ROAD TRIP TO INDIANA!!!
This will be the first time that I take my time and enjoy the travel to Indiana and back. I’m usually trying to make it all in one day and continually stressing over each minute that I stop for meals or gas or bathroom breaks. I’m giving myself permission to take my time and not worry about a thing. The plan is to stop over night on the way up and the way back. And, if I’m paying for a hotel room, I’m stopping early in the afternoon to get my money’s worth! Ha
I didn’t leave Deanna’s until 9:00am. I stop in Monett for a mocha drink. I don’t usually drink coffee, even though I love it, and the caffeine will surely keep me awake on the drive for the day. It’s smooth sailing and beautiful weather across Missouri. I stop for lunch and visit a Walmart store, which happens to have clearance racks of $1, $3, $5, $7. These are MY kind of prices. I spend an hour shopping. Lol I found lots of stuff to bring back to my friends in Nica. The afternoon consisted of a frozen coffee drink and driving around St Louis. I stopped in Fairfield Heights IL for the night and had a nice early dinner and enjoyed my hotel room immensely! Lovely Day!
The drive on Friday was not so great because of weather. It rained so hard at one point that I took the wrong highway and ended up on an hour detour. But that’s okay. I got back on the right road and ended up at my sister’s house by 5pm their time. It’s cold and rainy there and we had spaghetti for dinner, which hit the spot!
On Saturday, I help Sandy a little bit in the kitchen as she prepares food for the family reunion. I run into Mom’s house to pick up some pictures and to say howdy. We had a nice time with cousins from my Dad’s side of the family. Besides a few funerals in the past couple of years, we have not all been together in about 40 years. One cousin is very big into genealogy and she brought tons of books with pictures and info. Everyone brought some old pictures and we all had fun trying to figure out who everyone was. I have one uncle and one aunt (widow of another uncle) left on Dad’s side. I have to say that it was a very fun afternoon and evening. The funniest thing is that with everyone so into family photos and genealogy, no one took any pictures of the get-together. Jaja
Sunday was Mother’s Day and I went to church with Mom and Gary. Then we went out to Sandy’s for dinner. Mom’s birthday is in May, so we celebrated her birthday, too. I fell asleep and entertained everyone with my snoring. Later in the afternoon, Sandy and I hit Kohl’s and a frozen yogurt place to top off the day. It was great.
Monday, I spent with my sister Pam and her husband Rob. We went to our favorite restaurant, Smokey Bones. We shopped at Sam’s Club and Walmart and a couple of Dollar Trees. It was a lot of fun. I also ran to a music store and found some simple song books for guitar. It was a fun day.
Tuesday, Sandy and I, with my 6 month old nephew Bentley, went shopping at the outlet mall nearby. I found some great deals for myself and others. We had a yummy lunch at Max & Ermas. I had a veggie burger and baked potato. It was cold out so that hit the spot!
Wednesday, Sandy and I ran some errands and had lunch with Dad’s girlfriend, Mary Lou. It was so good to see her. We had fun. I then did some laundry and packed the car for my departure the next morning.
Thursday, I went by Mom’s on the way out of town. She had some medical tests scheduled for the day, so our visit was a good distraction for her. I got a mocha and headed south. The weather was pretty good and I made good time driving. I ended up stopping and having a delicious dinner and enjoyed a lot of hours in my hotel room. It was wonderful! I worked on some computer stuff and Bible Study and watched TV. Very relaxing. I had brought a turtle cheesecake back to my room for a snack. I forgot to get a fork at the restaurant and ended up eating it with my fingers, but it was really good! I slept pretty well.
Friday, I had breakfast at the hotel and headed out for Rogers. I realized part of the way home that I would be able to fit in a stop in Pea Ridge to have lunch with my friend Zandra. It was a treat for both of us! I got home to Deanna’s and unpacked and did some laundry. I immediately started packing suitcases for the trip back to Nica. So much stuff! But so many clearance prices! Lol
It was a tiring week, driving 1300 miles and running around, but it was nice and I’m glad that I got to go.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
May 3-8, 2013
First day back in the states. Lots on my to-list and loving it! I’m SO BLESSED to be able to borrow a car from my wonderful friends Vickie and Michael Brown. It makes all of the errand-running so much easier! They always bless me in many ways. I’m thankful that God brought them into my life many years ago at a kid’s camp in Smackover AR!
This week before leaving for Indiana, I have doctor appointments, dinner appointments and a long list of shopping items that were requested by my friends in Nica. The first day I hit Target and Walmart, have a doctor’s appointment and dinner plans. Deanna got back from Las Vegas this evening and her friend Amy stopped by the house to pick up a coat for Deanna to wear home from the airport. It’s cold!!!
I tried to balance my errands and appointments with some rest time. Deanna always fusses at me to get rest and not push myself too much. But it’s hard! I love spending time with her, though, so it’s a pleasant experience when I can get myself to do it.
On Sunday, I went to FBC Rogers and spoke to a Ladies class that helps to support me in Nica. I got to meet some new ladies and share what God is doing in Nica. It was sweet. I then went to the 9am service and got to make my pledge for the new building campaign. Then I hotfooted it over to the Olive Street church to worship with Cuerpo Vivo. I loved the Spanish worship and really loved getting to see my friends. I treated myself to lunch at my favorite Chinese place, shopped in a few more stores and then headed back to Deanna’s for a restful afternoon. I enjoyed practicing on my good guitar. My fingers were so happy!
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday were spent going to Dr appointments, having meals with friends, shopping, walking, getting some computer work done and practicing Guitar. The week was over before I knew it! I enjoyed running into friends. God is so good at bringing little surprises into my day! Wednesday, I got some laundry done and packed my suitcase for my trip to Indiana. It’s going to be a whirl-wind trip!
I’m keeping my eyes and heart open for the divine appointment that God will bring into my day. I’m spending some quality time alone with Him, asking Him to take control of ALL of me. He is so precious.
This week before leaving for Indiana, I have doctor appointments, dinner appointments and a long list of shopping items that were requested by my friends in Nica. The first day I hit Target and Walmart, have a doctor’s appointment and dinner plans. Deanna got back from Las Vegas this evening and her friend Amy stopped by the house to pick up a coat for Deanna to wear home from the airport. It’s cold!!!
I tried to balance my errands and appointments with some rest time. Deanna always fusses at me to get rest and not push myself too much. But it’s hard! I love spending time with her, though, so it’s a pleasant experience when I can get myself to do it.
On Sunday, I went to FBC Rogers and spoke to a Ladies class that helps to support me in Nica. I got to meet some new ladies and share what God is doing in Nica. It was sweet. I then went to the 9am service and got to make my pledge for the new building campaign. Then I hotfooted it over to the Olive Street church to worship with Cuerpo Vivo. I loved the Spanish worship and really loved getting to see my friends. I treated myself to lunch at my favorite Chinese place, shopped in a few more stores and then headed back to Deanna’s for a restful afternoon. I enjoyed practicing on my good guitar. My fingers were so happy!
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday were spent going to Dr appointments, having meals with friends, shopping, walking, getting some computer work done and practicing Guitar. The week was over before I knew it! I enjoyed running into friends. God is so good at bringing little surprises into my day! Wednesday, I got some laundry done and packed my suitcase for my trip to Indiana. It’s going to be a whirl-wind trip!
I’m keeping my eyes and heart open for the divine appointment that God will bring into my day. I’m spending some quality time alone with Him, asking Him to take control of ALL of me. He is so precious.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
May 2, 2013
Travel Day.
I got up at 2:30am to leave for the airport by 3:30am. Nelson drove me. We were both very quiet on the way. I tried to doze a little bit, but couldn’t really sleep. At least I didn’t get carsick like I have been doing lately.
Nelson dropped me off at the Managua airport at 5am. I got checked in pretty quick, since there weren’t many in the Delta line. There was a wait at the immigration area due to so many flights leaving at the same time. You never know how long the process will take, so we are always at the airport by 5am. I got through security after walking through the doorframe equipment and then getting wanded and then getting patted down. It’s nice to have attention. Haha I made it upstairs to my gate and grabbed a bagel and juice for my breakfast. I walked around a bit and then sat and made a few phone calls. My family in IN are 2 hours ahead of Nica, so it was a great time to call them. One more trip through another security checkpoint and I was on the plane.
The flight was great. I had upgraded to the economy seats with more legroom. I had the row to myself. I snoozed a little bit on the way to Atlanta. I chatted with the guy across the aisle. He was happy to have the row to himself, too. He was tall and rather large, so he always upgrades. He said that most people don’t want to spend the extra money, so he gets whole rows quite a bit. We both decided that it is worth it!
For my layover at Atlanta airport, I had a great hot lunch at TGIFridays. It was so yummy. It was rainy and a little chilly in Atlanta. Inside the airport was fine, but just looking out at the drizzle made me feel cold. When I left León at 3:30am, it was in the 80s. It got progressively colder the farther my day went. By the time I reached NWArkansas, it was in the 30s and rainy. Yuk!
Rusty and Lynn Branson picked me up at the airport and took me to dinner. It was lovely to spend time with them. And I loved the restaurant. Bentonville is getting a lot of bistro type restaurants and I’m loving that!
I made it to Deanna’s and got settled in. It was so good to get there. Deanna was still in Las Vegas visiting her daughter’s family after helping them with a mission event. It was just me, Jet (the dog) and LucyAlice (the cat). Everyone slept in my room. Haha
I was so glad to be in my US room and bed. I miss being in Nica, but I feel like my room at Deanna’s is my safe and cozy nest. It actually snowed overnight. I took some pictures at 4:30am when I let Jet out for the bathroom. I was afraid that the snow would be gone by morning. But when I got up, there was more snow and I got some better pictures. The weather turned back to rain during the day, so the snow went away. Brrrrrrr. I was not ready for that cold weather! But it was good to be ‘home’ in the US.
I got up at 2:30am to leave for the airport by 3:30am. Nelson drove me. We were both very quiet on the way. I tried to doze a little bit, but couldn’t really sleep. At least I didn’t get carsick like I have been doing lately.
Nelson dropped me off at the Managua airport at 5am. I got checked in pretty quick, since there weren’t many in the Delta line. There was a wait at the immigration area due to so many flights leaving at the same time. You never know how long the process will take, so we are always at the airport by 5am. I got through security after walking through the doorframe equipment and then getting wanded and then getting patted down. It’s nice to have attention. Haha I made it upstairs to my gate and grabbed a bagel and juice for my breakfast. I walked around a bit and then sat and made a few phone calls. My family in IN are 2 hours ahead of Nica, so it was a great time to call them. One more trip through another security checkpoint and I was on the plane.
The flight was great. I had upgraded to the economy seats with more legroom. I had the row to myself. I snoozed a little bit on the way to Atlanta. I chatted with the guy across the aisle. He was happy to have the row to himself, too. He was tall and rather large, so he always upgrades. He said that most people don’t want to spend the extra money, so he gets whole rows quite a bit. We both decided that it is worth it!
For my layover at Atlanta airport, I had a great hot lunch at TGIFridays. It was so yummy. It was rainy and a little chilly in Atlanta. Inside the airport was fine, but just looking out at the drizzle made me feel cold. When I left León at 3:30am, it was in the 80s. It got progressively colder the farther my day went. By the time I reached NWArkansas, it was in the 30s and rainy. Yuk!
Rusty and Lynn Branson picked me up at the airport and took me to dinner. It was lovely to spend time with them. And I loved the restaurant. Bentonville is getting a lot of bistro type restaurants and I’m loving that!
I made it to Deanna’s and got settled in. It was so good to get there. Deanna was still in Las Vegas visiting her daughter’s family after helping them with a mission event. It was just me, Jet (the dog) and LucyAlice (the cat). Everyone slept in my room. Haha
I was so glad to be in my US room and bed. I miss being in Nica, but I feel like my room at Deanna’s is my safe and cozy nest. It actually snowed overnight. I took some pictures at 4:30am when I let Jet out for the bathroom. I was afraid that the snow would be gone by morning. But when I got up, there was more snow and I got some better pictures. The weather turned back to rain during the day, so the snow went away. Brrrrrrr. I was not ready for that cold weather! But it was good to be ‘home’ in the US.
May 1, 2013
It’s a holiday here, so there are no workers besides Alberto. Edmundo was on duty to drive me anywhere I wanted to go. I didn’t know that he was told to work. I told German to go ahead and send him home. If I go to town, I’ll get a taxi. No sense in someone working his holiday to just sit around and see if I want to go to town or not.
There was supposed to be a women’s retreat here today, but they never showed up. I guess that church changed its mind. It’s been very quiet. I did get up early and do my laundry so it would be done before the retreat. Buster is going around sleeping in different spots. It’s so funny to run across him lying on his back with his four legs up in the air. What a goof!
I had some yummy leftover Arroz Aguado for lunch! I love it cold. I think I will go to town for dinner later. Other than that, I have been charging up my electronics to pack, packing travel clothes and souvenirs and what work documents that I need to have with me. I’m all ready now! I just have to finish cleaning out my fridge.
I’ve sent out some messages and made phone calls. I hope to have a restful afternoon and be able to go to sleep early. I need to find my alarm clock to get up at 2:30am. Travel days are about the only times that I use an alarm clock. You just wake up early here.
I’m looking forward to seeing family and friends in the states. But it is still hard to not be here. I’m open to all of the opportunities that God allows for me bless someone and to be loved on myself! God is so good!
There was supposed to be a women’s retreat here today, but they never showed up. I guess that church changed its mind. It’s been very quiet. I did get up early and do my laundry so it would be done before the retreat. Buster is going around sleeping in different spots. It’s so funny to run across him lying on his back with his four legs up in the air. What a goof!
I had some yummy leftover Arroz Aguado for lunch! I love it cold. I think I will go to town for dinner later. Other than that, I have been charging up my electronics to pack, packing travel clothes and souvenirs and what work documents that I need to have with me. I’m all ready now! I just have to finish cleaning out my fridge.
I’ve sent out some messages and made phone calls. I hope to have a restful afternoon and be able to go to sleep early. I need to find my alarm clock to get up at 2:30am. Travel days are about the only times that I use an alarm clock. You just wake up early here.
I’m looking forward to seeing family and friends in the states. But it is still hard to not be here. I’m open to all of the opportunities that God allows for me bless someone and to be loved on myself! God is so good!
April 28-30, 2013
We set up for church this morning and the service was nice. We were a little down in numbers, but the praise band was great! German’s sermon was very good, too! I didn’t have any kids, so I got to listen to the whole service. I enjoyed it.
Freddy and I had a great lunch at Al Carbón and then headed back to the team house for a while before some other English Bible Study students came over for a visit. I worked on sorting and organizing the copies for the next 5 weeks of Women’s Bible Study notes and 7 weeks of Children’s curriculum for our 5 churches. It felt good to get that all ready for distribution on Monday morning! This will more than cover the weeks that I will be gone to the states.
Ronaldo, Danilo and Freddy swam (with Buster) for a few hours while Estefanie and I chatted. It was a very restful afternoon. I’m thankful to Sherry for allowing us to use the pool this afternoon. We had fun practicing new words in Spanish and English. We come up with some really crazy discussions sometimes! Buster loved all of the attention. Everyone went home about 6pm and I came to my room to go over notes for Monday’s 3 classes, practice guitar, pin some aprons for the cooks and hopefully watch a video before bed. Tomorrow will be a very long day. I hope that the frogs will let me sleep tonight! I’m wearing out my earplugs! Lol
Monday was indeed a long day, but lovely. I got the privilege of teaching both of the English Bible Study Group classes (morning class usually on Fridays and the Monday evening class). God spoke to me differently in each class, even though the material was the same. I love how He makes His relevant to so many people in so many ways.
I taught 2 week’s classes for the Women’s Bible Study to the ladies. I gave each lady a bag with 5 weeks of materials for the Women’s classes (which should take them through May) and 7 weeks worth of materials for the Kid’s classes. I was glad to get it all accomplished. They were glad to get a new bag! Haha
The day was bittersweet in that we were missing some people and I’m always sad to leave for my visits for the states. I love it here so much and God has made it a part of my heart. I’m a big crier anyway, so we spent our time between crying and laughing. Manuel and Mike came over to get some stuff from the office. Manuel played the drums and ‘his’ guitar, jumped on the trampoline, sang and danced. I caught it all on video and will put them on facebook.
I had lots of prayers over me for my trip and time away from my Nica family. I am so blessed to have these wonderful people in my life.
Tuesday was spent finishing up some work, praying with more people, doing some needed communication and then church at 5:30. The service was good and relaxed. The band was good, even though we missed Jorge. German gave a good message. I had 4 kids, plus a mama and baby at my coloring/Bible story table. After church, we cleaned up and then I retired to my room. I practiced guitar and watched a video. I stayed up a little later than usual knowing that Wednesday is a holiday. Still haven’t started packing yet. I think I’m avoiding it till the last minute.
I’m clinging to God and His promises for me. I know that He is the Almighty God and has ALL things under control. Sometimes I just have to exercise my emotions, I guess. I trust in Him and have peace from Him.
Freddy and I had a great lunch at Al Carbón and then headed back to the team house for a while before some other English Bible Study students came over for a visit. I worked on sorting and organizing the copies for the next 5 weeks of Women’s Bible Study notes and 7 weeks of Children’s curriculum for our 5 churches. It felt good to get that all ready for distribution on Monday morning! This will more than cover the weeks that I will be gone to the states.
Ronaldo, Danilo and Freddy swam (with Buster) for a few hours while Estefanie and I chatted. It was a very restful afternoon. I’m thankful to Sherry for allowing us to use the pool this afternoon. We had fun practicing new words in Spanish and English. We come up with some really crazy discussions sometimes! Buster loved all of the attention. Everyone went home about 6pm and I came to my room to go over notes for Monday’s 3 classes, practice guitar, pin some aprons for the cooks and hopefully watch a video before bed. Tomorrow will be a very long day. I hope that the frogs will let me sleep tonight! I’m wearing out my earplugs! Lol
Monday was indeed a long day, but lovely. I got the privilege of teaching both of the English Bible Study Group classes (morning class usually on Fridays and the Monday evening class). God spoke to me differently in each class, even though the material was the same. I love how He makes His relevant to so many people in so many ways.
I taught 2 week’s classes for the Women’s Bible Study to the ladies. I gave each lady a bag with 5 weeks of materials for the Women’s classes (which should take them through May) and 7 weeks worth of materials for the Kid’s classes. I was glad to get it all accomplished. They were glad to get a new bag! Haha
The day was bittersweet in that we were missing some people and I’m always sad to leave for my visits for the states. I love it here so much and God has made it a part of my heart. I’m a big crier anyway, so we spent our time between crying and laughing. Manuel and Mike came over to get some stuff from the office. Manuel played the drums and ‘his’ guitar, jumped on the trampoline, sang and danced. I caught it all on video and will put them on facebook.
I had lots of prayers over me for my trip and time away from my Nica family. I am so blessed to have these wonderful people in my life.
Tuesday was spent finishing up some work, praying with more people, doing some needed communication and then church at 5:30. The service was good and relaxed. The band was good, even though we missed Jorge. German gave a good message. I had 4 kids, plus a mama and baby at my coloring/Bible story table. After church, we cleaned up and then I retired to my room. I practiced guitar and watched a video. I stayed up a little later than usual knowing that Wednesday is a holiday. Still haven’t started packing yet. I think I’m avoiding it till the last minute.
I’m clinging to God and His promises for me. I know that He is the Almighty God and has ALL things under control. Sometimes I just have to exercise my emotions, I guess. I trust in Him and have peace from Him.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
April 21-28, 2013
Sunday morning was an early day to set up for church. The service was nice. German preached and we didn’t have English translation. Personally, I like that because it helps me practice understanding the message in Spanish. Freddy hung around for a while and we visited. A couple of the worker’s kids were here to swim with Manuel. I had pizza with the Hulseys and then they headed home mid-afternoon when it got really hot. I took a nice nap and then did some work on Bible Study classes. I hemmed some jeans for Manuel while watching a video. I had gotten a message from a friend that I have met on facebook who works with a ministry here in Nica. She and her sister (and co-worker) are coming for a week of meetings and such at the end of the month. We’re planning to get together in person and visit. We have talked via facebook messages and skype. It will be nice to meet them in person. Those crazy frogs were at it again and I had to sleep with earplugs again! I’ll be so glad when they hop right on out of here!
Monday I took a lovely 2 hour walk to downtown. I did a little shopping and picked up some rubber sandals (chinelas) for Alberto. His broke and he had borrowed a (much too big) pair from one of the workers. I found 2 pairs for him and was pleased. I also got the privilege to give Saturnino his new glasses. When he preached for us for the first time, he had to borrow Mike’s glasses. I told German to schedule an eye exam for him and order the glasses. I’m so excited that Saturnino will be able to read easier now. I worked on Bible Study notes in the morning and after lunch I taught the Women’s Bible Study Leadership Training. We are trying to work ahead one month on the lessons so that the ladies will be prepared for 3 weeks that I am gone. Then we’ll work ahead 2 more months to cover the time that the teams are here and we can’t have classes for the leaders. The individual women’s classes will continue to meet all summer long. They did not want to take a break. That’s good! I taught the English Bible Study Group in the evening and then went to bed early. Mondays are pretty long days for me and the heat really zaps me. But it’s all good!
Tuesday morning I had a great walk to Central Park and then stopped by a grocery store, the copy place and the mercadito. Freddy came over for my Spanish tutoring session. I helped the girls bag up donated clothing. It was very hot! Sherry called me in the afternoon to send out a message to the Interns. We set up for church. Mike had asked me to contact Freddy to have him translate for church service. German was busy picking up the donated school bus from the Honduras/Nica border and getting it to Managua, so he couldn’t be at church to translate for Mike. It was a good service. I joked around with the band afterward. I love hanging out with these guys. I shortened some dresses for Sherry while I watched a video and then headed to bed.
Wednesday morning I was very tired and didn’t walk. Like I said last week, I think the culmination of the long busy days of Sun, Mon and Tues catch up with me on Wed. I went to the feeding centers at San Jacinto and La Quimera to get some pictures while Mayela handed out some goodie bags for the volunteer cooks. When we got back to the team house it was time for lunch and Manuel happily told each person that lunch was ready. He’s so funny sometimes. I worked on Bible Study notes some more and prepared originals of the Kid’s lessons to make copies for the month of May. I chatted with Lesly and did some laundry. Later in the afternoon, I got to meet Fernando, who drove our donated school bus from TX to Nicaragua. It’s a very dangerous trip and he was prayed over by many, many people. He has quite a testimony about his life. I was very happy to get to meet him. The motorcycles arrived for the give-aways for the crusades. It’s exciting to see them all here. The band practiced for a while. Heriberto was learning a praise song in English and was checking with me to see if I could understand the words he was singing. The new stove and refrigerator arrived for the kitchen. We will be cooking for over 100 per meal for some of the teams this summer. Even with the new equipment, we still have to use a wood fire sometimes and grocery shop 2-3 times per week. It will be crazy! I spent the evening in my room practicing guitar and hemming a dress for Sherry while watching a video. Another good day.
Thursday I had a wonderful 2 hour walk downtown. I went to Pan y Paz bakery and bought some treats for the workers. The raison rolls were still warm when they put them in the bag. Unfortunately, they were very soft and squished a little bit by the time I walked back to the team house. But everyone enjoyed them very much. I stopped by the mercadito, too. I sent a message to a friend in the US about finding a used iPhone for use down here. I am so useless about finding these things. I had my Spanish tutoring time with Freddy. I have to admit that I didn’t spend any time studying the in the last 2 days. He said that if I missed 5 words I was going to have to do 100 push-ups! Oh no! I ran some errands and picked up some meds, got a haircut, shopped and then treated myself to a milkshake at Eskimo. I swam for just a bit for some exercise. I worked on Bible Study notes and then worked on another dress for Sherry while watching a video. I was very ready for bed!
Friday morning my stomach was a little iffy, so I didn’t go for a walk. Mike came over early to talk to the workers during their morning devotion time. There will be some changes during the next months. I taught English Bible Study Group and Fabricio accepted the Lord!! How awesome! Our internet went out and we had trouble with the phone line, too. Bummer. I used my Nica phone to make some phone calls. I ran a few errands with Lesly and Jaasiel and treated them to Eskimo ice cream. We ran into Heriberto and Areyson at Eskimo and I treated them, too. I picked up my copies of class notes for the month of May. A full copy paper box and $84 worth! I rode with Jorge to run a few more errands then he brought me back to the team house. I worked on my April receipts for my personal bookkeeping. I also tried to catch up on my blog. Freddy called and stopped by for a brief moment. I practiced guitar and then watched a video. I’m feeling kind of bummed right now. There are changes coming and I’m not good at major changes. I welcome what the Lord has planned and trust Him, but it’s out of my comfort zone to move from the familiar to the unknown sometimes. He has to take me in baby steps. It’s when I feel most vulnerable that I cling to Him more fervently. I’m so thankful for Him!
Saturday I slept in (thanks to the frogs serenading me all night) and missed my time for a walk before taking my bloodpressure meds. Oh well. I finished up a dress for Sherry. I called and chatted with Mary a while on my Nica phone, then I had to call German to buy me some more minutes! Lol The phone guys finally came and said that the problem was in the phone itself and not in the line. So right now our internet is working. I hope it stays up. I’m rather spoiled to it! I’m getting some laundry done today and trying to start thinking about what to pack for the states.
I got to spend some time with some friends that I met on facebook through mutual friends. They have a ministry here in Nica called Empower Nicaragua and are doing great things. We have talked on facebook message and have skyped. It was good to get to see them in person. We had a fun time talking and I also got to meet Mario, who works with them as a translator and associate and so much more. What a great time we had! We also had an early dinner at the Mediterranean restaurant. We shared a large pizza with a fired crust. So yummy! We had lots of laughs and shared experiences with ministry work. It was just the kind of blessing that I needed to end my day and my week. God is faithful to always have my back! (and the rest of me!) I’m so grateful to Him for all things, even the hard stuff. But I really love the happy stuff!!!
Monday I took a lovely 2 hour walk to downtown. I did a little shopping and picked up some rubber sandals (chinelas) for Alberto. His broke and he had borrowed a (much too big) pair from one of the workers. I found 2 pairs for him and was pleased. I also got the privilege to give Saturnino his new glasses. When he preached for us for the first time, he had to borrow Mike’s glasses. I told German to schedule an eye exam for him and order the glasses. I’m so excited that Saturnino will be able to read easier now. I worked on Bible Study notes in the morning and after lunch I taught the Women’s Bible Study Leadership Training. We are trying to work ahead one month on the lessons so that the ladies will be prepared for 3 weeks that I am gone. Then we’ll work ahead 2 more months to cover the time that the teams are here and we can’t have classes for the leaders. The individual women’s classes will continue to meet all summer long. They did not want to take a break. That’s good! I taught the English Bible Study Group in the evening and then went to bed early. Mondays are pretty long days for me and the heat really zaps me. But it’s all good!
Tuesday morning I had a great walk to Central Park and then stopped by a grocery store, the copy place and the mercadito. Freddy came over for my Spanish tutoring session. I helped the girls bag up donated clothing. It was very hot! Sherry called me in the afternoon to send out a message to the Interns. We set up for church. Mike had asked me to contact Freddy to have him translate for church service. German was busy picking up the donated school bus from the Honduras/Nica border and getting it to Managua, so he couldn’t be at church to translate for Mike. It was a good service. I joked around with the band afterward. I love hanging out with these guys. I shortened some dresses for Sherry while I watched a video and then headed to bed.
Wednesday morning I was very tired and didn’t walk. Like I said last week, I think the culmination of the long busy days of Sun, Mon and Tues catch up with me on Wed. I went to the feeding centers at San Jacinto and La Quimera to get some pictures while Mayela handed out some goodie bags for the volunteer cooks. When we got back to the team house it was time for lunch and Manuel happily told each person that lunch was ready. He’s so funny sometimes. I worked on Bible Study notes some more and prepared originals of the Kid’s lessons to make copies for the month of May. I chatted with Lesly and did some laundry. Later in the afternoon, I got to meet Fernando, who drove our donated school bus from TX to Nicaragua. It’s a very dangerous trip and he was prayed over by many, many people. He has quite a testimony about his life. I was very happy to get to meet him. The motorcycles arrived for the give-aways for the crusades. It’s exciting to see them all here. The band practiced for a while. Heriberto was learning a praise song in English and was checking with me to see if I could understand the words he was singing. The new stove and refrigerator arrived for the kitchen. We will be cooking for over 100 per meal for some of the teams this summer. Even with the new equipment, we still have to use a wood fire sometimes and grocery shop 2-3 times per week. It will be crazy! I spent the evening in my room practicing guitar and hemming a dress for Sherry while watching a video. Another good day.
Thursday I had a wonderful 2 hour walk downtown. I went to Pan y Paz bakery and bought some treats for the workers. The raison rolls were still warm when they put them in the bag. Unfortunately, they were very soft and squished a little bit by the time I walked back to the team house. But everyone enjoyed them very much. I stopped by the mercadito, too. I sent a message to a friend in the US about finding a used iPhone for use down here. I am so useless about finding these things. I had my Spanish tutoring time with Freddy. I have to admit that I didn’t spend any time studying the in the last 2 days. He said that if I missed 5 words I was going to have to do 100 push-ups! Oh no! I ran some errands and picked up some meds, got a haircut, shopped and then treated myself to a milkshake at Eskimo. I swam for just a bit for some exercise. I worked on Bible Study notes and then worked on another dress for Sherry while watching a video. I was very ready for bed!
Friday morning my stomach was a little iffy, so I didn’t go for a walk. Mike came over early to talk to the workers during their morning devotion time. There will be some changes during the next months. I taught English Bible Study Group and Fabricio accepted the Lord!! How awesome! Our internet went out and we had trouble with the phone line, too. Bummer. I used my Nica phone to make some phone calls. I ran a few errands with Lesly and Jaasiel and treated them to Eskimo ice cream. We ran into Heriberto and Areyson at Eskimo and I treated them, too. I picked up my copies of class notes for the month of May. A full copy paper box and $84 worth! I rode with Jorge to run a few more errands then he brought me back to the team house. I worked on my April receipts for my personal bookkeeping. I also tried to catch up on my blog. Freddy called and stopped by for a brief moment. I practiced guitar and then watched a video. I’m feeling kind of bummed right now. There are changes coming and I’m not good at major changes. I welcome what the Lord has planned and trust Him, but it’s out of my comfort zone to move from the familiar to the unknown sometimes. He has to take me in baby steps. It’s when I feel most vulnerable that I cling to Him more fervently. I’m so thankful for Him!
Saturday I slept in (thanks to the frogs serenading me all night) and missed my time for a walk before taking my bloodpressure meds. Oh well. I finished up a dress for Sherry. I called and chatted with Mary a while on my Nica phone, then I had to call German to buy me some more minutes! Lol The phone guys finally came and said that the problem was in the phone itself and not in the line. So right now our internet is working. I hope it stays up. I’m rather spoiled to it! I’m getting some laundry done today and trying to start thinking about what to pack for the states.
I got to spend some time with some friends that I met on facebook through mutual friends. They have a ministry here in Nica called Empower Nicaragua and are doing great things. We have talked on facebook message and have skyped. It was good to get to see them in person. We had a fun time talking and I also got to meet Mario, who works with them as a translator and associate and so much more. What a great time we had! We also had an early dinner at the Mediterranean restaurant. We shared a large pizza with a fired crust. So yummy! We had lots of laughs and shared experiences with ministry work. It was just the kind of blessing that I needed to end my day and my week. God is faithful to always have my back! (and the rest of me!) I’m so grateful to Him for all things, even the hard stuff. But I really love the happy stuff!!!
Saturday, April 27, 2013
April 14-20, 2013
I got up early to help set up for church service. We were going to have some extra people since we were bussing in from two of our church plants. I found out that morning that Pastor Bryan was going to preach and doing some baptisms. I also found out that morning that German and the Hulseys were going to be gone. I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off at first trying to catch up on the things that needed to be handled. It wasn’t a problem, but I would have liked to have planned for it. ☺ We had 7 baptisms and it was great. I posted pics and videos of the service on facebook. It was very nice to see some of the people from our church plants. I miss them! I had a nap and a swim in the afternoon and then practiced guitar and watched a video. Another lovely day!
Monday I walked to Central Park and exchanged some money from my friend Luis, then visited my friends Javier and MariaTeresa at their souvenir stand. On the walk back I stopped and chatted with Delmy at the copier place, said hi to the painter friend and then stopped to buy some produce from Angie and Glenda at the mercadito. Pastor Eddy picked up the copies for the Monte Horeb Women’s Bible Study. I called my accountants to check on my tax preparation. They are filing an extension and I’ll visit them in May when I’m in AR. I’m not in any hurry to pay the taxes, but it will be interesting to find out if it is worth me itemizing my taxes. Of course, I have to factor in the accountant’s fee, too! I taught the Women’s Bible Study Leadership Training class and the English Bible Study Group. We had a great discussion in the EBSG class. They always challenge me and I enjoy them so much! I watched a video and then headed to bed.
Tuesday I walked downtown and stopped at the mercadito on the way home. I got the chance to chat a little bit with Mike and with Sherry. Freddy came for my Spanish tutoring session. After lunch, I worked on some correspondence and then rested just a little bit before helping to set up for church. We had a good service and I watched a video before bed. Nothing too earth shattering in my schedule!
Wednesday I skipped my walk. I was very tired. I think the combination of long days on Monday and Tuesday makes Wednesday morning a sleep in day! At least until 6:30!! Jaasiel and Mayela helped me sort and organize the sewing ministry stuff. I worked on sending out emails and letters to the feeding center sponsors for a few hours. We moved my little fridge to Mary’s room. She’ll be borrowing it for the summer to keep her Pepsi’s in. After lunch I worked on Bible Study stuff and then Mayela and I walked around downtown and had an early dinner at the Chinese restaurant. I took a taxi home and enjoyed meeting the taxi driver. I had a message from another missionary here in Nica asking about when I was traveling to MGA to fly to the states. He needed a ride to the airport, too, but our departure dates were different. I practiced guitar and then watched a video. It was a nice day, even though I felt guilty about not walking in the morning.
Thursday I walked to Central Park again and saw Luis, Delmy, Angie and Glenda on my way. I only picked up a few things at the mercadito. I Freddy to cancel Spanish tutoring so that I could get some other work done. I spent hours sending out more letters and emails to the feeding center sponsors. I had a swim and then practiced guitar and watched a video before bed.
Friday was another walk to Central Park, where I exchanged some money with Luis and then bought some gifts for the states from my friend’s souvenir stand. We had a good English Bible Study Group session. I love all of the students so much! I worked on my April receipts so that I could have them done before I head to the states. I chatted with Sherry a bit and then rested. The heat is so bad it just zaps you before you even know it. I practiced guitar (will my fingers ever get tough enough not to hurt???), watched some news on the internet and then a video. It was a good day.
Saturday morning I was getting ready to go walking when German knocked on my door and asked if I would ride with him and Edmundo to Managua to run some errands. I said sure and hurried up and got ready. My stomach was a little iffy, so I took some ginger tablets for the ride. I don’t like long car rides because of getting motion sickness. Sure enough, by the time we were in Managua, I was very sick at my stomach. We stopped at PriceSmart first to pick up some meds from a nearby pharmacy. Being out of the moving vehicle helped a lot. It just takes a while for my body to calm down. By the time we had walked around PriceSmart I was feeling much better. It was funny watching German shopping (like a little old woman). Edmundo pushed the cart and I picked up a few things. Since I’m leaving for the states in a few weeks, I didn’t want to buy a lot of stuff. German said he would help me out by eating some of the stuff. Haha We picked up some stuff for the pool maintenance and then had lunch at one of the malls. When we got back to the van, I opted to ride on the second seat so that I could sleep. I knew I would be sick if I didn’t. I was yucky before we left Managua, but luckily slept most of the way to León. When we got to the mission house, I laid down on my bed. Buster jumped up there with me, even though he knows that he is not allowed. I was so nauseous that I didn’t even want to sit upright to make him get down, so he took a nap with me. After my nap, I felt much better and started some laundry and went for a swim. Then I went to bed early!
All in all, it was a good week. I love teaching my classes. What a blessing! I love getting to walk and see things and run into people I know on the streets and buy fresh produce. I know that a lot of people would hate my life, but I love it!
April
Monday I walked to Central Park and exchanged some money from my friend Luis, then visited my friends Javier and MariaTeresa at their souvenir stand. On the walk back I stopped and chatted with Delmy at the copier place, said hi to the painter friend and then stopped to buy some produce from Angie and Glenda at the mercadito. Pastor Eddy picked up the copies for the Monte Horeb Women’s Bible Study. I called my accountants to check on my tax preparation. They are filing an extension and I’ll visit them in May when I’m in AR. I’m not in any hurry to pay the taxes, but it will be interesting to find out if it is worth me itemizing my taxes. Of course, I have to factor in the accountant’s fee, too! I taught the Women’s Bible Study Leadership Training class and the English Bible Study Group. We had a great discussion in the EBSG class. They always challenge me and I enjoy them so much! I watched a video and then headed to bed.
Tuesday I walked downtown and stopped at the mercadito on the way home. I got the chance to chat a little bit with Mike and with Sherry. Freddy came for my Spanish tutoring session. After lunch, I worked on some correspondence and then rested just a little bit before helping to set up for church. We had a good service and I watched a video before bed. Nothing too earth shattering in my schedule!
Wednesday I skipped my walk. I was very tired. I think the combination of long days on Monday and Tuesday makes Wednesday morning a sleep in day! At least until 6:30!! Jaasiel and Mayela helped me sort and organize the sewing ministry stuff. I worked on sending out emails and letters to the feeding center sponsors for a few hours. We moved my little fridge to Mary’s room. She’ll be borrowing it for the summer to keep her Pepsi’s in. After lunch I worked on Bible Study stuff and then Mayela and I walked around downtown and had an early dinner at the Chinese restaurant. I took a taxi home and enjoyed meeting the taxi driver. I had a message from another missionary here in Nica asking about when I was traveling to MGA to fly to the states. He needed a ride to the airport, too, but our departure dates were different. I practiced guitar and then watched a video. It was a nice day, even though I felt guilty about not walking in the morning.
Thursday I walked to Central Park again and saw Luis, Delmy, Angie and Glenda on my way. I only picked up a few things at the mercadito. I Freddy to cancel Spanish tutoring so that I could get some other work done. I spent hours sending out more letters and emails to the feeding center sponsors. I had a swim and then practiced guitar and watched a video before bed.
Friday was another walk to Central Park, where I exchanged some money with Luis and then bought some gifts for the states from my friend’s souvenir stand. We had a good English Bible Study Group session. I love all of the students so much! I worked on my April receipts so that I could have them done before I head to the states. I chatted with Sherry a bit and then rested. The heat is so bad it just zaps you before you even know it. I practiced guitar (will my fingers ever get tough enough not to hurt???), watched some news on the internet and then a video. It was a good day.
Saturday morning I was getting ready to go walking when German knocked on my door and asked if I would ride with him and Edmundo to Managua to run some errands. I said sure and hurried up and got ready. My stomach was a little iffy, so I took some ginger tablets for the ride. I don’t like long car rides because of getting motion sickness. Sure enough, by the time we were in Managua, I was very sick at my stomach. We stopped at PriceSmart first to pick up some meds from a nearby pharmacy. Being out of the moving vehicle helped a lot. It just takes a while for my body to calm down. By the time we had walked around PriceSmart I was feeling much better. It was funny watching German shopping (like a little old woman). Edmundo pushed the cart and I picked up a few things. Since I’m leaving for the states in a few weeks, I didn’t want to buy a lot of stuff. German said he would help me out by eating some of the stuff. Haha We picked up some stuff for the pool maintenance and then had lunch at one of the malls. When we got back to the van, I opted to ride on the second seat so that I could sleep. I knew I would be sick if I didn’t. I was yucky before we left Managua, but luckily slept most of the way to León. When we got to the mission house, I laid down on my bed. Buster jumped up there with me, even though he knows that he is not allowed. I was so nauseous that I didn’t even want to sit upright to make him get down, so he took a nap with me. After my nap, I felt much better and started some laundry and went for a swim. Then I went to bed early!
All in all, it was a good week. I love teaching my classes. What a blessing! I love getting to walk and see things and run into people I know on the streets and buy fresh produce. I know that a lot of people would hate my life, but I love it!
April
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