Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Clinging to Life

Do you find yourself clinging to life right now?  I have to confess I am clinging to life.  Clinging to things I miss.  Clinging to relationships with friends back home.  Clinging to things familiar.  Clinging to my first language.  Clinging to everything but what I should be clinging to...the TRUTH of God's Word!  Josh and I had a good discussion last night, which was a major milestone for me.  I have found it difficult to have in depth conversations with my own husband for years.  Why?  Maybe from fear of really sharing my heart and those thoughts being out there vulnerable to what I don't know.  But I felt like a light turned on last night for me not only in this area but in the area of where I am having difficulty.

This step of faith, in coming to Nicaragua, has been one of the hardest things I have ever done but I can probably guarantee will not be the last.  I have had to depend on things other than myself which is what we all should be doing everyday!  We should be clinging to the very foundation of what our life is about - Christ!  Josh reminded, which I knew already but so need reminding everyday, me that I am here in Nicaragua for a purpose.  I have discovered that in the missionary community it is a lot like the military community in that people have reservations of making deep friendships with others for fear of them moving away.  If you know me, really know me you know that is so not my nature.  That is the complete OPPOSITE of my personality.  I want to develop deeper relationships and am not afraid of sharing my heart, all my heart with others.  I have felt God nudging me to get closer with the ladies in our neighborhood but definitely need God's help with this.  Another mom in the neighborhood talked about when she first came it was hard to get into a group that already looked so tight.  We must be willing to open our hearts to have others be a part of our groups.  Because who are we to say someone would be a part of the group or not.  Think about the movie, "Yaya Sisterhood" (one of my favorites) and the diversity of the ladies who were friends.  We need diversity because we can all learn from each other.  We learn how to be a better daughter of the King, a better wife, a better mother, and a better friend when we let down our walls.  Jesus calls us to LOVE but how can we love others if we put up walls and cling to things in this life, instead of clinging to HIM.

God uses the daily things in our life to bring us closer to Him if only we will allow them to do so.  Don't look at the trials as something bad but as a chance to go deeper in your relationship with others and with God.  Cling to the TRUTHS found in God’s Word.  Cling to the PROMISES that He has given.  Cling to not only the CROSS but to the EMPTY TOMB.  

Sunday, May 4, 2014

A Week Off

A week can be a good thing but it can be a bad thing as well.  The good is that we have time to catch up on office things...newsletter, receipts, finance program.  As well as trying to get everything lined up for the kids to begin their new school on May 5th.  The bad part is not being in language school for a week.  You know the saying, "if you don't use it, you lose it", well I must practice speaking in Spanish this week!  I must!  I must!

A week off can be a good thing.  We have had a great week of getting our to do list completed which is a load off my shoulders.  I have realized this week the importance of rest and how often we go, go, go and ignore what our bodies are telling us.  WE think we are invisible and can go ninety to nothing and not have consequences to our physical, mental and spiritual well being.  Each morning I have had the privilege of sending a devotional to friends back home and this had provided me such an opportunity!  Not only to strengthen my relationship with Christ but to encourage others as well.  If we are willing to be servants for Christ, you never know what doors he will open for you.

A week off can be bad thing.  I have gotten out of the "normal" routine of going to language school each day and practicing my Spanish.  I guess looking at having a week off, this might have been the only bad thing which I guess is okay.

Last night we found out that the schools will be closed again this coming week!  They have been closed for the last three weeks.  The first week was because of Samana Santa (Holy Week) and the following two weeks was a safety precaution as far as all the earthquakes we have been having.  The weird thing is we have only had two small, and I mean small, earthquakes this past week.  So to close school for another week is not logical to me but I am not in charge.  This really messes up schedules for everyone when the kids are not in school.  Can you imagine the chaos this would cause in the US if they closed schools for 4 weeks?  BOY!  We will looked to neighbors to help watch Sydney and Noah while we go to school each day from 9:00-11:30.   Well, the one thing we have learned here is you go with what you are given.  Make the best of every situation.