May
29
2008
Last Friday I was doing my project for my conversation class. Each week I study a chapter is 1 Samuel and then have to repeat the chapter in my own words to my teacher. Last week I did half of the chapter on David and Goliath. In that chapter that we all know so familiar because we all heard it a thousand times as kids in Sunday School, it speaks of David manhandling a lion and a bear. He was trying to convince King Saul that he was capable enough to handle Goliath.
Here’s what I learned. In Spanish we have two tenses that refer to the past. Past Perfect and past imperfect. Imperfect past tense is what you would use if you did a habitual act or something that happened many times. You may already see where I am heading with this.
When the Bible speaks of David and these lions and bears it uses past imperfect meaning that it was something that David did several times.
I’m sure the first time David was a bit worried but Praised God he made it through. By the fifth or sixth time he was probably getting pretty tired of it.
Wow what a testimony and encouragement. We can make it through the scary times, and when they come back, we only come back stronger.
Comments Off | posted in Costa Rica, Language School, Life
May
24
2008
That means that now until the time we leave here we will only hear rain all day everyday.
This week has been the first consistent rain we have had this year and man it’s been consistent. It starts about 1145AM and continues until we go to bed about 1000PM. At first we really liked it because it finally cooled everything off and made it more manageable, but now it’s just about ridiculous. Crystal wanted to get out of the house this morning, so we walked down to a clothing store that she had been wanting to check out, and from then on we have been trapped in the house. O the joys! I guess that’s just life in a rain forest for you.
Comments Off | posted in Life
May
22
2008
Got to make this quick, I’ve got a test this morning that I haven’t even thought about yet over the subjunctive rules concesion and suponiendo que. Any pointers?
I started working out this week. I told Crystal last night that she better take a picture of my now with my love handles because pretty soon i’ll look like Arnold and she won’t recognize me. =) I don’t think so!
I mentioned before that I went to the doctor a few weeks ago to have an annual physical that I haven’t had in three years. Well I got a pretty bad report. My doctor was actually very shocked at what he found. They did a bone density scan and found that I have very weak bones, like osteoporosis bones. I also have enormous amounts of cholesterol, and the makings of diabetes. So my first recommendation was to lose 15lbs as quickly as possible.
So this week I found myself in a gym working out as hard as I can to get rid of these love handles and get back to good health. I’m kind of excited about it, and I kind of don’t like it at the same time.
I am sore as all get out this morning. I can hardly move my arms, pick up Austin, get out of bed. Crystal said the other day, “Am I going to have to hear you whine the whole time you are doing this gym thing?” I emphatically said YES!
Forgive me to relating everything to our present situations, but we are seeing God move and work in every area of our lives right now, some good and exciting, and some very uncomfortable and bad.
James mentioned that we must consider it joy when we go through various trials because they test our faith and bring endurance.
Peter had a few things to say about this too. He said that we will be distressed by various trials but only for a little while so that the outcome we may be found having faith that brings glory and honor to our God. We can’t accomplish this without trials, the refocus of our efforts to be solely on God alone.
So with this thought in mind, I strive to BECOME what He wants me to be spiritually, and hopefully through my efforts in the gym I can get back to what I was in high school.
As soon as I look like Arnold–I’ll post the picture!
Comments Off | posted in Life
May
19
2008
Last week during my first conversation class my teacher asked me what my favorite Old Testament bible character was and then wanted me to explain why. The first person that came to my mind was Joseph. I can’t really say that I have a favorite OT Bible character, there are many that I truly admire, but to narrow it down to just one, I would have to do a lot of thinking. So for Wednesday I picked Joseph and I think the Lord had something to do with that direction because I have been able to stop thinking about it since then. I began explaining to my teacher why admired Joseph and in my few feeble Spanish words I saw the Lord painting me a picture.
Over the last year you all have followed us through our emails, blog updates, prayers letters, and phone calls. You know what has transpired and we still scratch our heads in question as to why all this has gone on. It may be years before we really know why or we may never know. Either way we have to take God as God and trust that it was His plan all along.
As I thought about Joseph over the past few days I am amazed at his strength. We first see him when he is 17 years old and sold into slavery by his brothers. Obvious years past by before he was elevated to serve in Potiphars house. It takes time to build trust like that. He probably thought that he had arrived. God had placed him where He wanted Joseph to be, but not so.
Everything would have been find had that woman not intervened and sent Joseph to prison. To my best judgement and guess Joseph was probably in prison for upwards of 8 long enduring years. Forgotten, helpless, hopeless, defeated, discouraged. I just wonder how many days he woke up in his dark, damp, lonely prison cell and gave up in his mind from serving God. You have to think that he did if not one day than a thousand. He had to wonder, “Did God really bring me out of my family and home to serve in this.” Or as I have asked in the past months, “Is this the best that God has for me?” Again he build his testimony and leadership ability and was blessed for it, so from that obviously not everyday was the end of the world to Joseph.
After all those years finally the light at the end of the tunnel. He is found. God remembers him (not that He ever forgot him, but work with me here)
Finally God puts him in a place where he can’t take in all the OPPORTUNITY, BLESSING, and REWARD for a life dedicated to Him. He is married, he has two kids that make him forget the previous horrible years. He is elevated to the highest position in the land, he is finally reunited with his family. He is blessed beyond measure.
In these simple thoughts on the life of Joseph that to you probably seem ordinary but to me they are a new light of day, I found myself very encouraged to press on just one day more. God is going to bring us away from this place stronger, more encouraged, and ready to help and encourage those who fight physical and emotional battles; battles that one can only understand if they have been through it yourself.
Not every day can feel like the best day of your life, and not every day will we feel that God is using us to reach the world, but if we endure….?
The thought that keeps me going now more than ever– If I quit now, what would God have done tomorrow?
More later….
Comments Off | posted in Discipleship, Leadership, Missions
May
18
2008
We are trying to get back to our normal lifestyle of frequenting the hospital as often as we are able. I think we’ve been there about 6 times just this month. A few tests for me, an appointment for Crystal X3, Austin needs to have another shot this week, then I have to go back for another blood test in two weeks, Crystal will have a follow up appointment for a test from last week. We are constantly getting to know more doctors at the hospital and are really strengthening our “friendships” with the doctors that we already know. (That’s a really sad thought, that we know them so well.) It’s also fairly sad that I copy claim form from our insurance company in sets of five.
Pray for Crystal as she has been having continued abdominal pains, and so far her doctor is unsure as to what’s causing the irritation. Hopefully we’ll learn more this week. Lord knows this year has been difficult to say the least, but we’ll make it through-we’re counting down the days.
Comments Off | posted in Life
