some stomach - gut issues remain
Martha's health
Robbie's mental health, peace for Jack and Susie
A variety of illnesses with some students, pray for healing as we embark on Vida Missions
Vida Missions teams traveling to Upala and Honduras for outreach
Preservation of family time during this season
Rest in the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of Father

When "Tia Liz" gives you two big boxes ...
You create a Submarine!

Feet to fit the shoes!

He joined band ... no more needs said!

Super Heros are invading Vida Missions!

Father/Son festivities at school!

The peace of ocean waves ...

He makes friends everywhere he goes ...

Flintstones foot powered ...

Taking turns ...

Planting a tree in honor of Dona Margoth on the one year anniversary of her death ...

Testing out office chairs for Dad!

Growing boy ...
Is Mama shrinking?...
Nope, he's just wearing Roller Skates!

Of course he had to skate with the big boys!

Called in the troops to help ...
God's perfect timing ...
They were in the right place at the right time!

When you ask an artist to help you make PB&J sandwiches!


Waiting for the other 1/2 of us to arrive with the Vida Missions group ... Jesus and Jedidiah ... "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness" ... Jeremiah 31:3 *The Simplicity of His love ...*

Sunday, June 3, 2018

Longing

Comforts of home ...

There are times when I long for the comfort of familiar home. You know, those things that make life easier. To know where to bargain shop and understand completely the words flooding my ears ... To speak and not repeat myself making sure I understand and am understood ... No time wasted when I need to purchase that specifically unique item because I know exactly where to go ... The familiarity of attending Parent teacher conference and school meetings with a vocabulary I grew up comprehending ... Sometimes it's the memory of simple things that causes this longing. Martins potatoes rolls, sweet bologna and pretzels. In hindsight as I reflected on these sentiments, I'm convicted of the selfishness of said longings. However, in the intimate way He loves me ... this week He faithfully carried, lead, instructed, and pushed me to let go of the safe and familiar. This world is not my home and I've been given a choice. To live longing for the familiar comforts of home and bide my time until death or His return ... OR ... Live with an unabashed freedom that encourages others to long for the familiar comforts of our Heavenly home.

Through His passionate desire to have all of my heart, He patiently showed me the choice ...

Hebrews 11:13-16 ... All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Do I live with a longing for Heaven like I long for familiar comforts of Akron? How do I choose a Heavenly perspective when the selfishness of those familiar comforts are stripped away? Can I choose to I laugh in the face of panic when my neatly organized, perfectly calculated, specifically planned weekly grocery list for Casa VidaNet goes missing from the computer? Is it conceivably possible to not be defensive when the aforementioned purchases are not appreciated as I had hoped? How do I flick off the dust of frustration when my intentions were misunderstood? Longing for the familiar ... looking to Heaven as my home!

The intensity of His love ... This world is not my home ... Will there be pretzels in Heaven?

Life on the Mountain

It's been a whirlwind ... Late nights, intense planning, celebrating God's faithfulness ... Report card praises ... discovering a leak in the roof which lead to washing loads of curtains and costumes ... sharing Fruit with El Nido Mama's ... Haircuts, you know, normal life stuff : )

Praises

Our teams arrived safely in CR Thursday night ... a few detours but God guided

His leading

Healing on unsettled stomachs

A heart connection with Jedidiah's music teacher

Prayers

Relationships in the intensity of this season

Robbie, wisdom for his parents and doctors and the best treatment choice

Martha, physical healing

Declan, healing from cold and cough

That we would long for our Heavenly home