wayfarer's lane: April 2010

Things, these are JUST things. They comsume us.

I have to confess, I do not come from a weathly family. I know, I know..shocker, huh? Ha! No, I am so thankul that God has made my family's life tough. That we as a family had/have to work through things, hard things. Work for our things, rather than getting them handed to us. Why yes it would make it easier, life would be smoother, more glamorous. But I am so glad that God has made us the way we are, so that we can learn to lean on HIM during the hard times in our lives. We have to depend on what we do in life (ie jobs) to get us by, or the best of all FAITH! I love just praying something like this, "ok God, here it is, you know it but I am going to tell you. I need help. Quiet frankly I need ____ (fill in the blank). If it what you want I know I will get it." And at times, sometimes the same day or the next I get just what I was praying for! It is really "chevere" to rely on God!

Like I was saying about not having much stuff...I think God has taken things away from me on purpose. So that I can live for Him and rely on Him. Not that I do not have the things I need, I am talking about wants. The little extra thngs in life that we all drool, dream, and constantly think about. Of course I am human and I want nice things. I want lot of stuff, but when I think about it life without so much stuff is so much nicer. SIMPLER. You can breath. What happenes to all that stuff anyway. I'll let you know. It sits there! Had no idea did you? Yep thats what happens.

I have had a few recent conversations with some different people about "things". One said, "I just like to buy things, just for fun. Do I use them? No. They just sit around, but I like it. I lke to have more and more things. The bigger the better." The other said something like this, "You would be so happy if you had everything in the world." Would I? I asked. Really would I be happier with everything I could ever want, and even those things I don't want either. I don't think so. I got laughed at twice for saying, "No thanks, I am completly happy with what I don't have and furthermore, I have God." My debating got me nowhere sadly. They just kept talking louder and louder to drown me out. I do not have too much patience for people like this, so I said, "well I have God with me and I am will be happier than you ever will be even with all of your things." and walked out.

I keep reminding myself of how God wants us to live for Him and not earthly things. I also look around and see people that have literally nothing and because they have Christ in their lives they are happy as clams. These verses also help A TON!

Matthew 7:24-25 The Wise and Foolish Builders

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

Luke 16:19-24 The Rich Man and Lazarus
"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell,where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'

Matthew 19:24
"Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

Matthew 6:19-24 Treasures in Heaven
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

*ironic kinda *orphans playing

-Love you all!

Along the way

Here are some important things I have learned during my stay here.

1. Little boys will gladly change into their pajamas only if it is a race...a timed race to be precice.
2. Kids do not stay still while getting their hair cut, thus ending in quite the cut.
3. Drinks with ice make you get the "griiiipe" (a cold).
4. Hot soup on a hot day is so healthy for you. Soup in general is the best thing you could eat.
5. You can never eat too much rice at one meal...even if you are 2.
6. Any kind of bite is from a mosquito.
7. You may think you know how to spell your own name, but you don't.
8. There are only white people in the USA. Everyone else was adopted.
9. I can speak chinese.
10. Glee can heal your soul!
11. We sweat because we drink lots of water, not because it is hot as blazes outside.
12. Jackets are highly recomended in weather under 80 degrees.
13. Runners are scarse, girl athletes are scarser, therefore being a white girl runner people think you are crazy.
14. Never underestimate the power of blonde hair on a bus, the people sitting by you WILL pull it out.
15. Packages from home are like little pieces of heaven.
16. Saturdays mean that it is hard to speak spanish.
17. Rocks make good weights.
18. Americans all wear the same kind of shoes...chacos.
19. The more ridiculous your birthday card looks, the better.
20. And lastly, you must wear your "going out" clothes out, and your "house" clothes in, NEVER mix the two...confuses people.

I know there is more and Becca could write a billion more...but we are saving that for the book.

Home

So while sandboarding in my backyard in sunny Peru, those in my home town got hit by a tornado. We have always had tornadoes since I can always remember. I remember never being afraid but rather fascinated that the sky could turn so black and th wind could go so fast. Then comes the hail, sometimes as big as small baseballs. Finally if you are unlucky you see the tornado. I remember trying to wait by the windows so I could catch a glimpse of one. But my smart father would always rush us into their bedroom closet so that if it hit the house we would be safe. And then there was the sound. Like a train coming through. I remember the endless drills at school, how painfully boring they were. I remember thinking that I wished we could have earthquake drills just because they were different. (very thankful now that we do not live on a fault line, especially after having been in Peru during a few earthquakes here and around us). But even through the worst of the tornado winds God always protected us and those around us.

So like I was saying, yesterday Choctaw county and Yazoo, MS go hit hard by a tornado. I had no idea until I was on fb later and saw that my parents had no power at the house. I called the phone and found out that thankfully they were safe and the actual town of Weir (ie. our street ha) was fine. But just down the road houses were gone. Nothing there. I was sitting there trying to imagine my entire life just gone in one storm. I couldn't. I also heard that there were a few deaths caused by the storm. I can only praise God for sparing the rest of the county. It was awful, but it could have been so much worse. Think Haiti or more recently Chile. My town, my county, my people....you are in my prayers. May the God of Wonders use this to strengthen you together as a family, the body of Christ. May he bring you together to help one another, to lend a hand to your neighbor or the family in need down the way. I wish I could be there to help out. But God's plans are perfect and His will is being done, even through this hardship. Keep strong and may He be praised through the storm. I love you all, and we here in Peru are praying for you! See you in July!

Psalm 121:1-2
I lift my eyes up to the hills- where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

"I will praise you in this storm"

Left - a little town in Peru called Cajamarca during an afternoon rainstorm. Right- I am watching the storm.

Study study study...

I thought after college that I wouldn't be faced with the things of my school days like studying, reading, and memorizing, ever again. Well wow was I wrong! I move down here to Peru and guess what, they speak spanish. Why yes, I have studied for 4 years but was far (still am) from being fluent. So I come here and have been taking spanish classes every friday. I am on the intermediate level! I was thrilled to hear that! So I have to study a lot for that. But in reality, I really don't study nearly enough. They even give us homework. But I will say that it is much less and easier than that which Senora Dieckman gave us in sp 1 and 2. :)
So on top of that, I have been more interested in photography and recently design. I am doing research and constantly trying to find new ways to learn more about these things. I am also looking into home businesses. So if you are one who has started your own home business and have advice let me know! Aside from all of that, we as a group of workers and volunteers are reading a book of the bible every month. AND I am involved in a bible study with the madres on The Purpose Driven Life. A few of us have also decided to start a bible study on Beth Moore's Living Beyond Yourself. So I have a lot to study. I really hope I am not taking on too much with all of these bible studies and spanish class, mixed in with my normal schedule (which surprisingly has calmed down a bunch!). I pray that God will open my heart to hear his words and live my life in a manner that he wants me to. I do hope I can be faithful to these things, because I know it is so important to be in his word and get to know him more. Pray for a renewed strength!

-I am just starting The Purpose Driven Life and already have found some amazing things to live by. Check it out. Paul's secret to spreading the gospel...he was FOCUSED! No one can serve two masters (be it a person or possesions). "The greatest tragedy is not death, but life without purpose." And well-formed love banishes fear! I am excited to find out more and to enforce what I already know, so that I too may live my life with a Christ-like purpose!