Thursday, December 23, 2010

Christmas Eve Eve.
We've passed out all of our gifts, including the ones to the translators and voh staff.
We'll have a few things to do tomorrow and then we'll just relax here at the house for Christmas.

I love spending Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with just me and Jesus. It will be different being here with Mary this year. She is spending her first Christmas without her mother and brother and it is hard for her. Christmas music makes her sad, so I listen to my iPod in my room. We bought some funny blue sequined elf hats with lights, but I doubt that we are festive enough to enjoy them. I'll probably enjoy my quiet time with Jesus and celebrate in my own way.

Today, German picked us up about 9:30 and we went to Juan Pacheco's English school to have our class for the translators. We got started later than planned since we had to wait on some of them to get there. Mary taught part of it and I did the ending. They were appreciative of getting to hear what VOH believes as a ministry and to be discipled. I told them that I would send them the Spanish version of all 4 classes (we only did 101 today), so that they could strengthen their walk, and also be able to use the material in discipling others.

The translators are happy working with VOH. They said that we are different than other groups they translate for, even other ministries. They feel like a part of a family. I told them how much I love hearing them all laugh in the vans when we are working together. They always have a good time and they make the teams feel welcome, too. They do a good job for us.

After the class, we went to get diesel for the van. We had to go to 3 different stations before we found one that had any. That was strange. Then we went back to On the Run to use the bathroom and get sandwiches for lunch. We ate in the van as we drove to Pastor Miguel's house to drop off some extra toys for him to give out at the 2 churches he works with. He jumped in the van to ride out to the house to drop Mary and I off and then to keep German company on the ride back in to town.

Once we got back home, I came to my room and took a good long nap. My tooth, ear and jaw are killing me this afternoon and evening. Sleeping is a catch 22 situation. If I can escape into sleep, I don't notice it. But while sleeping, I clench my jaw and that makes the pain horrible when I wake up. I am thankful that it didn't hurt much today, until we got home. It's been bad all evening and I hope that I can sleep tonight. I'm so thankful for when it doesn't hurt.

Joe called German to make plans for Mary and I for tomorrow. He's one of my Nica sons. He and Marcela couldn't make it to the dinner on Tuesday, since Marcela just had surgery a few weeks ago. Joe was not able to come to the class today and I missed a couple of calls from him (crazy cell phone), so he called German to work out the details. We get to go have dinner with their family tomorrow night! I'm so excited!

German will pick us up about 1:30 tomorrow to attend a special Christmas event with Pastor Miguel's church from 2-4pm. Then German will drop us off at Joe's family's house and we'll hang out with them until dinner about 6:30p. Joe will get us a taxi to bring us home tomorrow night. It will be so fun. I'm looking forward to spending Christmas Eve with them. How special that they would invite us. Christmas Eve is the big celebration with family here, even more so than Christmas Day.

I'm growing weary of the drama of some of the personalities of these past weeks. I am very much comfortable being alone. I think that's way I do so well being single. Dealing with caustic personalities can wear me down to a nub. I don't think it helps that I'm not feeling well. It's probably, also, why I clench my teeth so much in my sleep lately. I read a lot of scripture that spoke volumes to me last night and this morning. I wrote some of it down and carried it with me today to pull out and read when necessary. It was like taking a dose of medicine when needed. I cling to the grace that God allows for when I am weak, both physically and emotionally. Sometimes I have to separate myself from a situation and recharge in that grace of His. I especially look forward to Christmas Day with my Lord.

I got a message from a friend back home telling me that Miss Juanita fell and broke her back. I called Kenneta's cell phone and found her in Miss Juanitas room yesterday. I got the chance to tell Miss Juanita hello and to be careful! I told her that she doesn't bounce as well as she used to. I look forward to visiting her when I get back to Rogers. She's such a sweet lady.

My sister Pam said that the surgeon had good news for her. There was NO cancer in the lymph nodes! Praise God!!! She will see the oncologist next and will be put on anti-hormones for awhile, to try to keep the cancer from coming back. She will also see her radiologist to check the skin around where they will be doing the radiation treatments, then another visit to make the preparations for the treatments. Then she will have 33 radiation treatments over about 7 weeks. Hopefully, and prayerfully, that will take care of everything. She sounds very good. I can tell in her voice that she is feeling better and she says that after the doctor's report, she can sleep better, too. She is so thankful. I'm thankful for all the prayers that have been raised in her behalf. Keep them coming!!

I seem to be going to sleep earlier and earlier these nights. It gets dark by 6:30. If I sit downstairs with Mary, I get bug bit. So I come to my room and close the door to try to keep the bugs away from my light (we keep the 'hallway' light on to attract them and for security). Also, I can listen to my Christmas music in my room at night. Sitting here on the bed makes it very convenient to lay down and read and fall asleep. We'll be getting up early with the team starting on Wednesday, so I might as well get used to going to be early now. We all know that I can use some 'beauty sleep'.

I'm thankful to my God for all His love, provision, direction, protection, forgiveness, grace and mercy. Some days I need it more than others and I know where to go for it. He is my One and Only.