Slave to Fashion ~ Baby Care Love

Thorn in my flesh, keepin' it real ... There have been some weeks that I have prided myself in the fact

A sight to behold ...

that I wore the same outfit ALL week ... yup, ALL week! I call it practicality, I have one paint outfit ... if my daily activities involved painting, staining and varnishing, I wore that one outfit, all week. Obviously showers were essential and deo and body splash a necessity. But truth be told, as morning dawned, my hair got thrown into a pony tail, a flashy pair of ear rings were added for some bling and I would don the same dark grey shorts and black t'shirt for day # ...1, 2, 3, 4, and 5! As a missionary, it seems trivial to think about fashion when the women I work with don't even have enough money to buy rice and beans ... yet the truth remains, I am a slave to fashion. Life in Akron provided an easy fix to my entrapment as Goodwill fed my fashion sense for a fraction of the price. CR has many "American Clothing" stores (a.k.a. Goodwill) that could satisfy my need for fashion. However, living on a more conservative budget has cause me to think twice about fueling this desire to add to my wardrobe, just because.

God's gift of red skinny jeans ... seriously, let me explain! I've been envying these women who are donning colored pants. A far cry from my usual bottoms of black, grey or denim. Not envying enough to rush out and buy my own. However, if I happened to be walking by an "American Clothing" store and saw some appealing bottoms of color, I have definitely been side tracked exploring for treasures inside, but to no avail.

This desire for colored bottoms isn't something I've shared with anyone, especially not Father. His words keep echoing in my mind, Matthew 6:28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow, they do not labor or spin." I knew these worldly bottoms are a want, not a need, so a dream they remained. Last week as I was going through a bag of donations that appeared to be directly from my dear Gramie's closet. Suddenly, my eyes beheld the most beautiful red garment tucked securely among Grandma's clothing. As I unwrapped this "gift" I thought, "Seriously God, this has to be a joke, You couldn't have possibly hidden a pair of red skinny jeans among these 'unfashionable' garments, could You? ... Oh yes HE did! I laughed, looked around for a hidden camera, thanked Him and tenderly folded this gem as I reflected on the way He loves me. Father delights in seeing His children laugh, He knows the thorn in my flesh for fashion and at times he even allows me to revel in the absurdity of it!

Slave to fashion ... Heart after HIS ... He's still working on me ...

Praises

Protection for Adam - gash on his forehead earned him one stitch and a nasty bump

Healing for Micah - Upset stomach, feeling weak and dizzy. Praising God it only lasted an hour.

Laughter for Joseph - can't describe the joy in my heart to see his spark returning!

Friends for Jedi - his need for attention and friendship is satisfied as the students returned.

Red pants

House - thank you for praying with us, we're moving in two weeks to a cozy little house in what feels like the town of Akron.

Summer full of activity - as we used to say at work, "get your roller skates on!"

Marriage retreat focusing on communication.

All of you!

Prayers

Health

Healing for Sarai, one of our students

Communication: Daryl and I, Leadership team, boys and us

Focus on what can be done, not overwhelmed by the big picture

Relationships with our new landlords. Our houses are separated by a front walk. We will look out our Kitchen window at their front door. Lord, let us be an example of You!

Life at the Base ... El Nido blessings continue as I get to meet the Mama's, nuzzle the babes, laugh with the toddlers and bear witness to the positive changes they desire for their lives! ... The physical work continues, external changes visible daily ... relationships being built spending time working together ...