The Fragrance of Intimate Friendship

Peg and Fran

"Friendship develops and grows when we share every experience." ... Thinking about my bestest girlfriend brings me great joy!  In our pre-wife, pre-mom life, we spent every waking moment together ... I don't know where our friendship begins or ends, it's just all mixed together. We have a deep understanding and intimate knowing what each other feels and thinks ... we can act 5 or 45, it doesn't matter ... we finish each others sentences and laugh hysterically at the silly names we give each other ... when we sit and talk, it's face to face usually curled up with a blanket and favorite drink ... she lets me cry and makes me laugh like no other ... I can completely be myself and she loves me in all my craziness ... People usually take notice when I've been with her.  I've laughed a lot so my make up is smeared, my heart is lighter and I feel full of life, having laughed my worries away.  She's the pine in my apple, the peanut in my butter, the natilla in my tortilla, being with her makes everything better! She is on my heart a lot, I think of her often and can't imagine life without *Peg. (*name changed for confidentiality : ) ).

I often ponder ... do people to take notice that I've been with my Father?  I mean, I think they notice when I'm not communing with Him.  It's quite humbling when one of my mighty men notices and points out that I'm lacking communion with Father ... they see the effect and smell the stinky stench of my foul humanness when I covet my weariness and refuse to not be anxious.  In reality, all the above stated is replicated with Peg because it first began with Him. When I spend time with Him, my make up is usually smeared, my heart is lighter and I feel full of life!  To share/give/lay down every experience with Father, and not try to carry it on my own fills me with peace which in turn reflects that I'm communing with Him. I can hardly comprehend the beauty of being so intimately connected with Him that I emit His fragrance without even knowing it. Oh to be the sweet, sweet fragrance of my Father! This song has been the cry from the depths of my soul ...   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXrGBjKyMvY

 Whose fragrance are you emitting today?

Life on the Mountain
Celebrating Adam asking Jesus to clean out his heart and make His home there. His tender heart had been processing this for awhile and we've talked often about it ... I finally coated the peanut butter and coconut cream eggs (after Easter) ... We had two intense executive leadership meetings. The gift in these meeting times is that we usually start out with "how are you doing?" God continues to bless our hearts with openness to share our joys and sorrows in these times ... El Nido Eye clinic. Unfortunately, the Eye Dr. was diagnosed with a tear in his retina from hitting his head earlier in the week.  The three day eye clinic turned into one day of successful chaos! I can't even tell you the joy of fitting glasses for those who can't afford them.  As I took their brief health history I felt like a nurse again! Thankfully, the team is planning to return to finish what they started ... A cookout to celebrate 6 April birthdays ... Playing with the kids in La Cuenca ... School projects and Sports Festival ... Worship team practice ... Three more weeks of language study for Daryl ... And more of normal life praying that we emit His fragrance to all we meet, and to each other!

Monday April 2 ...
Adam sat at the breakfast table and said
"Jesus is alive! Him was dead but now Him's alive!"
... a few minutes later...
"Mama, can you pray with me to ask Jesus to clean
 out my heart and make Him home there?"
... YES! ... "Mama, why you crying?"
Because Adam has tasted and seen that the Lord is good!

Praises
-Adam giving his heart to Jesus
-My left foot is healed!
-Morning walks with my hubby
-Laughter and life in our boys
-Health
-Martha's hope in the midst of great need


Prayers
-To emit Father's fragrance wherever we go (including when we stay home!)
-Safety for Delynn, Gloria and teams having training in Honduras
-Opportunities for Micah, he's grieving the loss 'normal' teenage years
-Me, as I continue to learn the vocabulary of the language of School
-Creativity for Jedidiah in his down time
-Adam, to be brave when he goes to school
-Daryl, language understanding and initiative to talk
-Joseph, to find life outside our home
-Finances for VidaNet   vidanetonline.org/friends-vidanet

Papi and Don Papi grillin the birthday meat!

Celebrating life in April ... the 6 cumpleaneros

Uncle Bryan, they figured it out!

Crazy balloon fun ... it's a balloon backpack

Perfect size, perfect color, perfect vision!

No, it's not a radar gun! ... Measuring something ocular.

Taking histories in the "Waiting room"

Nothing fancy ...
Just a heart that loves the Lord and desires to serve!

YES! Perfect size, shape and color!

Morning exercises ...
consignment store treasures, matching p.j. shorts ...
one found in PA the other in CR!

Friendly kitty snuck in and got stuck in our house over night! ...
unpleasant morning treasures ... unsolved mysteries ...
No, you can't keep him!

Chillin with the kids in La Cuenca ...
To much candy!

Driving their big truck ... best of buddies ...
life and laughter on the Mountain

 Science Fair Project ... Patience paid off ... 
Can't believe his talent ... couldn't leave his side!

 Sports Festival at Mount House School

Winning streak game night with Joseph ... 

Making Mama happy! ... 

I would have willingly lost every game 

just to spend this time with him!

Just Be

Happy Easter from these Mighty Men!

Lament, a passionate expression of grief or sorrow. The very word draws my mind downward, like an endless spiral into the deep darkness of ones soul ... the word causes me to cave into a pit of sadness, despair ... it's a heaviness that wraps chains around the neck of my very being, the core of who I am ... I scream stop! ... hope appears to be a distant glimmer ... no, wait, is there hope in lament? ... the anguished cry of bitter solitude, no one to listen ... words are pessimistic, turning the hearer's ears to the depths of this state ... tears flow, tears are nonexistent, the coldness of this cave prevents them ... the fist pounds in anger, the fist raises in contempt of the One who is silent, to the One who is holding ... There! There is the hope ... if one can see it, it's the faintest flash of light on the darkness of the horizon ... perhaps the one in lament needs the eyes of a Seer to see the light, to tip the chin toward hope ... Or, perhaps the Seer needs to let words be silent, let anger cease, let hope lie covered in the vale of lament ... To be the hand to hold, the eyes to see the depths of loss and not attempt to fix it ... to just be.  The Seer and the Lamenter, sitting side by side, hands clasped, souls crying to the heart of the Holder, finding peace in just being.

"But I don't want to talk about lament ... I just want everyone to be happy, not sad!" She tearfully lifted her exasperated hands ... offering a verse of hope, a promise, strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow ... She is learning ... I am learning.  Lament is a season to be celebrated, not fixed, not changed, not hurried on. 

Lament ... I am learning ... just be.

Life on the Mountain
Two full weeks compiled in one blog ... Two day El Nido Conference, He lifted me out of a pit and set my feet on a Rock ... Work team of 10 mighty men ... The backhoe came and a mighty work it did ... Extended family Ice cream treat ... successful first round of tests in school, so proud of you Jedidiah! ... washing, cleaning, packing and praying for our EMM retreat ... insert a week in Guatemala and El Salvador ... Flying internationally while living internationally ... And finally, finishing up these two weeks ... Arriving home to our refreshing mountain home in time to celebrate Easter weekend in Costa Rica!

Life in the Desert of Guatemala
Father safely carried us through airports, expired visas, border crossings and blessed us with an Angelic pair to chauffeur us from El Salvador to Guatemala and back again ... then to the airport at 4:00 a.m. ... It's what they do, no matter the hour! ... Finding peace in the chaos, we were fed through relationship with our Central American compatriots at our annual EMM retreat ... Consolation, desolation, lament, rest, connection and laughter ... 100 degrees, poolside, 26 kids, 19 adults, 8 children's ministry workers = 53 ... did I miss anyone?

Life in Quaint El Salvador
We tasted the beauty of El Salvador in less than 24 hours ... got "real" barber haircuts for $1.50 ... enjoyed Pupusas by candle light due to a torrential rain storm that knocked out the electric ... relished sweet fellowship with our Vida220 team ... attempted 5 hours of sleep under the peaceful whirl of church ceiling fans ... And, flew home!

Praises
His wings of protection through all the travel
Spending time with Hannah
Health, healing
Strong shoulders to cry on
The camaraderie of life over seas
Time to just be and hold hands

Prayers
Back to school, back to life
Patience to just be
Jedidiah - sadness, discouragement
Delynn and Gloria as they travel to Honduras to minister to our Vida220 teams during a week of training
El Nido Eye clinic, Team coming from the States to serve our Mama's and their families with free eye care
My swollen left foot - no reason!
Finances for VidaNet vidanetonline.org/friends-vidanet

Contemplating the work ... 

A week's accomplishment ...
walls, windows, roof completed, floor tiled!

El Nido Heredia Volunteers

Beautiful Feet International ministering to our Mama's

Worship in Guatemala ...
Jedidiah's beat flowed from a tank of refreshment!

15 year old Friends ... Belize, Guatemala and CR 

Sons #2 from Belize and CR

Jedidiah and Rebekah ...
reenacting the photo from last year ...
two peas in a pod ... they understand each other!

We're horses pulling a load!

Remembering these prayers as we walk through lament

My name is Adam ... "Hey, my name is Adam!" ...
experiencing a taxi-moto!

Luis ... feeling the love as he showed us around his beautiful El Salvador

Real haircuts in El Salvador!

Saying good bye in the light of the moon ... 

I serve a risen Savior! ...
One of the many church displays throughout CR

Happy Easter from Costa Rica ... 

Celebrating our risen Lord and Savior of the world!

I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry, He lifted me out of the slimy pit,

    out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.

He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.

Psalm 40:1-3

Getting to Heaven

Micah ... I'm humbled by this son we've been given to raise. Today we celebrated his 12th spiritual

Can't wait to drive ...
better sense of direction than Mom!

birthday, the day he asked Daddy how he can get to live in Heaven!  We know his struggles and have witnessed him walk in victory as Your love takes root in his heart ... We've seen him minister to others and be ministered to as the power of Your Holy Spirit burns deep in his soul ... We've seen him as a victorious leader and humbly being lead as he attempts to listen to Your still small voice ... He is a helper, a servant by nature, loving You seems to come easy for him.  Choosing Christ is a lifestyle for him, a conviction deep in his heart to be an example of Father's love to the world around him. He's only 15 ...  He has grown inches before my very eyes, brings laughter and joy to the teenage years, he is no longer a boy and not yet a man ...  I'm humbled by his example as he desires to surrender every part of his being to the one who loves him completely. 

Dressed in the armor of light ... He belongs to Father ... On loan to us

Life on the Mountain 

Listening to my body, resting when time allowed, thanking God for health and medication that aid in my healing ... Celebrating with Micah as he turns 12 years old spiritually ... Preparing for a busy week starting tomorrow ... normal life! 

Praises

Bus tickets that don't expire

Healing for Mama and Adam

Fun connections with our neighors

Friends to celebrate with

Home school co-op connections, finding laughter and life with them.

Prayers

Work team arrives Monday

El Nido activity this week ... lots to prepare for.

Health ... to rest when our bodies tell us to

Finances for VidaNet http://vidanetonline.org/friends-vidanet

Our travel plans and preparations to El Salvador and Guatemala in one week.

Heart connections for our boys

He couldn't hear ... "Mama, there's stuff in my ear" ...
Loves to clean out his ears!

Celebrating with Shawn the Sheep ...
this boy loves to party!

Perfecting paper airplanes ...
Awesome library book ...
Future engineer

Chocolate Brownie Ice cream ...
So delicious when shared with a buddy!

Sunday School class buddies ... Full of life!

The effects of eating Shawn the Sheep cake!

A day to celebrate

Happy 12th Spiritual birthday Micah ...
Show me Your ways O Lord, teach me Your paths.
Psalm 25:4

Fully Engaged

Entregarse Everything

Recently I've been pondering the "E's" in my life ... Engaged, Everything, Entregarse (Surrender) and Eggs. What does it mean to be fully engaged in life in CR? Well, we've chosen to "Entregarse Everything ... (surrender all). Please excuse my spanglish! I've been thinking what it means to be fully engaged in life here. Basically, we're not dwelling on returning to our Akron home after three years, our move to CR is not something we're checking off the bucket list and then return to 'normal' life, we've not really thought much about life after CR ... the reason being, this feels like life as we should know it, "we are fully engaged." This is where God has called and planted us. We've unpacked the boxed, decorated our walls, are making heart connections and sowing into the lives of those we're growing to know and love. This isn't something we just pack up and move on from 'after three years'. I guess it sort of surprises me because I didn't expect to feel this way.

Next random thought ... It's almost comical how Father works in my life. As I've been thinking about what it means to be fully engaged, HE asks me today in church ... What does it mean to give everything? To truly entregarme (give me up) to HIS perfect plan for my life.  Well, I thought I already went down this road. Didn't I give up everything to move to CR? Didn't I obey HIM even when it didn't make sense and others thought we were crazy? Wasn't that enough surrender?

Ummm, wait, what was that? ... "Surrender is giving up control. The desire to be in control is the major cause of stress in ones life" ... Who said that, Pastor Martin or YOU? God, are you laughing at me? To be fully engaged in life here, means I must daily surrender all to YOU. Even the fact that You might move us on from here after being fully engaged in life here for three years. Surrender happens not once or twice, it's not priding myself in the fact that we obeyed and moved, it's not thinking I've got it all together in the ministry I do here ... No, it's a waking in the morning with the knowledge of I no longer live but Christ lives in me ... Ouch, just when I thought I had it all figured out!

And the eggs ... it's nothing more than another E word that caused some laughter in our house this week.  Joseph: "Mom, why did you save two bites of eggs in the fridge?" Because they were made with a Lancaster Co. delicacy ... bologna. Someone please eat them, I just can't throw them out!

Entregarse Everything ... Giving up control ... Sweet peace and freedom

Life on the Mountain ...
Beautiful warmth of sunshine ... a week of normal life as we know it ... school, ministry, Little House on the Prairie and enjoying the park ... figuring out how to "upcycle" the blessing of baby blankets ... a whole weekend at home ... the delicious aroma as I speak from our neighbor "practicing" with his team for a BBQ competition!  We already tasted the chicken and steak ... pork and brisket to come!

Praises
Positive meeting with Jedi's teacher, she loves him!
A few evenings at home this week
The gift of gab ... 3 out of our 4 have it perfected.  They love to share their knowledge whether I understand what they're talking about or not!
Fully engaged in life here

Prayer
Martha to get financial help from IMAS for food and daycare so she can work.
Naty that she can pass her math exam to graduate
Casa242 students to know God's perfect plan for their lives at this time.
Daniella, as she grows in her faith that she can be an example to her husband.
Health
To fully understand surrender in my daily life
Finances for VidaNet, we are in desperate need of monthly supporters. Basically, for 15 years our programs have self supported each other. However, we have now out grown ourselves, praise God!
  http://vidanetonline.org/friends-vidanet

Church friends ... Heart connections ...
Feeding my soul

Full of life ... Spring is in the air ... you're not 12 and under

Mighty Man of God standing tall ...
He shall be called an oak of righteousness!

Boys will be boys ...

Adam and Makenzie ...
Should we speak English or Spanish?

Feliz Dia de Mujer ... Of course he colored it black!

Upcycling baby blankets for adult blankets

Saying good bye to our beloved car mat ...
$3.00 Garage sale bargain 12 years ago ...
The backing is dry-rot and puts 'dirt' all over our floor ...
Mama don't need more help with that! 

The secret is in the sauce and the wood ...
Smoked meat every weekend for the next month ...
Keep practicing boys!

I Chronicles 29:11
Yours, Lord is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor for everything in Heaven and earth is yours! Yours, Lord is the Kingdom;
You are exalted as head over all.

She Prayed

Proud Mama

Some weeks it feels like a battle of the wills to arrive at El Nido, for me and for the women in my care.  There is usually something that comes up last minute.  This something is never a necessity and comes with ill intent to distract from the healing Fathers desires for that day. Yesterday was nothing out of the ordinary … I was flustered with traffic from the morning commute, didn’t arrive as early as I desired, and ‘she’ was running late.  Enter that nagging, selfish thought … “Maybe she won’t show up and then I can get my errands done before picking the boys up from school”.

I’ve been meeting with her since last August. She came to El Nido 16 weeks pregnant with her first child, father of the baby was not involved and just barely completing 18 years.  She was timid, afraid, tearful but had a sweet, sensitive demeanor and beautiful, shy smile.  Throughout the months we’ve spent together she has remained guarded in her answers to my probing questions and prayer requests have remained at surface level. Yet, she continued to come. Undaunted by my questions, reveling in my attention and affection toward her growing belly and assuring me she enjoyed the homework.

Each week she has respectfully accepted my prayers for her but cordially declined my request to join me in prayer. Yesterday, as we talked and laughed together, I noticed her heart seemed lighter, her spirit more sensitive and her soul longing for communion. Since the birth of her wee babe in early January, I have witnessed the new birth that has happened in her soul.  She has come alive and even animated as she talks jovially about this crazy life as a new Mama where there is no book to figure out why he’s crying. Her nights are short on sleep, her routine is out of routine, her body does not feel like her own anymore and she has returned to 10 grade night school.  Be that as it may, she adores this precious gift, glows in my affirmation of her as a Mama and ... chooses to remain on the receiving end of prayer.

Yesterday … was one of those “it will all be worth it someday” moments.  Her verse to memorize and apply to her life was Romans 12:18 “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Her usual application followed, “I should live at peace with my mom and little sister and those around me.” In the routine of the moment, I almost didn’t hear the words behind her shy smile which proceeded to leave me speechless. “This means to live at peace, in my heart, even with the Father of my baby.” Um, yes, wow, um, shouldn’t I have words to say? … Don’t look shocked … try affirmation, Yes, words of affirmation! In reality, no words were necessary, my tears and the connection in the depths of our souls was all she needed.  After sharing her devotional reading, I asked one more time while anticipating her answer … “Would you like to pray today?” … Si … (I almost missed it) It felt like a moment of awed silence as I tilted my head slightly and asked in affirmation, “Si? Quieres orar?” Yup, she prayed! And I, of course, I cried!

Prayer changes things ... Life in her spirit ... "Someday" came

Life on the Mountain

Monday, lots of planning, dreaming and receipts ... Tuesday, shopping, haircuts and receipts ... Wednesday, see above, add receipts ... Thursday, catching up on life and receipts ... Friday, Co-op, making jewelry and receipts ... Saturday, Family fun day at Mount House school with lots of water fun.  The afternoon and evening we spent reveling in God's creation at the park with worship team from church, sharing laughter, stories and pizza at our house. Sunday was absolutely beautiful ... worship retreat continued with worshiping together and sharing on the heart of worship.  Feeling blessed to connect with these friends from church. Spanish ... our brains are tried! What language do YOU think in?

Praises

She prayed!

Boys that can pass shoes and clothing to one another. Didn't school just start, second pair of school shoes destroyed!

Unity, understanding and growing friendship
Monday mornings at home
Receipts reconciled
The love, support and affirmation we feel from each of YOU!

Prayers

Jedidiah as he finds his way at school

Finances for VidaNet, Would you consider being a monthly partner with the ministry of VidaNet

Wisdom and direction for future with Casa 242 students
My Monday mornings at home would be fruitful and multiply
Pray with us to set up and organize a successful Eye clinic with El Nido.  A team of 11 coming from the states, desiring to serve 160+ people per day.
Carmelinda, as she walks through the trials of life away from home.
Creative outlets for Micah and Joseph to practice Spanish

Date with Dad ... always a treat!

Hide and Seek ...
"No, you can't hide in the washer this time!"

"Clem and Tina"
His clementine seeds sprouted and are
 growing under his tender care

Feeling creative ... This could be addictive!

Mount House School water fun ...
Micah sank him!

Life surrounded by mountains ...
Their grandeur displays His majesty ...
Higher than the clouds!

A thoughtful thought ... adorning our wall ...
So hard to live by ...