I don't think there is hardly a week that goes by in which I don't think of things the Lord is teachng me/working in me. Is that the same for you? Trials have been a very good teacher and worked much patience and driven me to the Saviour; His precious Word convicts, brings light, and renews the mind; the example and testimony of others encourages; and the Spirit's still small voice is so firm yet gentle.
Noah is feeling so much better. The infection is gone and he finishes his antibiotics tomorrow. Thank you for praying, caring, and for the advice.
The children are just growing so quickly. We were talking together today about how we have been created to glorify God in everything forever. How often do I think of that? How would that one thought alone sometimes change they way I say something or what I do or don't do?
I've been teaching the children how that whatever we do, we need to do heartily as unto the Lord. How we need to seek to please the Lord rather than man. I appreciate how well they do their chores as they love to work with mommy and daddy and just beam as we praise them for a job well done. But I want them to do their best for the Lord because they love and want to please Him...that way they will work well even when nobody else is looking.
Whenever I teach my children something, it often pricks at my heart along with or before theirs. Many jobs I tend to do half heartedly because they aren't my favorite thing to do and nobody notices if they aren't done well. So little by little I've been reminding myself of how the Lord wants us to do all for Him, and I've found great joy and unexpected blessings in putting my heart into some formally "mundane" tasks.
The morning weather has gotten a bit chilly. Well, for us "Mexicans" a 50 degree morning just calls for quilts, hot tea or coffee, warm clothes, and extra snuggles. Having no cooling or heating in the house makes us very in tune with the temperatures.:) By 10 am it's back in the 80's, but just having these cool evenings/mornings just makes everything so cozy and brings lots of smiles.
More and more, Mexico is becoming my home. Many missionaries will tell you that often the holidays are difficult times as you tend to get "homesick" especially those first years on the field. We'll be here...home....this Christmas. I realized how much the Lord has answered a prayer I prayed through many sobs and tears years ago...to help me feel at home here...to help me truly love the people here...their culture, food, language, landscape, and all the other things that were so very strange and foreign to me. And they are all now like dear friends...ones whom I get that homesick pit in my stomach when I think of losing any one of them.
It gets dark so early now; the children are spending the evenings pulling out games and toys that hadn't left ther cupboards/boxes for quite some time. This week I began leaving some of my evening work and sitting down to play checkers, build with Lincoln logs, or play trains. I know that when the children are grown and gone, I'll never wish I'd cleaned better or spent more time at my desk...but I will cherish those memories that we spent playing, talking, and laughing together...and I want to have lots of memories.
Someone is getting around a bit on his feet...with some help :) Something the Lord really convicted me about this past year is how much time I spend on the computer. It is so easy to spend 30 minutes reading blogs, recipes, answer emails etc...; it feels like you just sat down and a good part of the hour has past. I'm not very capable of double tasking when I'm on the computer either...I really can't think of anything other than what I'm reading or typing. I love really being with my children...attending to their needs, hearing their every cries, listening whole heartedly to their every story, trying to answer their every question...oh they have so many! :) I am very thankful for the ablilty to communicate with friends and family through the computer, but want to be careful to not let something good replace what is best.
Hospitality...I've been thinking a lot about that lately. I don't think I'm very good at it, but how I want to be! The Mexican people are so very gracious, hospitable, and offer you whatever they have no matter how little it is. I want my children to learn the joy of having others in our home, serving them, fellowshipping with them, making them feel "at home" and all the blessings it brings.
Monday we invited over several families from our church for supper. I prayed that morning asking the Lord to use us to bless these brothers and sisters in Christ and that it would be an enjoyable evening for everyone. And it truly was! The adults ate and fellowshipped around the table for 3 hours while the children played outside and inside together.
Most of the conversation around the table centered around Jesus Christ and God's Word. These dear families who did not even know Him a year or two ago. Praise the Lord for His work!!
I would love to do this every week!
So before I head to bed, I just wanted to share a few things the Lord has been teaching me. What has the Lord been teaching you? I would love to hear about it! He is so faithful and good!
