On Being a Spiritual Parent

Wow, life is busy.  We are literally two weeks away from a trip to the states.  I'm really looking forward to seeing my family and friends, enjoying some AC, catching up on some much needed shopping and enjoying all the goodies we cannot get here in Belize.

I will bring my three children and look forward to spending time with them.

But I have a lot of children I will miss for a month.  My spiritual kids.  I have had a lot of spiritual kids over the years.  Some, we keep better in touch than others.  Some are young, some are closer to my age.  But all of them, I love.  Because when you pour into and pray for people, you grow to love them.  It is a beautiful thing.

Sunday, one of the girls going through the Life Manual with me, who has grown tremendously, got baptized.  It was so special, because it has been hard for her to actually do it.  I believe many things were broken in her life just by that simple act of obedience.  I love watching her grow in the Lord.  I love her hunger to serve LifeNet.  She ministers on the Worship Team and helped in Children's Church on Sunday.  And when I heard how great she did, I was so proud of her.  Proud of Jesus in her.  I am burdened to pray for her, just like I would any of my spiritual kids.  And I love seeing the victories as she trusts the Lord.

The Sunday before, at the end of service, we broke up into our NetGroups.  The sermon had been on the power of the Human Touch, which I am hoping Lee preaches when we come to the states.  So, when I got with my four girls, and asked who needed prayer, one of the girls immediately talked.  She is a student at UB and her mom lives far away...so she does not get to see her real often.  She began to share how the night before, she was crying because she missed her mom so deeply.  But that she knew the next morning, she would see me, her spiritual mom and that I would give her a hug...since she couldn't hug  her mom.  It was such an emotional moment.  But it defines why my family needs to be here.  If we just came once in a while, or sent a check, it would not be the same.  These young people need someone every week...during the week...just need to know that that someone is there, to pour into them, love them, talk to them.

There are girls that I have discipled and we have finished, but they are still my kids.  I still have a special closeness and place in my heart for them.  I cannot be that to everyone.  That is why we need lots of leaders to pour into others.  And as some of the young people grow, they can pour into others as well.  And I love seeing it happen.

So, just love seeing all our spiritual kids growing, learning, stepping out of their comfort zones.  I am so  proud of them all.

Short Getaway

Since Christmas, we have been trying to take a short getaway down south...just to spend time with our kids and get away from the busyness of life here.  And for one reason or another, it kept getting pushed back and pushed back until now, almost three weeks before we go to the states.

But then again, the timing was perfect.

So after a great day at LifeNet Sunday morning, we packed lunch, loaded the car, waited on the vans to come back to our  house...and waited....and waited...but that's another story.  Then we were off.  We were blessed that a friend was able to stay here and hold the fort down for us.  He is a major blessing to us...

The drive down was absolutely beautiful.  The best roads in Belize.  It was amazing how even eating a picnic lunch in the car was fun.  We arrived at our hotel, unpacked and walked along the beach to go eat dinner.  There really wasn't a swimming beach area, but the view was gorgeous and right across from where we stayed.  Water is always just so soothing.

Then we went back to the room, showered, sat in bed and watched TV.  For real.  In an AC room.  For real.  Unless you live here, this means nothing to you.  But we were in Heaven!  It is the dry season and it is HOTTTTTT.  The AC felt amazing and I would have been content but do nothing but stay in that room for two days!

We got up and did a little exploring Monday morning and then had a friend (who comes up here often but lives in PG) show us around.  He took us to Blue Creek.  Absolutely beautiful and worth the trek back there.

We are home now and back to real life.  Back to laundry.  Back to the heat.

I thoroughly enjoyed having my entire family packed in the car, packed in one hotel room, and just hanging together.  It was awesome.  And made me be reminded once again of the blessing of family.  The blessing of a simple roadtrip really refreshes your spirit!

My video is not fancy, but you can get a glimpse of what we enjoyed:)

Enjoy this video of our trip to PG....

Perceptions

Last night, I watched "Castaway" with Tom Hanks.  It is a very quiet movie, as there is only dialogue at the beginning and the end.  I actually read a book at the same time.  Yeah, I know, weird...but that is me...we watch the same movies over and over and have no "live" or "new" stuff...so this is what I do:)

Anyway, the scene where he finally leaves the island, after being alone for five long years really struck me.  There were beautiful palm trees there, a beautiful ocean.   Everything that people pay a lot of money to go and visit.  Paradise.  But those five years were not paradise for that man.  Sure, there were joys along the journey, but there was also hardship.

Quite often people will make comments to me, like, wow, must be nice to live in Belize.  Near a beach.   Paradise.  Yes, it is true.  Belize is a very high tourist area.  But I don't live there, on the beach.  We will go to the beach tomorrow, our third quick trip in over two years of living here.  I don't see the beach or ocean often.

We are about to come to the states, visit our partnering churches, visit family.  I have found a contentment in living here in Belize.  I find joy, now, in cooking all of our meals pretty much from scratch.  I love the fact that our diet is high in fresh fruits and vegetables and low in processed foods.  I even feel like our taste buds have changed some after living here for two years.  I love that when we eat out, it is actually pretty healthy.  Because it is homemade too:)  I love that, although we drink more soft drinks than most Belizeans, we drink way less than when we lived in the states.  I love that I have learned to appreciate "weather" more.  I pray for rain...and enjoy it.  I am thankful when 4 pm hits, and it starts to cool off a little.  I am thankful for the breeze blowing in the window beside me right now.  Although the heat is excruciating at times, I am thankful for the sun that dries my clothes and saves me money on our electricity.

I think that is the biggest thing that I have learned while living in "paradise".  I have learned to be grateful.  I have learned to appreciate the few hours we have AC on Sunday mornings for church.  I have learned to be very thankful when people bless us and pour into us.   I am thankful for an oppurtunity to "ride along" to a meeting with Lee all the way in Cayo, just to have some time with him.  I am grateful to have more time with my children than when we lived in the states.  And I am grateful for my Friday nights, when I get to relax alone and Lee takes the kids to Destiny House.

So back to "Castaway".  The other thing that really struck me was when he got back to "civilization".  They had this party and there was so much food left over.  Don't get me wrong...we are not starving here.  There is just not the over-abundance of food here like in the states.  We do not throw things away like we did there.  We eat most leftovers.  We are excited when we find a special American food we cannot normally find.  But we pay dearly...so it is more treasured.  For example, recently we have found Dr. Pepper cans at a local store.  But they cost 1.75 Bz...almost a dollar US a can.  That is pretty pricey, when you think what they cost in Texas.  But, for Josh's Birthday dinner, we got one for each person.  And it was treasured.  And appreciated.  These are lessons that I also feel my kids are learning.

I have learned a contentment of living here in Belize.  But, just as in every situation, sometimes things seem different than they really are.  It is easy to look at the pictures we post on our blogs, instagrams, facebook, and think everyone else has this perfect life.  But there are stories, difficulties behind the picture.  When someone (including me) posts a picture of a meal they made, that was consumed in like five minutes, you cannot see the hours it took to prepare that meal.  The sweat (in my case) that it took.  And then the time it took to clean everything back up.  You only see a glimpse.

I love technology.  I love that we can connect so easily to one another.  But we must always keep in  mind that our perceptions of how things are...are not always right and true.

The only true Paradise...is Heaven:)

Nichole came back into town and more...

 The last few weeks have been a blur of activity around here.  I was just going through my photos and can't remember if I ever posted any of our fun Easter or the water outreach.  But then Karen, Nichole's road manager moved here as well.  And then Nichole came and began Baby Girls Club.  Wow, so much going on.  Then it got hot.  Like really hot.  So we started swimming to get relief.  Rivers, Blue hole, Pools.  Wherever we could cool off in the heat of the day.  And now, we are also ending school.  Just a couple more weeks left.  And they have finished some subjects so our school days are short.  We are all ready to be finished and on vacation:)

So, here is our life in pictures the past few weeks.  Enjoy....

Water Outreach

Easter:  Some of the Mens' NetGroup

Dorothy and Tori taught the children on Easter, but was so glad we got a pic of them afterward!

BTW, these awesome photos are from Alina...our LifeNet photographer.  She patiently took many, many photos that day!

These are before we left the house on Easter...I love my family.

Beautiful Creek we found to swim in...so refreshing.

Yep, we cut off that beautiful hair, but it is cooler and so much easier.  She looks so big now!

Enjoying a friend's birthday at a pool

Practicing her guitar...she loves it.  She wants to be a Worship Leader now.

First Baby Girls Club with Nichole C. Mullen...  Girls from all over, but we had quite a few from LifeNet.

Friends:)

Last Sunday, we went to a fellow missionaries' home for lunch.  My girls fell in love with their dog.

Loved hearing how they were in Haiti when the earthquake hit.  I mean it was horrible, but so cool to talk to someone who was right there by the center.  Tori helps Carol at the Tutor Center on Mondays.

And yes, those are sheep...pretty cool place to live, huh?

So, here's what's been happening!

Sharing Their Stories

Thursday nights, after our big group ice  breaker and discussion, we break into smaller NetGroups all over the house, out in Lee's office, out on the porch.

I am taking four amazing young ladies through the Life Manual.  One is Tori's age, and the others are all students at UB.

Last night was chapter seven.  Where we practice sharing our testimony in order to be able to share with someone when that situation comes up.  It is always very special for me to learn more about their lives.  I have a very open group this time.  They are very transparent and I love seeing what God is doing and has done in their lives.

Backing up a little.  Yesterday was one of those days.  Extremely, miserably hot.  Lots to do and not enough time.  A day of victories and a day of some heartache.  

Remember the lady that I used to talk to at the bakery all the time?  Well, she had a baby in November and I lost her:(  I ask about her every time I go in.  Well, yesterday, I found her.  At the other branch of the bakery across town.  She gave me a big hug and showed me pictures of her baby.  I guess I need to start shopping there now:)  It blessed me to find her again and be able to restart our relationship.

The enemy tried to discourage me yesterday in some other areas.  But after a good cry and talk with my husband, I was able to refocus.  Remember why we are here.  Remember that God is using us.

So, back to last night.  We had a great group.  Lee did a great job teaching on parenting.  I looked at him and looked around the room.  The kids love him.  He is so animated, yet, speaks hard truths.  And they get it.  The discussion time was great.  I am proud of him.  No one but our family knows how hard he works...but when he is ministering, he is so carefree and amazing.  I love seeing how God is using him to father so many of these kids.  So many who do not have a father.

When we broke into our small group, I rushed through the first part so the girls could have time to share.  As they shared, I wanted to cry.  They each have not had easy lives.  They all have known heartache, loss, single parent homes, and much more.  But they all came to this place where they realized they needed Jesus and could not make it without Him.  Each experience unique, yet the same.  And two of them especially, I have first hand witnessed the transformation Jesus has made in their lives.  One pretty recently.

But that is what is so cool.  They are all faithful to church, NetGroup.  They are all faithful to serve Jesus.  And it is hard.  It is hard at the University for them to find friends who serve Jesus like them.  So, LifeNet offers that safe place for them to come, grow, be with others who are on the same journey.

Aren't I one blessed woman to get to be a part of all this!

Reflections

we have had a very busy weekend...that really started on thursday with Josh turning 17...

with Josh getting older and realizing his time with us, under our roof, is growing short, it brings about times of thinking, reflecting.

one thought that has been on my heart a lot recently...preparation.

as i think back over my childhood, my teen years, my early marriage and my children being small, i feel that i am in this "older" season of life.  i feel that, just as people have poured into and taught me over the years, now, i am that person for so many.  including my children.

another thing that has been heavy on my heart, ever since going through the billy graham library back in february, is that God was always preparing me.  preparing me to be lee's wife, preparing me to be a pastor's wife to many (because even though we move on from churches, i still stay in touch with so many we have pastored over the years), God was preparing me to be josh, tori and erika's mom, to come on the mission field.   but i didn't know it then, when i was growing up.  God put me in a family who loved Jesus...who had me at church every time the doors were open, who taught me biblical principles along the way.  he put me in sunday school rooms and a youth group that built me spiritually.  so, that one day, i would be ready for what He put me here to do.  when i was a child, i never once thought i would marry a pastor.  i never even considered that i would live anywhere besides the states.  but i believe God knew.  of course,  i had to choose to be in His will, but He always had these plans for my life...

so, now, i am the one pouring into young girls.  i think about what i say to them.  i want my words to impact them, help them in their choices.  i want to be Jesus to them.  my own children, my heart, my loves--they know the best and worst of me.  i want them to remember the good more than the bad and for all the little decisions we have made in parenting them to affect them in such a way that it is preparation for what God has planned for their lives.  because we don't know.  we don't know what God will do, how He will use them...we want them prepared for anything.  even coming here to belize...was it preparation for one of them or all of their lives?  

only God knows the plans He has for my children, my grandchildren.

  i want to teach my children to most of all, know God and know His voice...because in this life, truly nothing else matters.

Sappy, Happy Birthday Post to an Incredible Son

Every year, I know I say the same thing...but where have the years gone?  I am so emotional lately, starting to think about just having one more year before Josh goes to college.  I know he is excited about that next step in his life.  Like getting a job, getting a car, and all the fun that goes with college.

So, seventeen years ago, in Youngstown, Ohio, I was 22 years old and five days overdue...and oh so ready to meet my little baby.  We did not know that we were having a boy until the day I went into labor, which was actually March 27.  You see the day that I finally went into labor had been like the longest day of my life!  I remember we went to the midwife because I was overdue and they wanted to check the baby.  They did a sonogram and when they did, we found out it was a boy.  Lee cried.  Then it was a mad rush to go home and wash some little boy clothes a friend had given me.  Everything else we had was neutral.  I remember that I walked three miles that day with my friends, something I did about three times a week back then...before kids...when I lived somewhere cooler:)  Also that night, we had a pretty intense church meeting...that went on and on.  I was having contractions about every thirty minutes, but I had been having Braxton Hicks for weeks...so wasn't sure if it was really labor.

That night, when I finally was going to go to sleep, around midnight, I lay down in the bed and my water broke immediately.  Lee and I were both exhausted.  It was midnight after an extremely long day.  My contractions sped up, adrenaline kicked in, and then we were off to the hospital.  Had I known then how long I would have been there, I would have stayed home a little longer:)  Josh was not born until 1:30 the next afternoon, by c-section.  I will spare you the rest of the details.

Josh, I remember the first time I saw your huge brown eyes.  I was already in love with you, but seeing you, all I could do was cry.  You are my firstborn.  I remember going for long walks in the woods and begging God to give me a baby.  And you were that baby.

Josh, you have brought so much joy into Dad's and my life.  We have been proud every minute of your life.  I love that both of our girls have a big brother.  You tease and harrass them, but when it comes down to it, I know you would protect them at any cost.  The other night when you had to watch Erika...I could tell she had so much fun with you.  I know God has taught you so many lifelong lessons having two sisters.   You will make some girl a wonderful husband because of it:)

Today, you will go and get your permit to drive.  You have had to wait a year longer than your friends in the states.  I know you will be a safe driver...but of course, its the other drivers I will worry about.  But I realize I have to let you grow up, take those next steps.

Josh, you are my adventurous one.  The one who climbed before you walked.  I remember when you were three and you leaped up to grab the  net of stuffed animals over your bed...and it broke with you on it.  Now, your adventures include jumping 40 feet into the Blue Hole.  Thankfully, God has protected  you.  And you take calculated risks...which makes me more peaceful.  You have Daddy's craziness mixed with my sense:)

And you are my crazy, silly one.  I love that this moment was caught on camera.  You are protective with who gets to see this side of you.  Tori gets so mad because you always make me laugh and get out of trouble...  You always make me laugh and Erika wants to be just like you.  She even says, "Am I as funny as Josh?"  What a joy for her to look up to you for your funniness!

Josh, so proud of the standards you have set for yourself.  You have an amazing ability to manage money even though you don't even have a job.  You are so great at figuring things out, whether it comes to school or technology.

I am so proud to call you my son and pray that your birthday is nice and relaxing and we are doing our best to get you some of your favorite things to eat.  After all, seventeen year old boys like FOOD and Minecraft...not necessarily in that order.

HAPPY SEVENTEENTH BIRTHDAY!!!!