Rice and Beans of Life: Just A Number

Brownies and Ice Cream ...
Sunday supper surprise

I celebrated the start to my 46th year of life with a hot pack on my lower back. I obviously lifted something the day before without listening to the protest of my then 45 year old body. It's a valiant reminder that my waning stomach muscles have chosen not to offer the necessary support to my senescent lower back on such endeavors. I don't like growing old. Don't get me wrong, I am beyond grateful to receive another healthy year of life, reveling in Father's favor. I don't usually like a lot of hype when it comes to celebrating my age, sure it's fun to feel special and loved. But truth be told, if I could stop the yearly reminders of this aging process ... I would. Coming face to face with the silvery tresses of wisdom and skin crinkled and pleated from laughter each morning makes me want to slam on the brakes of life and plead for time to stop. Each year I'm presented with the choice ... embracing the number and celebrating this gift of life, or wallowing in the whittling frame and atrophying muscles of this physical body that will one day pass away.

One would think as a God fearing missionary, lover of The Creator of life, go where You send me kind of person I claim to be ... I would chose the former. Alas, the struggle is real. It's just that I don't like the effects this yearly celebration has on my physical body. I know, that sounds so vain. I think He's laughing as I bare my soul to this anticipating audience ...

He's laughing because He knows my heart ... While I may protest and plead for this aging process to stop, He knows that in the intimate depths of my soul, I hunger for wisdom that grows from maturity of years walking intimately with Him. I wait with anticipation to see what heights will we soar, what depths will we traverse in this next year. He knows that although I despise what sin has done to this aging process, what I long for most is to feel my Father's passionate embrace, to know the intimacy of His breath on my face, to walk hand in hand with Him in the power that causes darkness to flee ... Can you see Him? He's rolling His eyes, shaking His head and laughing with me as I choose to dance gleefully in the arms of the Heavenly hosts while we laugh in the face of Age.

Embracing the wrinkles ... He knows my heart ... Vanity, oh vanity

Life on the Mountain
Another whirlwind week ... 86 participants and 22 staff returned from outreach to join the 31 participants and 5 staff that had inhabited Casa VidaNet while they were gone. 165 mouths to feed is no easy task. The end of the week we sent them home with hugs, tears and the peace that His presence has moved mountains in each ones lives. Saturday we tried to recoup a bit while cleaning and doing wash ... Sunday we celebrated the joy of having Esteban and Nellie join us at church as they chose to dedicate Santiago to God.

Praises
Neighbors who see God's life reflected instead of our humanness
Life with Vida Missions
Daryl's spirit is resting in the peace of God
God connections at Price Smart ... He is amazing!
Unity in our leadership team ... growing together and supporting each other
Heart to heart with Rosario

Prayers
God's Word to resonate in Esteban and Nellie's hearts
Healing for a lot of Casa VidaNet ...
Healing for Joseph and Jedidiah
Positive re-connection for us as our CCC Youth group joins us this week
Strength for each day
Trust instead of worry

Happy birthday to me ...

10 Kilos of diced Green beans to feed our army

When you find free girls sneakers in your son's size ...
You spray paint the soles,
change the laces and sharpie the pink tags ...
"no one will ever know" ... unless they read my blog!