Monday, February 13, 2006

We are having an "egg-celent" time....

We have just completed our first month of living in Bolivia! Each day has been a new adventure. One adventurous aspect of life in Cochabamba is the food. In Cochabamba, many (almost all) entrees are served with egg on top. Whether it's a salad, sandwhich, or steak, I can always count on having one or two fried eggs on top!













Tuesday, February 7, 2006

Ecclesiastes 3:1, 2 “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to plant and a time to uproot.” This past weekend the ladies of the team got together for some fellowship time. We read this passage from verses one through eight and reflected on which part of the times the author describes we felt like we most identified with right now. I have to say it is the planting and uprooting that I feel I understand the best right now. I think that Gary and I feel very like potted plants. There is a time in the life of every plant that they become root bound in their home pot. It is necessary for the plant to be repotted for it to continue to grow. I know that God took us from our home pot in the states where we were comfortable and familiar with the soil and is repotting us as we speak in new ground in Bolivia. The hard part comes in the first weeks and months of a plants life in new soil. As you watch a plant in its new home there may be doubts about the health of the plant as it goes through shock and changes in its new soil. I know that we will grow and flourish in this new home, but that does not mean the transition is not hard, that there are not days where we may look a little wilted. But overall we are at peace because we know the gardener, who would not have uprooted us were it not time, and were he not going to be there to protect us as we acclimate to our new home. Moving and transitioning is hard for all living things in God’s creation, I’m just so thankful that we have a God who walks through the uprooting with us as well as sees the beautiful growth to come.

Monday, February 6, 2006

February 2006

There is a beautiful difference between English and Spanish that I was reminded of today. In the English language as we describe who we are (our characteristics), we might say "I am a woman", "I am a wife", "I am a mother", "I am a Christian." But in the Spanish language it is stated "Soy madre," translated "I am mother." What an amazing difference it makes to me to remove the tiny letter/article "a." No longer is it seen as a title, but as the fiber of who I am. I am woman, I am mother, I am wife, and most importantly I am Christian. It is a beatiful reminder to me that the gift of these roles in my life from my God are who He intends for me to be. May I always live a life that reflects who I am , in the core of my being. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!