Neglecting the Gift of You



Care package ... "No, you can't eat it all tonight!"
Warning, intimate conversation ahead ... Quite often I feel like Father uses my relationship with my sweet hubby as a comparison in my relationship with Him.  After 16 years of wedded bliss, we're still learning the discipline of dying to self and giving to each other.  And, after 33 years of new life in Christ, I'm still learning the discipline of dying to self and giving all (tiredness, anxiety, fear, uncertainty, longing for routine) to Him. The stress and strain of a busy summer and the demands of life have caused some neglected.  When our eyes are fixed on the tasks and lists around us we loose sight of the gift we have been given to walk through life with. Confession time ... just keepin it real here ... we can all use a little prayer, right? I mean come on, what gal doesn't long for a tender gaze from her heart throb and hearing him say "you look hot"?  And is there a masculine persona out there that doesn't long for affirmation and a back rub from his wifey to ease his aches away? Quite honestly, we've neglected the simplicity of gazing into each others eyes, intimately talking and listening to each other, giving selflessly to each other and being googly-eyed in love.  As the foundation of our marriage is built on Christ the solid rock, we are still strongly in love with each other and Him ... However, dying to self and giving to each other is essential to build on this foundation.  Sound familiar? ... Isn't that what Father asks of us?  It's the discipline of dying to self that makes relationships work ... my relationship with my Heavenly Father and ... my relationship with my soulmate here on earth.

From my Father's heart ...We living in the same world, walking in the same direction, in the busyness of the day I don't look His way, I don't see His eyes on me ... Communication is essential so when I don't feel like talking or listening, I feel distant ... in His silence I wonder if He still cares, in my silence His love beckons my soul ... Some days He holds my hand and leads me, other times He opens the door and ushers me from behind ... through my foggy morning eyes His gaze is alive, my spirit cries, "Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love" ... As the tenderness of night falls and I settle into His arms, He whispers to my spirit "You will sleep in perfect peace as you fix your eyes on Me ... My beloved, do not be anxious about anything." His perfect peace ... those moments I want to give myself fully to Him and my soul longs for the intimacy of falling more in love with Him ... Father, forgive me for neglecting the gift of You!

Intimate love ... Time, a gift to give ... His sweat heart I am

Life on the Mountain ... This week was all about finding the routine that causes life to feel 'normal'.
Smiles mask the emotions ... 

The week started with Daryl and Micah returning from a "Ten hour hike" ... in reality, it was a 2 hour tractor ride followed by a 4 hour hike "over the river and through the woods" to serve the people of Alto Coen and help them build a house ... followed by 3 days of vacation with our family of 31 in beautiful Barcelo Tambor beach, "Yes boys, all inclusive means you can drink "free" Pina Coladas all day long!" ... Cleaning up the base for Vida220 Graduation ... how do you say good bye? lots of tears, hugs and blessings ... daily Scooter races ... More groceries to buy and more donations to wash ... Lots of haircuts, 17 to be exact! ... Visiting with the neighbors, celebrating their daughters birthday and laughing at our kids "Spanglish" ... Daryl, Micah and Jedidiah playing on the worship team, music to my ears ... A family night watching Little House on the Prairie DVD's ...




Prayers
-Healing ... Adam's cough, Daryl & Micah chigger bites, my cold
-Discipline and routine of starting school again ... I was hoping for something different, but familiar is good too.
-Next generation of Vida220 students ... call them God!
-Communication and unity with VidaNet staff
-A Full time cook for the Base
-Relationships: Daryl and I, us with the boys, friends for boys

Praises
Vida220 Graduation 
Connections with Landlords and neighbors
Ferry ride, beach, pools, sunshine and time spent with family
Affirmation of The Call
Each one of you ... seriously, we thank God for you! Your support and affirmation are such a gift to us!


Homemade Granizados ...
what's the secret ingredient?

2 hour Tractor ride is better than a 10 hour hike!

River crossing en route to Alto Coen
... keep your feet up!

Betzer and Jedi ... showing him God's love and attention

Ferry ride to our vacation destination ...
first time for everything!

"Hundreds" of these graced our presence at our vacation resort ...
"No, you can't catch one! No, we don't need a pet!
No, you can't keep his tail!"

Rescuing the bell from the top ... Our boys are monkeys ...
scaled the wall sin zapatos!

Scarlet Macaw ... flying freely through our resort!
"Yes, you can have a pet ... but you have to catch one first!"

Lounging in the pool with Samuel and Dylan

Hair cut list ... plus a few add ons!
Our Graduates! I feel like a proud Mama ...
Be strong and courageous, do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go!
Vida220 leadership, Manuel & Liz and Delynn & Gloria
Worshiping in Spirit and in Truth ...
Handsome boys ... ready to celebrate Graduation!

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in YOU." Isaiah 26:3



One Year Old

Today I was contemplating "The Blog" ... Happy one year anniversary, Blog! You're words have become the voice of our journey, as you deliver our passion for living.  Your pictures, a window into the heart and soul of our mission.  You beckon me to unveil the sacred and uncanny moments of our lives as you dance merrily before me taunting me to join you in narrating the journey ... I can no longer refuse you, I love spending time with you, you've drawn out the writer in me that can only be satisfied through revealing what you were created for ... Connecting my heart with the hearts of your readers for the sole purpose of revealing Father's compassionate love.

Furious love ... Abandoned to Him ... All for His glory

  Happy anniversary dearest Blog, thank you for allowing me to share my heart!

My happy place ... by his side!
These last few weeks our lives have been filled with community and I've pondered almost daily, words, phrases or sentiments that could make for a 'good blog' topic. However, attempting to capture the essence of life in just a few simple words or pictures has proved challenging! Inspiring stories abound and there are pictures aplenty, yet one simple word resonates deep within me ...  TEN ... I laugh at the thought ... seriously God, is there nothing more profound or moving, then the number TEN?  Allow me explain my absurdity ... My dear hubby and oldest son, Micah are on an adventure with the Vida220 students.  They left Wednesday morning for a 5 hour drive (I think) followed by ... a TEN hour hike.  Yup, that's why the word 10 is resonating so deeply within my soul, a TEN hour hike, one way!  The plan was ... hike in starting at 4:30 am on Thursday, spend today (Friday) ministering to the Bribri people, hike out Saturday and drive the approx. 5 hours home. Returning safely to my arms around midnight Saturday ... Psalm 34:15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry ... Lord, let them mount on wings as eagles, run and not grow weary, walk and not be faint.

Contemplating TEN ... 

TEN ... days spent with family.  We were so blessed to share life in CR with the Eshlemans.  God, You know just what we need ... laughter, tears and heart to hearts shared with loved ones who know us so well.
TEN ... bags of clothing donations washed, dried, folded and rebagged ... boys, you can do your own wash this week!
TEN ... months of Vida220.  Graduation is next week ... time to say good bye.
TEN ... Adam needs 10+ solid hours of sleep.  This little boy has been running with the big kids, missing naps and now has a stuffy nose and fever to show for it.
TEN ... Jedi has been planning his 10th birthday celebration for October! He talks constantly about it and has plans and dreams bigger than our budget will allow.
TEN ... about the hour we settled in to chat each night with Bryan and Sharon.
TEN ... more minutes of sleep when I hit my snooze ... snooze reason stated above.
TEN ... hugs, smiles, thank you's and "I love you's" from Joseph, my son who knows what makes my heart happy.
TEN ... sun scorched bodies from a day at the beach.
TEN ... hour hike ...

Prayers
-Ramona (from El Nido), her 12 year old son, Carlos, was washed down steam and is thought to have drowned.  They have not recovered his body yet.
-Adam, health and healing
-Daryl, Micah and students, strength, safety and joy
-Jedidiah's heart as he says good bye to some amazing young men who have taken him under their wing and loved on him in a way only God can do.

Praises
-Safety and seeing the Hand of God as the students were out on a Luke 10 outreach
-Connections with neighbors
-Daily manna, a roof over our head and sunsets
-time spent with family
-Opportunities to share Fathers love
-Language acquisition, it's flowing!
-A month with Jeanessa ... I miss her sweet presence!
-A multitude of God moments with VM outreach locations 

Kids Club in Canalete ... Outreach with Agape Church

Building Sunday school classrooms ...
Outreach in Canalete

Scorpion outside our cabin in Canalete ...
"I don't care if it's dead, don't touch it!"

All creatures great and small ... Smallest frog ever!

"Look mama, I caught one too!"

Cleaning up the tools after a work day ...
this boys loves to clean!

Mud boggin' buddies

Futbol ... a quick way to make friends!


And ... cooling more than our toes!

A perfect way to start his mornings ... 

"Costco" (Price Smart) here we come ... 
How does one feed 150 youth? ... with 40 pizzas!


Best ride ever!!  Yup, they rode it 7 times in a row ...
practice for navigating the streets of CR!

Christmas in July ...
thanks to some dear friends who made this possible!
Why did we go this way? ... I'm tired!

11,000 ft above sea level ...
the Majestic beauty of the Irazu Volcano ...
deep breath kids!

Higher than the clouds ... touching Heaven

Tasting Costa Rica ... Granizados 

Which one of these is not like the other ones? ...
Sun, shade and surf
Andres, our new neighbor boy ... new riding toys!


My heart is full ... God's gift of family ... Sharing life



Everything

Giving EVERYTHING to glorify God!

This week we had the privilege of experiencing life surrounded by 117 Vida Mission participants, 8 family members on a work team, add on 18 Vida220 students, about 15 staff and one dog ... totaling approximately 160 mouths to feed! We were challenged to give everything to glorify God! Our days were long, rewarding, challenging, stressful, blessed and our nights were short and sweet!

It is currently 12:26 am, we're leaving in the morning for 4 days of outreach and this crazy organized Mama hasn't packed anything yet ...

James 1:2-5 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

God I need you ... My heart is YOURS ... Strength will rise as I wait on You!

Prayers
4 days of outreach
Health, safety, unity
God to be glorified in EVERYTHING we do and say
Funds for our new van ... $1800 still needed

Praise
Jeanessa to love and care for our boys in our absence
A day of Sabbath rest
Funds for VidaNet's new van ... $1800 still needed
Hearts changed for God's glory
Being surrounded by the prayers of the saints ... seriously we can't thank you all enough for praying us through this journey.

Life on the Mountain


Digging a trench around our temporary dining facility ...
this boy loves to work!

Hamburger hat ... Vida220 float, yum!

Feeding the '5000' with rice and beans

Trash day and friendly neighborhood horses

Shalom loving Jedi's attention

Gloria's little buddy ... staff in training

They all fit ... God's perfect design

New glasses for Samuel

Caribbean night limbo

 English buddies and Spanish buddies ...
sometimes there is no language needed

4 Superheros ready for action ...

Corre, Corre, rapido y podemos volar
(run, run fast and then we can fly!)

practicing dramas for outreach

more dramas

Futbol theme night ...
"HEREDIA!" ... "SAPRISSA"

"Father Abraham had many sons ...
yup, with 150 people in Spanish!"

Perfect ending to a day of rest ... His love shining on us ...
much needed Sabbath rest