Quilt Cuddles

And the Lord God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; 

I will make him a helper comparable to him." Genesis 2:18

Monday nights here in Rumi Rancho are nights of laughs, lessons, and love with our "Big Kids". Our ministry is dedicated to kids, teaching practical skills and Bible to underprivileged kids in the rural area where we live. But at what age do we stop teaching those who need Christ and help for their daily lives? Our vision is never to stop teaching those who need the Savior––no matter what the age of the "kids". Our age limit is birth to death.

God burdened us for a group of young couples here in the area. These young marrieds grew up with us. Most of them were in our computer classes and our youth group here in the church. The girls, now young ladies, were in my baking classes. As time marched on they married, had babies, and grew away from church and us.

In recent years, we have seen divorce rates begin to go up in Bolivia. They are not at 50% as in other parts of the world, but the trend is beginning here too. We know the time is now to begin teaching and helping these couples, before they reach a point of no return in their marriage. They are still kids to us!

It is never too late to save a marriage. We know all things are possible with God. Some of these couples are already working on problems and recommitting their lives to the Lord. Others are close to accepting Christ as Savior.

They are our "Big Kids" now, and we are the "Old Kids" teaching them. But, we are all God's Kids––daily needing His help to have a marriage that will glorify Him. It isn't easy, but it is possible! For those of us blessed to have a spouse, let's work at our marriage every day, so we can grow old together and cuddle under a quilt with each other, not alone.

 "And now abideth faith, hope and love, these three;

 but the greatest of these is love." First Corinthians 13:13

Hanging by a Hair

Some days, you just need a friend to pick you up. They may be hanging by a hair too, but they are ready to pick you up when you need a lift.

"Two are better than one, because they have a better return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up" (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NIV).

Lately, I've been blessed by those friends. When I'm in need of a flower to brighten my day, they offer it. They hold out a hand and lift me up. We "hang" together.

Thank God for friends––blessings from Him!

Rabbits Speak Spanish

Really Rare Rabbits recently released in Spanish. 

Chi Chic and Fi Fi are conejos verdaderamente extraños.

Spanish is Chi Chi and Fi Fi's first language. Now they tell their stories to children who also speak Spanish as their first language––and many their only language.

I'm excited to see my books in Spanish so many children who don't speak English can now learn about Jesus from Chi Chi and Fi Fi's Spanish version of Really Rare Rabbitsht. . .

How to Find Your Proper Place

Where is home? Is it where your family lives? Where your work's located? How do you find the comfort of home? Do you sometimes feel out of place? 

Living in two cultures brings with it a sense of not belonging anywhere. Not only do I live in a foreign country, but I also live in a Quechua village where three cultures and three languages collide to make the mix even more interesting. Feeling out of place is an understatement. Yet, somehow I am at home. When we arrive in the States, I feel at home. My language is spoken. My friends wear what I wear––well, once I get to a store and update my look. Then comes a new haircut. Yes, friends make sure I get where I need to go for this new look. I look the part, but am I at home? Yes! Why? How can I be at home in two places and still not fit into either place?

The answer is simple. I'm at home because I am where God wants me to be. I am in His will. "Home" is being in God's will.

Matthew 6:33 "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (NIV)

In God's will, we have a proper place of belonging––a home. One day we'll arrive in our forever home. Until then, we find a home in the center of God's will.

Are you in your proper place? Is there a warm spark of home in your heart?

Burdened Burro

Can you find the burro?

Did you know, if a burro is overloaded he will sit down and refuse to move? It's true, we see it happen on the road in front of our house. The burros in our village still carry a load of corn or alfalfa from the fields to their homes. They return home alone––they know the way.

This poor guy must have been on the brink of sitting down. Maybe the limit was just one more cornstalk. How do the owners know the limit of their burros? It must be that they live and work with these animals day in and day out for many years. Burros can live 30 years or more; they will work hard for many years. But, if they are abused their life-span will be shorter.

What can we learn from the burro? Do we know when to sit down if the burden is too much, the way the burro does? Like the burro, we have a Master who knows us, He walks with us day in and day out. If we are over-burdened, whose fault is it? 

Maybe we have put the burden on ourselves, and it is time to review our priorities. Maybe we can delegate––let go. We are about to start a young couples' workshop here in Rumi Rancho. God has worked it out perfectly, but we had to seek help––we couldn't do it all. Six of us will do the necessary things to make it come together. Chuck will lead the study, Juan and Amelia will help with the setting up, and Pablo and Nathaly will lead the singing. I will show up with the snack, and of course, add some laughs when things start to get dull. By delegating, we can do more ministry and be more effective. We can reach and teach more children and adults, because God has provided a way, so we won't be over-burdened.

If we think we can't do one more thing, maybe we can't. Time to sit down. God is not going to overburden us. But, we can overburden ourselves.

The burro's master knows his animal's limit––our Master knows our limit. 

Let's seek God's priorities and lighten our load.

Perfect Landing

How can we board a plane and peacefully glide or turbulently bump to our final destination? Once we arrive, how can we peacefully glide or bump through any other frightening circumstance in our lives? I found the answer descending from 30,000 feet.

Do you like to fly? I can't imagine counting the days until I board a plane because I am looking forward to it. I never look forward to squeezing myself into a small, uncomfortable seat to endure many hours of international flights. And, let's not forget turbulence. I'd rather have a root canal.

Of course, we've all heard that landing and take-offs are the dangerous parts of the flight. Does that give you comfort? Not me. On landings and take-offs, my knuckles turn white from clutching the armrests, and my heart reaches the rate of a marathon runner about to cross the finish line.

I once drove to the airport with a physics teacher. She explained all the aerodynamics of flying. "Flying is the safest means of transportation," she said. Did I feel safer boarding after that conversation? Not. A. Bit.

Last February, my husband and I boarded a plane to the States–– both scheduled for surgery. My cataracts progressed rapidly and in the span of just three months, I lost most of my vision. Weeks before our flight, we witnessed God's guidance to the right doctors at the right time for my husband and me. After three years of every kind of treatment for my husband's damaged nerve in his back, God miraculously put us in touch with a surgeon who had the answer we needed. We soared through the heavens (flying again) to arrive for our first appointments a few days later. Not my favorite thing, flying. It might be my most dreaded thing to do.

As we descended to our first destination and layover, I chatted with my husband about the events of the last few weeks before we left "home". We praised God together for answered prayers and the hope we both had for life without pain for him and good vision for me. God orchestrated our plans for good. My thoughts recalled God's guidance, love for us, and His faithfulness. My heart rejoiced as I recounted His answers to our prayers. My mind overflowed with thoughts of Him.

Suddenly, the wheels of the plane touched the ground. I hadn't noticed we were descending until I felt the bump of the landing. The circumstances around me (landing) had vanished as I praised God and fully had my mind on Him.

I know there will always be sad, bad, and frightening circumstances coming. But when they come, I'll remember that day of the perfect landing and once again fix my mind on Him instead of my circumstances.

How about you? Are your peacefully gliding or turbulently bumping today? If you're like me, bumpy comes often. Do you wonder how or where you'll land after the bumps? I found the answer to the perfect landing. Have you?

Isaiah 26:3 "Thou shall keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee,"

Senior Teenagers

"Be assured the Lord your God goes ahead of you like a devouring fire." Deuteronomy 9:3

Teenagers experience grounding; seniors do too. Today we thank God for our grounding. Teens want to run away from home when their parents restrict their activities. They balk at delicious and nutritious food set before them.They rebel when their driving privileges suddenly and abruptly end for a few weeks. And, how about an early bedtime? No child wants that to happen.

Chuck and I give thanks to our Father for all of the above and so many more blessings. We are blessed to be senior teenagers for a few weeks enjoying all the blessings of a time-out.

While talking to a friend, I realized how very thankful we are for this time-out. I told her I feel like a teenager under restrictions who wants to jump in the parents' car and run away--I'd probably go to Wal-Mart or Good Will. But, we both are enjoying our season of grounding––not easy for two people who can't sit still. But, we never expected this "stop" moment in our lives. I expected to take care of Chuck for a few days after his surgery, and then I'd relish in his care for me after my first cataract surgery for as long as I could milk it. BTW, I am doing great. One more eye to go on March 24. Believe me, it was a breeze––especially after what Chuck endured.

Chuck's surgery evolved into a major surgery likened to heart surgery by his surgeon. We had no idea of the risky operation Chuck headed for that day until five minutes before the surgery. How could that happen you ask? God's plan. Had I known the risks before that frightful morning, I most probably would have tried to talk Chuck out of it. But, in the end, I know it would have been his decision because how could I keep him from taking the risk to be out of pain. I couldn't have done that ––no matter what fears I had of him potentially being paralyzed in both legs. Yes, that was told to us five minutes before Chuck entered the OR. The nurse later told us, "Sometimes that happens." Yes it does, apparently. Just days before I had read this verse and clung to it through the surgery and even now as we wait for results of the surgery. "Come to me and I will answer you. I'll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own." Jeremiah 33:3. God knew I could never have figured it out on my own. Chuck had peace that passeth understanding and told me over and over it would be okay. His faith glowed there in pre-op.

Yes, God's plans were different from ours and much better for us, even though our natural man would buck these circumstances. We can't leave the house without a driver. Jane, our hostess cooks, cleans, washes our clothes and drives us where we need to go. Jim does whatever else we need around the house and also drives us to and from Pittsburgh. He sat through the operation with me and answered calls for me that day because I just cried when I tried to explain what was happening in the OR. Many friends are also doing wonderful things to help. Blessed abundantly, we are! God's people are the best!

Chuck is walking without the help of a walker or crutches. He does use a cane for security outside. His right leg is weak, but the therapist assured us that it would strengthen in the weeks ahead without therapy. We won't know the results of the surgery until he is off all pain medications. The surgeon burned 42 lesions on his central nerve. The nerve was very damaged, very inflamed, and red. The doctor said it would never have healed. He would never have had relief of his pain without this surgery. All of this from Shingles three years ago. He does have an infection in the incision that is improving daily. Hopefully, the pain he is experiencing now is related to the infection and surgery––not the pain he has been in for the last three years, although it is very similar. We know God is doing a work in his body. We wait for His answers to the many prayers going up for him, and we feel that blanket of prayers flowing over us.

Friends come with food and take turns getting us to appointments. We're all cozy under God's wings. He meets our needs and shows us His hand at every turn. He goes ahead of us and clears the way for us to pass through every obstacle––while  His wings hold us tight.

Chuck and I entered a new season in our lives these past few weeks–one of relinquishing control and resting physically. Chuck's surgery went from an outpatient procedure to a major surgery in a few minutes time––not our plans but God's plans.  His plans are always the best.

Yes, we feel like senior teenagers but with thankful hearts that we are driven not driving, fed not cooking, and enjoying early bedtimes that aren't mandatory. All of this in a lovely home with lovely, caring saints meeting our every need and our wants too––like chocolate pie in the frig. God is so good! He answers our prayers.

Be assured. God goes ahead of us like a devouring fire. Yes, He is making short work of this path we walk with bright lights and warm hugs from His glowing fire as we rest under His everlasting wings.