Galatians study

Tonight we had our Galatians Bible study… I still love it. If that was even in question :) I thought I’d share some quotes with you, whoever you may be. Enjoy.

The following are from Tim Keller…

“If anything but Jesus is a requirement for being happy or worthy, that thing will become our slavemaster.”

“Now our knowing of God will rise and fall depending on many things. But God’s knowing of us is absolutely fixed and solid.”

“The gospel frees us from the need for people’s approval and adoration so that we can confront and anger the people we love, if that is what is best for them. And although it does not always work, this is the only kind of communication that really changes people. If you love a person so selfishly that you cannot risk their anger, you won’t ever tell them the truth they need to hear. If, on the other hand, you tell a person the truth they need, but with harshness and not with the agony of a lover, they won’t listen to it. But if you speak the truth with lots of love evident at the same time, there is a great chance that what you say will penetrate the heart and heal. A gospel-based ministry is marked by loving honesty, not spin, image and flattery.”

And then this last one is from “Idols of the Heart and Vanity Fair” by David Powlison…

“…that most basic question which God poses to each human heart: “Has something or someone besides Jesus the Christ taken title to your heart’s functional trust, preoccupation, loyalty, service, fear and delight?” Questions… bring some of people’s idol systems to the surface. ‘To who or what do you look for life-sustaining stability, security and acceptance? …What do you really want and expect [out of life]? What would [really] make you happy? What would make you an acceptable person? Where do you look for power and success?’ These questions or similar ones tease out whether we serve God or idols, whether we look for salvation from Christ or from false saviors. [This bears] on the immediate motivation of my behavior, thoughts, feelings. In the Bible’s conceptualization, the motivation question is the lordship question: who or what “rules my behavior, the Lord or an idol?”

Gotta love it

Today in Guizarros I had the privilege to teach these little ones about Jesus.  I love it.  I’m so glad my Spanish finally allows me to communicate well enough to work with kids.  If I’m honest, I’ve missed it.  I love kids.  I love their curiosity.  I love that once you get them talking, you can’t get them to stop.  For example, we talked about creation.

Shannon “What did God make?”
Kids “Tigers, Elephants, People, Birds, Butterflies, Trees, Water… 5 minutes later… Hippos, Fish…”  and they proceeded to name everything that they were either seeing in the room or in the pictures that I was holding up.

And, in case you were wondering, I’m still obsessed with the Jesus storybook Bible.  We talked about creation and I told the story with all the correct verb tenses, because I was reading :)  And we got to talk about Jesus because every story whispers His name!

We also got to sing… “Mi Dios es tan grande, tan fuerte y podoroso.  No hay nada que no pueda hacer.”  I’ve made a decision to start learning kids songs in Spanish.  It kills me that I know a song for probably every old testament Bible story in English, but in Spanish I’ve got nothing.  Basically my tool kit is empty.  Time to start filling it up!

Anyway… pray for these sweet little faces.  In their world most of them have been deserted by their dads and fend for themselves a lot of the time while mom works.  They eat lunch every day at the soup kitchen and don’t even have a set of crayons at home or books to read.  They have rivalries with kids from other families just because that’s the way it is, they may not even know why.  But they are kids.  They laugh and want to play duck, duck goose.  They get excited and talk too fast for me to understand.  They love games and especially love winning, even if its just bingo.  They are precious.  And they need to know Jesus and the hope and healing that comes only from HIM.

noodles, veggies, beef, and a birthday

Recently my friend Anita introduced me to a nearby restaurant that is a Mongolian Grill… YUM!  And then she was kind enough to have a birthday so that we had a reason to go :)  Thanks Anita.

I met Anita working at Guizarros and since then we have become good friends… I am so thankful for her.  Just last week she moved into my neighborhood, which is super exciting, so I’ll get to see her all the time. 

Here are some fun birthday pictures…

Things that aren’t favorites

Stray cats that find their way to my window at 3:30 in the morning crying loudly and continuously.

My alarm clock going of at 5:40 only 20 minutes after the cat stopped whining long enough for me to go back to sleep.

Roaches on my toothbrush… second time since being here.  And it was even in a case, how does that happen?

Cooking Adventures

Today Barb and I had cooking adventures together.  I LOVED it :)

The plan was to make bagels, which we did.  But bagels require lots of waiting… so as we’re waiting Barb says… “How about making pierogies?”  (p.s. I have no idea how to spell that word!)  And so we got to work.  Turns out that neither recipe is terribly complicated and both things turned out delicious!

Here is our process in pictures…

Kneading the dough for bagels after getting the pierogi shells ready

Bagels rising…

So its kind of fun that the shells stretch so much… we made some monster sizes.  Gerry decided to give you a frame of reference.

Boiling the bagels before they cook

And they’re done!  That’s right I had already eaten half of one before we remembered to take a picture :)

Delicious!!!

Rock of Ages

I’ve been listening to Jean Larroux’s sermon series on the five solas, and I love them.

The first one, Sola Scriptura, hit me because he kept bringing me back to the truth that Scripture is true.  The parts that I like and want to believe are true.  But the parts that I don’t really like and don’t want to believe are still true.  Scripture is not true because I believe it.  Its just true.  And because of that it is a measuring line that I can keep coming back to in my life.

Today I listened to the second one, Sola Fide.  Thinking about faith alone just resonates with me.  I have to be willing to come before the Lord putting all of my good works aside.  I come just with my sin and with Jesus.  Jean Larroux says this, “Faith is believing that the work of Christ will do everything that God said it would do".”  Really faith is believing that Scripture is true.  And it means that I stop trying to make a case for myself for how good I’ve been or how much more good than evil I have done (which isn’t even true).  Anyway… he ended with the words to the hymn, Rock of Ages, and I was reminded how much I love them.  So, I decided to share…

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee;
let the water and the blood,
from thy wounded side which flowed,
be of sin the double cure;
save from its guilt and power 

Not the labors of my hands
can fulfill thy law's commands;
could my zeal no respite know,
could my tears forever flow,
all for sin could not atone;
thou must save, and thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
simply to the cross I cling;
naked, come to thee for dress;
helpless, look to thee for grace;
foul, I to the fountain fly;
wash me, Savior, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
when mine eyes shall close in death,
when I soar to worlds unknown,
see thee on thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee.

A First

Anita is super patient.  Lesson of the day :)  And kids are patient too!

Today I got in the car with Anita and the guys to head up to Guizarros and work with the kids there.  On the way I found out that it was just going to be us today.  So Anita and I got assigned to the little ones.  And she handed the lesson over to me so that I could practice leading.  YAY!  And intimidating.  All at the same time.

Good thing I had the good ‘ole Jesus Storybook Bible with me in Spanish.  We read our Bible story about Moses, colored pictures of the plagues, and played duck, duck, goose.  The kids had fun.  And I had a great time!  Anita had to step in some, of course, but I got more confident knowing that I really could work with these kids and communicate with them.

Lessons learned… next week we’re wearing nametags.  And I’m bringing more paper to color on.  And I’m going to prepare in advance!  Sounds like a plan.  YAY!

Newsletter - January 2011

January 2011

Oh Spanish…

Some days I feel like I’m learning nothing.  Seriously nothing.

We all had a moment today in Grammer class where we wondered if the language the teacher was speaking was actually the same language we’ve been studying for the last six months.  In reality she was just asking us questions at the same speed that she would talk to her sister or friend… we’re just used to baby food Spanish, not real life steak and potatoes Spanish.  And this was the real thing. 

So after being overwhelmed by that, I needed a little encouragement.  So of course I subjected myself to a movie completely in Spanish.  But, to my surprise and great joy, I understood most of it!  This is a serious encouragement.  I found myself thinking back to the first movie that I saw in Spanish and I must admit, I understood only what the pictures were showing me, it may as well have been a silent film.  Today I laughed at jokes and translated lines for the girls sitting with me.  So I can say with confidence that “Tangled” is a pretty fun movie!

Maybe I’m learning something after all!

Short term team

You can call two people a team.  I mean they are serving together, that makes them a team… right?  Whatever you want to call it, the weekend that I was leaving Honduras, two men to La Ceiba.  Dr. Greg and Pastor David came to serve for a week in Armenia doing medical clinics.  This is a huge blessing because Erin usually runs the clinics, but she and Mike are in the states for 6 months.  This means weekly clinics are out of the question, but having a doctor come and serve for a week is wonderful!

During the week that they were there, they got to see two members of the community come to know Christ personally.  This is what makes everything worth it.  I am so excited to know that we have two new brothers in Christ who are experiencing the hope and joy of knowing the Lord for the very first time!  Please pray for them to continue to grow in their knowledge of and hunger for the Lord.

Another really neat story is that Dr. Greg had been in Honduras some months ago and performed an ultrasound for a pregnant woman in the community who was worried about the health of her baby.  He was able to assure her at that time that everything was fine.  And this trip he was able to hold the newborn in his arms! 

We took this picture while everyone was there…  I love it.  It was so fun to be all together.  If only the Pettengills were there too…

In the picture are Dr. Greg and Pastor David, John and Kathy Clow with kids Abby, Bekah, Josiah, and Evan, Sean and Lindsay McCann with kids Lucy, Ellie, and Anna, me, and interns Jamie, Bethany, and Leo.

google earth

Yesterday I got a google maps tour of La Ceiba from a friend who grew up there!  It was great.  I loved seeing everything from his perspective… where to eat, what to eat, where people go, how they get there, what route the taxi’s take, where his family and friends live, where the soccer stadium is (of course).  Its becoming more and more real!  I’m going to live there :) 

I have a house where I’m probably going to live… its somewhere in here.  If you knew what you were looking for, you’d be able to see a mall, a hotel, a gas station, and my probable new house.  Pretty cool huh?

Right Shannon, it looks like nothing.  You are correct.  If I hadn’t been there I would have no idea what I was looking for either!  But, can you just pretend for a minute that you can see it?  Kind of like if a friend shows you an ultrasound picture… you probably just pretend you see the baby in there.  Do that.  And then tell me how cute my house is and how great its going to be.  K thanks!

Things that are the same

This post is dedicated to a friend who is spending some time in a court-mandated facility… I got to see her while I was home over Christmas and she made me promise to write this post.

It never ceases to amaze how much we as people are, in our very nature, the same.  The things that we love and desire, the things that we fear, our insecurities, our hopes… So much of these things resonate with all of us in a similar way.  So as I visited with this friend, we were struck with the irony that she is serving time for her bad choices while I am serving the Lord on the mission field, and yet a lot of struggles are heart issues and all too similar to both of us.

1. We miss people
There is just something about being with people who know you that is so good.  I love being with friends who know my life and my heart and I don’t have to explain everything.  I can tell a story without having to back up and tell who all the people are, in fact, sometimes they were even there and we’re just reliving it together.  And I’m starting to have that here, but it just takes time.  At one point we were talking about all the food that we miss, because I’ll have you know, that’s a list that can go on and on!  And she just stopped me and said, “but you know, I don’t need all that food, what I really miss is people”.  And I so agree.

2. We have lonely moments
I commented that for the first couple of weeks that I was in Costa Rica I cried.  A lot.  Can I tell you that I never used to be an emotional person?  Well, apparently I’m not alone.  We want so much to be known and loved and accepted.  We want people to pursue us in friendship and care about our lives.  And when we are thrown into a new place and don’t have that, its lonely. 

3. We say a lot of hellos and goodbyes
We could both readily agree that goodbyes are the worst.  You get to see people and enjoy time with them and then bawl your eyes when its over.  Its so bittersweet.  You love that you got to see them and you hate that it had to end.  But then you get excited all over again the next time you get to see them.  Sometimes our hearts don’t know what to do with themselves.  That’s the truth :)

4. We have very little control
Sometimes we are forced to give up control, sometimes we choose to do it.  But we laughed together at the things that we have eaten that wouldn’t have been our first choice or the way that we have spent our time that is never have we would have spent it at home.  For me this includes the eating of hot dog soup, cow tongue, tamales… for her its skipping the meal to have a sub for 5 days in a row.  I didn’t realize how much freedom choosing what you eat brings to your life.

5. We’re learning a whole new culture
There is something about being uncomfortable in a new place that you don’t know that forces you to be flexible.  I’m having to learn it with a whole new language and international culture.  She’s having to learn how to respect rules and authority.  And its different and its hard and sometimes you want to give up and rebel against it.  But ultimately you learn and grow and adjust and you maybe even find that in the newness there is freedom.

There are so many comparisons that we were able to make.  And I think all of them really come back to this one thing.  Each one of us wants to be known and loved.  And we want to have a place to belong and to call home.  And when those things are threatened, its hard and lonely and uncomfortable.

But the good news is that the Lord fulfills all those things in my life.  And even in the moments when it is hard and lonely uncomfortable, I know that I am known and loved.  All my mess is known by my Savior who loves and forgives me.  He gives me a place to call home, a place in His family.  He steps right down into my mess and my lack of faith and gives me freedom to walk with Him knowing peace and hope. 

So here’s to trusting that the Lord is enough for every one of our heart issues… and oh, we have so many!

Un chiste

Today in class we were talking about how to use the word “dolor” versus the verb “doler”  and the result was entertaining and I think I need to share it…

You may recognize the old joke through the Spanish.

¿Tiene dolor de cara?

Porque me duele mucho su cara.

Roughly translated… Does your face hurt?  Because it’s sure hurting me :)  Reality:  They would never say this.  But it made us laugh. 

One of these days we’ll learn how to actually make chistes/jokes in Spanish, but things like wordplay take a long time to aquire in a new language.  So until then we just laugh at ourselves!  Gotta do what you can.

obsession

Oh, I forgot something.  My new obsession.

The Jesus Storybook Bible (bilingual version)

Read it and love it.  Maybe just b/c I’m a mess, but the story of the Gospel is so beautiful that sometimes I cry while I’m reading it. 

Thanks Cassie for my awesome Christmas present!

Hello Goodbye

“You say goodbye and I say hello. Hello, hello. I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello”
The Beatles

Hello blog.  I’ve been away for quite some time.  When trying to summarize the last month of my life hellos and goodbyes just kept coming to mind.  My location and my emotions have both been all over the place over the last 5 weeks, but it has been really wonderful time.

I think that one of the hardest things about my life right now is that the only constant is change.  Well, that and Jesus.  And I am so thankful for Jesus.  Honestly in the midst of so many hellos and goodbyes and feeling like a fish out of water and unknown by so many people… I am so thankful that my home lies in knowing Jesus and resting in Him.  He knows me on the good days and the bad days and the days when my heart is just ugly.  And He loves me, and he pursues me, and He reminds me that His love is good and sweet and full of hope and belonging.  And there I find rest.  I lay my anxiety at His feet and I am able to just rest.  I have never been so aware of how sweet that is until now.

Hello/Goodbye #1
On December 10th I said goodbye to my two dear friends here in Costa Rica, Abby and Abbey, and also to some dear families who are headed around Latin America.  Abby was in my class all summer and fall and we lived life together every day.  We went on vacation, ate lots of ice cream, ran errands, studied the Word, prayed, studying Spanish… I’m so thankful for each of those days and I wish she was still here.  Abbey is my younger sister in heart, we decided that we may as well be family.  She loves Jesus with her whole heart and has a desire to love and serve people well and see them know the Lord.  I think she’ll be bringing her nursing/Spanish-speaking self to see me in Honduras :)  She better…

Hello/Goodbye #2
Surprise family and friends!  I’m home for Christmas :)  Making the decision to stay in language school gave me a couple weeks off for Christmas so I spent it at home with family and friends.  If you haven’t watched the surprise videos on a previous post, you should because they are great!  I didn’t include the one where my friend Katy was so excited that she yelled “SHUT UP” and threw an open jar of peanut butter at my mom.  HA!  Time at home was full of chick-fil-a, baking, moes, visiting, steak, games, trader joes, shopping, snow and more food :)  I wanted to eat everything that I’ve missed all at one time.  One huge highlight was getting to visit my friend Halla who is living near Charlotte and spending time with the sweet girls who made the roadtrip with me.  I also loved singing at the Christmas Eve service with my family, even Xan and Bethany, which is a minor miracle!  I hate that I got bronchitis while there, but that’s what happens when you go from the tropics to the freezing weather.  Also, I got made fun of for wearing socks with my shoes and having pants that were too short… Cassie kindly informed me that it was time to go shopping.  I love that I got to see her for a longer period of time than we have spent together since college!  And of course, I love my family and pseudo-family and getting to spend lots of time with them!

Hello/Goodbye #3
Four girls from home, Tyler, Sara, Cori, and Mary came to visit me in Honduras, so off we went :)  It was wonderful!  We had some relaxing vacation time and then worked with my team.  We cleaned house and sorted school supplies, hung out with kids from Armenia Bonito, presented the Gospel in Spanish using the colors on a Gospel bracelet, attended church, and just hung out.  I loved it and I love that they know my life there now.  Well… my future life there.  And I got to spend time with my team and start to really be able to see my life there.  I have a house lined up and an idea of what I’ll be doing… and I’m just excited.  I didn’t want to leave.  You know what’s crazy… I felt more at home in Honduras than anywhere else right now even though it’s the only place I haven’t lived yet.  That can only be the Lord.  And I’m so ready to be there permanently.

Hello/Goodbye #4
I got back to Costa Rica at 10pm Monday night in time to start classes on Tuesday morning.  I’m foolish.  Over the break I found out that it takes me about 5 days to adjust to being in a new place.  So if you spent time with me before 5 days in a new country… forgive me.  I was socially awkward and a little unstable.  So, now I’m there again.  Thanks travel.  But no worries.  I’ll normalize soon and be back to myself again.  Still socially awkward and a little unstable, but without an excuse for it! :)

Thanks for putting up with this novel, now you’re caught up on my life… ish. 

another repost

I have a thousand things I want to say.  But today I am in recovery mode.  I’ve been around people for almost a month straight with no break.  And although I’m an extrovert, everyone reaches their limit eventually :)  And I’m there.  I had a blast with the girls from home being here.  And after putting them on a plane this morning I crashed on the couch for a day of recovery and cleaning and laundry and emails.  And I just lack the brain power to really process what the last couple weeks have been.

So, I’m stealing someone else’s blogpost.  I feel this woman’s pain exactly and I’ve only been on the field for 6 months.  But going back to NC in December I felt like a fish out of water for the first week.  My pants were too short, I was wearing socks with shoes that are not to be worn with socks (or so I was told!), I didn’t respond appropriately always to questions people asked me, I spoke Spanish to the people in Dallas and the nice woman at Target, and the list goes on.  But this woman says it better than I ever could!  Enjoy!

http://www.theveryworstmissionary.com/2010/12/missionaryishness.html

Honduras from a different point of view

So, I’ve been MIA from the blog for awhile now.  And I’m not really back to normal yet, I’m still traveling until January 10th.  So far I’ve gotten to spend Christmas with my family in NC and now I’m vacationing with some friends in Honduras followed by a team retreat here after they go home.  So, I thought we would give a group summary.

According to Tyler…
We went to the Island of Roatan for the weekend.  On the way Tyler sat next to our new best friend “no-name boy”, a random boy who is in the peace core.  We proceeded to see him everywhere on the island after that, including at the restaurant where his mom exclaimed, “It’s the Presbyterians!”  Also… there is a Bojangles on the island… so random.

According to Mary…
Its nice and warm, lots of sun, beautiful beaches, and great snorkeling (even though its scary).  My favorite moment with Mary so far is when she stuck her head under water to snorkel and freaked out because she was literally surrounded by fish.

According to Sara…
The weather is beautiful and the clear water makes the beach experience better.  Also, the New Years Eve fireworks make you feel like you’re in the middle of a war zone, but are actually quite beautiful.

According to Cori…
Everybody here speaks Spanish.  And when you’ve only taken French you have no idea what they’re saying and then people make fun of you.  And you figure out what they are saying when they are laughing and pointing.  Whoops. 

We’ve actually kept pretty busy.  We went out on Tuesday to Armenia and hung out with kids and made Gospel bracelets with them.  Tyler and Mary and I practiced our Spanish and did all the explanation and directions.  Then we painted nails and just played with the kids.  We had a couple days of vacation on Roatan with lots of adventures including the water going out and my driving for the first time outside the US.  Yesterday we had spring cleaning at the Pettengills’ house where Bethany is living.  A couple months of vacancy had left the house pretty dusty and in need of a good scrub down.  So the girls got a good realistic view of life here as we scrubbed and cleaned and did laundry hanging it out in the sun.  But the finished product was well worth it and a huge blessing to Bethany to not have to do it all herself!  Today is church… yay!  Should be fun :)