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!

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 ... 

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

Creativity at it's best ...
I think it's a formula one car, driver and mechanic
in our dining room!

When you need to keep neighborhood "pests"
out of your trash!

Super hero spy gear ...
Photo bomb credit, "Secret agent I"

The team that loved on our El Nido kidos

Staying connected to the Vine ... Producing His fruit

96% in Spanish and 95% in English! ...
Proud parent moment!

When 50 High Schoolers invade Casa VidaNet ...
They clean and paint the curbs!

Products

15+ products and counting ...

I like to think of myself as a 'low-maintenance' kind of gal. I'm a minimalist, I don't like clutter, I prefer to keep things simple and I most certainly don't shower everyday ... Wow, I just wrote that! Most days my outer adornments are T'shirt, jeans, flip flops and fun earrings with The Lord's day offering a prime opportunity to 'ramp it up a bit.' Those who choose to read on, and I might add continue to love me for who I am, will have good reason to differ on the fallacy my 'low maintenance' self perception.

As I bare my soul in opening this window of self-pampering, feelings of embarrassment most certainly will ensue. However, what I want you to hear is my heart is the heart of the matter.  The amount of outer adornments and prideful masking of the said low maintenance gal, are simply a shell surrounding my heart  ... a heart that longs for freedom as my humanness rears it's ugly head with the constant barrage of thoughts ... "what do others think of me" ... Quebrantame, transformame, moldeame a tu imagen Senor!

The Products ... I use the prideful excuse, that "my former life in cosmetology has created this side of me". In the shower alone I use 5 different products, 6 if I choose to succumb to the brazen practice of shaving my legs. Emerging from this steamy abyss of 5+ products, I reach for the first of 5 more products before I clad my humanity with said T'shirt and jeans. Unfortunately and quite embarrassingly, it doesn't stop there ... There are 5 more products that grace yours truly before facing life outside the Yellow House. Necessities, I tell you, these are of utmost necessity ... Can you hear Him? He's laughing at me ...

I mean, if my hair isn't cared for with shampoo, conditioner, mousse, and frizz control, the women I minister to might see Jesus differently! And, if my skin were not moisturized using two different products with the sweetest sent, they might not know His sweet fragrance. God forbid, yup, if my eyes are not adorned with eye liner and mascara, my lips not touched delicately with tinted gloss, they might find His appearance unappealing! Necessities ... This line of thinking is no more ridiculous than assuming you all would look at me differently as said missionary if after 3 years of life overseas I were to gain 15 pounds and have not masked my silvery tresses of wisdom with a color not my own! Nope, the products, can not mask my heart ... if my heart is full of the pride of wondering "what do others think of me," one would most certainly see Jesus as frizzy, stinky and unappealing!

Jesus, the sweetest, purest love ever offered wore the same attire ... Every. Single. Day. Those who chose to listen and follow, loved Him for who He was.  I'm pretty sure it was His heart they loved and not his hair, smell or clothing. Did He shower? Who knows, but one can most certainly ascertain, He did not use 15+ products when preparing to feed the 5000 on the hillside!

The struggle is real ... Pampering Products of Pride ... 
Break me, transform me, mold me in Your image Senor

Life on the Mountain

A week of meetings in preparation for the activities of summer ... wrapped up time with two teams and sent them packing, so thankful for their hard work, ministry and desire to share the love of Jesus with us and the world He sent them to ... Celebrated life with my El Nido Mama, thanking God for one year of life with her twins ... Sharing life with my 'sista's in ministry' over coffee ... Rain and more rain from a tropical depression ... Friday night plans changed, blessed with a night to relax at home ... Saturday breakfast date with the boys, worship practice and "walking through the waters" with dear friends ... Sunday morning worship team, Holy Spirit lead as sickness overtook the majority of the 'normal' team ... 

Praises

-Father knows our heart in worship

-Forgiveness

-Family night

-Landlords who fix things

-Early morning walks, late night talks

Prayers

-Father, break us, transform us, mold us in YOUR image

-Vida220 teams traveling home Monday and Tuesday, PLEASE PRAY for safety as they travel through Nicaragua

-Friends as they "walk through challenging waters"

-Micah and Joseph, determination as they finish up school

Boys will be boys ... T'Rex fighting in the rain ... 

Happy first birthday Carlito and Arielito ...
Missing their 2 brothers and sister!

Friday night "art class" ...
Coloring and worship music ...
Rest for my soul!

Worship practice ... 

Breakfast date ... Yup, it's a table in a VW bus!

Chocolate milk and Cafe con Leche ...
Delicious!

Crepes and Waffles ... my mouth was watering!

Joseph entertaining Declan ... He loves puppies!

"Those who cling to worthless idols, forfeit the grace that could be theirs!" Jonah 2:5

Follow the Leader

Buying food for an army ... 

Secluded in our bedroom, coffee steaming by my side, it has become customary that my mind is a flurry of activity ... At present, I can't seem to put into coherent thoughts, the whirlwind that is swirling around in this thing I call "my mind". There is little boy chatter going on outside the window, my Sunday afternoon nap was interrupted, someone is creating and banging upstairs, and I'm thinking about how much time I need to plan for picking up the team. In the chaos of my thoughts, my emotions have been captivated by one thing ...

Dona Anita ... One of our beloved "Grandma's" at church.  She faithfully stood by the entrance waiting to great us with a hug so tight at times I felt like my head would pop off.  Her greeting would continue as she cupped my face in her hands speaking words of affirmation and life to my soul. She had a twinkle in her eye, one that promised mischief but in reality, it was the twinkle of Father's love.  In the few short months that I've known her, she blessed us with treats, gifts, encouragement and love.  My love language is not gifts and so at first it was hard to receive this form of love. I felt undeserving and uncertain why she would choose to lavish such gifts on me.  Her presence exuded love for family, friends and most of all, the lover of her soul, Jesus. Hindsight is always 20/20 and with the events of the weekend I've come to understand "Abuelita Anita" had a premonition. Possibly months before anyone else knew, I believe she was aware that something was happening in her body. Health was being robbed and life as she knew it on earth would soon find it's end. For this reason, she showered Father's abundant love on our family in the only way she knew how, she gave us gifts. Some of them, her personal treasures.  For those of us looking through the window, her battle with cancer was short.  As death became imminent, plans and preparations were made. However, those who have walked this journey know, "you just can't plan for death." No matter how much premonition one may have, no one knows the hour nor the day and therefore ... one must live ready.

Hence, I leave you with this ... She was a leader who followed. Her heart and life were surrendered to Jesus, the lover of her soul. She was a follower of Jesus and a leader in sharing His unconditional love.  She followed His lead.

 Follow the Leader ... Instinct is His gift ... Live ready

Life on the Mountain
Family shopping spree buying 10 days worth of food for two groups: 105 kilos of rice, 15 kilo beans, 40 kilos chicken, plus, pork, ground beef, 25 dozen eggs and ALL the extras ... Everyone was needed on this 1/2 hour shopping spree! ... Celebrating Dona Anna's life ... Crucifixion drama, wondering where Adam was during ministry time.  No worries, he was peacefully sleeping while praise music filled his soul ... school, El Nido, work and normal life when two groups converge on Casa VidaNet.

Praises
Carmelinda's safe return to CR
The blessing of life with Teams

Prayers
Martha's heath
Sound sleep for our family
That we would follow Father's lead in relating to each other

Building his own Lego set ...
Robotics class in school, peeked his interest!

Micah's stacking abilities ... "years" of experience!

Celebrating Dona Anna

Home school co-op, minus a few

They grow em big in CR!

Crucifixion crew ... sharing laughter ...
Drama that evokes intense emotions

Adam's class talent show

Date night with dad ...
McDonalds Cafe and Cheesecake!

She Asked, He Said Yes

 

Happy Mama's day 

It's not what you think ... It is about Relationship, fellowship, a sense of belonging and purpose ... It's kinda of something we all long for, right? We all want to belong, somewhere. We've prayed, asked you all to pray and we've expected Father's perfect connections for our boys, a place for them to belong. Most recently, I've had this longing for a youth group for Micah. A place where he can connect, laugh and be silly, a place to call his own.  Family 24x7 is a gift but come on, ya' all know teens need teen time! There's been English youth group connections and English is his preference, however he knows Spanish is imperative for language, culture and blooming where God has planted us ... can we find a balance God? We pursued some, he pursued others and still others pursued him. Opportunities came and went, some near but most far away. Still, nothing seemed to settle in our hearts and feel right until ... Kara. 

Redemption. God is a lover of Redemption. He desires to redeem all the bad, sad, horrific and detestable things that happen in our lives. I believe He is good and truly desires good to come of all things. Even when babies die, innocence is robbed, when greed takes without thought to the other, when death comes giving no regard to more life yet to be lived, when despair is common place and hope a rarity ... God desires good. When all hope was lost, God purposed Redemption.

When Kara and 2/3 of the El Salvador team returned to Casa VidaNet unexpectedly there were tears, anger, questions, frustration and lots of asking, "why God?" What good could possibly come from this team's separation? With their return to CR, God opened doors for them to work with a local church. And ... its newly developing youth group. Can I just say, this was done in such God fashion! What a perfect opportunity, Micah knows this team, they speak English and Spanish, it's close to home and ... Kara invited. Sometimes missionaries need the invitation! Redemption ... God's purpose if for good to come out of despair.  Although healing is a journey this team must walk, to bare witness this sweet morsel of redemption is such a gift!

Kara asked ... Micah said yes ... Good rising from the rubble 

Life on the Mountain

The stomach bug lives in CR too! Unfortunately we all had our turn ... This week felt full of fellowship, lots of interaction with people and not a lot of alone time. This can be very life-giving, however in combination with our bodies fighting off the aforementioned virus, we felt drained most of the week ...  A day off school provided time to work on Science Fair recycling projects ... yesterday we attended a life-giving Marriage retreat while the boys were entertained by Declan (Thanks Liz and Manu) : ) ... And, the week ended (or started) with Futbol, pizza and chicken!

Praises

Healing

Byron, patiently teaching Jedidiah

Celebrating Mom and the gift of our mothers

Youth group connections

Hugs from Jessica and family

Safe return home for Delynn, Gloria and Vinny

English library ... can we ever just get there and back without any issues?

Prayers

Health

Omar and Anna ... she was a church grandma to the boys ... she's dying from cervical cancer

Ability to listen in Spanish, English and to each other's heart

Cuco's mom ... hospitalized after domestic abuse

Vida Missions team of 20 arriving Tuesday to spend a week with us

Youth group connections

Leadership meeting tomorrow ... clarity and unity in planning for the summer

Kara and team ...
Please pray for this team's healing journey.
Redemption ...

"I woke up and did my homework all by
myself while Mama was in the shower!"

Hard labor is good for the sick body ...
Ever heard of a Hoover concrete mixer? ...
How to feel exhausted!

 Buddies exploring Dinosaurs

A day off school ... Extra shopping helpers!

Wrapping the can with "T'shirt yarn"

Finished Science Fair Project ...
Recycled tin cans and t'shirts!