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| Celebrating Mom! |
Long gone are my days of the rhythm of Swing and Country
Line dance. However, when He spoke in the tranquil peace of my Hiding Place, my attention was captured by the thought
of dance once again. I do not claim to
have any grace and elegance for the part of ballerina yet this image in my mind
was SO vivid I could almost picture myself in the tutu clad stance of the
twirl. As I waited for His revelation in
the absurdity of yours truly in said stance, I sensed these three important
details.
#1 The Twirl. I remember the giddiness of my pre-bringer-of-life equilibrium, spinning out of control then falling down as the world spun around me. Rides with twists, turns and tumbles were the height of ecstasy in said era of life. As maturity has graced my physique, the twirl - albeit at times giddy, out of control - has morphed into what some refer to as 'normal' life - parenting, work, school schedule, friends, appointments, community life, relationships, etc.
#2 The Foundation. To twirl, one needs to have a sure foundation. I don't claim to have an ounce of knowledge of twirling, but I can assuredly conclude that when life is twirling, my feet need to be planted on said sure foundation lest I lose balance and end up in a heap of dizzy, nauseating, confusion. In keeping up with the twirl, if my feet are planted on The Sure Foundation, I will have a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge. (Isaiah 33:6)
#3. The Focus. To avoid a disoriented, dizzy, disaster, when said ballerina is twirling, her eyes must return to the focal point with every spin. It's like a millisecond pause, almost undetectable. From the savoriness of my morning coffee to the lusciousness of sinking into my downy abyss at end of day, with every twirl that transpires, He must be my fixed focal point. Not the next spin. Not today’s to do list. Not this week’s wheelin' and dealin'. Not the taunting transition of life on the mission field. No, my friends, He must be my fixed focal point that grounds me in every turn of the twirl.
Whether life twirls out of control or under controlled routine, when my millisecond pause is Jesus, amazingly my twirl looks elegant and grace-filled! And whether I'm amid peaceful, less full life or not a second to pee before the next twirl, when I'm on my Sure Foundation there is stability and poise in my twirl. Are your eyes averted and your twirl tilted? Take a moment to hear the music, refocus your gaze and establish your sure foundation ... Receive His peace in the midst of the twirl!
Life on the Mountain
While Jan - May seemed quiet on the calendar, life has been full of life! We prayed our beloved Vida220 teams through outreach and home again, hosted work teams, school groups, church retreats, family, and friends. Our laundry/workshop/El Nido area is undergoing a much-needed renovation. We’ve taken time to linger over meals with our beloved staff and hear their hearts. Leadership team retreat to refocus and dream. All the planning and preparing for Vida Missions proved successful as we fleshed it out with our first group of 65 participants. Five more weeks of organized chaos await us! Micah returned from Honduras, Joseph graduated high school and completed his first year at Stevens Tech. Jedidiah has been thriving on various worship teams and Adam has been soaking up time with friends while mom is busy! And of course, twirling through normal life – homework, tests, projects, youth group, worship leading, major haircuts for ½ of us, weekly video calls with Joseph in PA and Micah in Honduras, dates with Dad, Friday pizza and movie family night and relying on our Sure Foundation as we twirl through life.
Praises:
First week of Vida Missions was full of life!
Joseph HS grad and finishing 1st year of college
Jedidiah, connections with YG
Godly counselors to help us keep focus
Clear direction to remain in CR
Opportunities to share Jesus as our sure foundation
Doctors, dentists, & people who know how to care for us!
Pray with us:
**We need a new place to store our furniture in PA by end of summer! (Please reach out if you know of a place!)
Future direction for each of our boys
Healing from headaches (Jen)
Physical energy for a busy summer
God’s heart as we disciple and mentor those around us
To steady our gaze as we twirl on our Sure Foundation.
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| "Crew de Compras" (Shopping crew) ... How does one buy for 105 people in 3 different teams? Take two friends and each one buys a huge list! |
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| Micah's team saying good bye to neighbors and dear friends in Honduras! |
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| "Out of Service ... no wifi" : ) Hugging his bible, meditating on defending his faith (in Spanish)! |
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| Graduation day! How did my little brown eyed boy grow up so fast! |
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It's always about the muscle! He got his cycle license ... Why not buy a motorcycle? ... It's cheaper on gas! |
A day of laughter, fun and lots of rain ...
Just a normal day in Costa Rica at the amusement park!
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| A place of rest after a busy and full senor year and first year of college! |
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| A day of adventure with friends ... exploring Bioluminescent water! You'll have to imagine it ... nighttime pictures don't do it justice. |
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| The smolder ... This handsome young man cleans up pretty well! The gift of 'ropa Americana' (second hand clothing) and finding the perfect fitting jacket and vest! He was super excited to be invited to Homeschool Prom with friends ... |
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| Barefoot tree trimmer ... At least it was him in the tree and not his 70+ year old Grandpa!  A "little" rain doesn't scare this mighty crew ... even when it falls at 3 inches an hour! |
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| The start of Vida Missions ... Staff introductions ... I love to hear them do it in English! |
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| Anointed worship ... I thank my Maker, I thank my Savior, I thank God!  Kitchen crew, full of life and the joy of Jesus ... Sun up to sun down, twirling through the kitchen, this crew is amazing!  And this is why they're amazing ... They start their mornings communing with Jesus, their sure foundation! |
He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge;
the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.
Isaiah 33:6
