Guatemala, part 2

I have been home form Guatemala for a couple of
weeks now and the time has flown. I am still processing the whole event in my mind but just want to say that it was a wonderful trip with unexpected twists and turns that began before we even left. God changed our plans totally from going to start a sponsorship program to waiting on Him.

We had a wonderful place to stay in San Lucas, called My Father's House. The hospitality, food, and place of rest was so welcome.



We did meet a lot of families in El Membrillal and Magdalena Mipas Altas, and also helped work on a school in Zapote. We also had a children's day in Magdalena which was a lot of fun.

The days were full of work and new experiences. We saw volcanoes, crossed rivers with the vehicles, met many children, had time to go shopping in Antigua, laughed and joked with our new friends, and witness 2 people accepts God's free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Our hearts were blessed over and over.



Guatemala is a beautiful country and the people are so warm and welcoming. The scenery is incredible and the flowers so beautiful. The mixture of colors and textures in textiles and nature are a feast for the eyes!

I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to go and pray I might be able to return again soon.

I hope you enjoy these few photos.... I will be posting more on Face Book and soon at http://guatemalangrace.shutterfly.com/

Volcan de Fuego - still active. It was fascinating to watch the smoke come out. We drove by this each day that we went to work in Zapote.

Guatemala!

Last Feb. when I returned from Haiti, I wanted so much to return in the fall. I wasn't feeling at peace about it in June or so, and then God closed the door. That was OK. I figured maybe next year I could go. Well.... little did I know what God had in store! He was arranging a trip to Guatemala. He has opened the door for His Hands Support Ministries to possibly begin a child sponsorship program there in a small Mayan village. Three us us will be going with this ministry and will be joining another team that had planned to go to Mexico. God changed their plans too! So, now we will all travel together and work on a couple different projects outside of Guatemala City.

I have been looking for a key verse for this trip. The one that keeps coming back to me is Psalm 37:4,5 "Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass."

I have never had a desire to go to Central America until God put that desire in my heart. Now, I am anxious to go, meet brothers & sisters in the Lord, be part of a new ministry, see a different part of God's creation, and learn about a new culture. I am looking forward to what He plans to teach me, too. I also can't wait to see the colors of the materials and things the woman make. I've seen photos and they are beautiful! I'll share photos when I get back. The following photo was taken in Antiqua. We do plan to be there for a day.
Yea!!

Welcome to My Yard

Good Morning.

Another day of rain in the Northeast...but that has been the norm the past month - and to think I thought last year couldn't be repeated!!! Ha!

It's OK, no flooding and my plants are still growing and blooming.

I have tried to take a lot of plant photos this year.

This one is of the front steps to my house and I thought the colors were pretty. It's hard to see, but I do have a large poinsettia still in bloom in the front
window.

So, although the sky is gray, and the garden is over run with weeds, I am thankful for the color God gives. From the tiniest blossom of (?) that I have seen growing on the lawn to larger blossoms of my perennials.

Here are some photos of plants that are in bloom right now in my yard.
If you like what you see, please visit me at http://naturespeaking.shutterfly.com/ to see more of my photos.

The mallow and cone flowers are just starting to blossom. I haven't taken pictures of them yet.
May you be blessed with a day full of color!

Happy Independence Day!

Here's our new "neighbor"! He has a hole near our back steps.









He's very patriotic!!!!















And he likes to raid the bird feeder for sunflower seeds! He's fun to watch.

We had one around a couple years ago that I named Hoover..... he sucked up seeds like a vacuum cleaner!






Isn't he cute?? My hubby and I have had fun watching him and taking photos.

Musing over friendship

I've been thinking about "best friends" since working on a Bible study this am. Do you have a best friend?

I know, Jesus should be our best friend, but I'm thinking one with "skin on," a human best friend. What I really want is a kindred spirit... Someone who shares my faith, who encourages me, who challenges me, who listens to me, who prays with me, who understands me, who has similar interests and someone whom I would do the same for.

Often I wonder why I don't have this type of relationship with anyone, or even a "best" friend.

When I was in high school, I had a best girl friend, but as things usually go, we went our different paths. Also, most of my really good friends were guys. Even in college, I can only think of one girl whom I would have called my "best friend. Again, we went different paths. In my adult years I had someone I considered a kindred spirit, but I wasn't good enough for her I guess, as she just stopped seeing me; yet she never told me what was wrong even when I asked, and I asked for forgiveness if I had offended her.

I have a few good friends, and I value them, but no one that is like what I see some others have. The getting together for the fun of it, dropping by, doing projects together, etc. My friends and I share a Bible study together, and sometimes we do other things together. Perhaps I am envisioning something that is too "ideal".

I know passages of life can hinder relationships. Now, I am at the stage of empty nest and between active caregiving for parents.

I do tend to be a loner. Perhaps that is it. Or is there something wrong with me? I consider myself loyal and honest. Aren't those good traits to have in a friend? Have I put up walls? Afraid to trust? That could be true.

I yearn for a kindred spirit nearby. The one person I consider a kindred spirit lives over 1500 miles away. I am thankful for internet, but it sure is hard to sit down for coffee and chat!

Am I having a pity party? Maybe, but seriously, I'm not looking for pity or sympathy. I'm just thinking out loud. Thoughts that I have from time to time. The fact is, I do get lonely sometimes. My husband is busy and out a lot. Men don't seem to have the same need for friendships as women do.

I know God has a lesson for me in all this. It's a lesson he's been trying to teach me for a few years now. I guess I am just a slow learner!

I just found an interesting article on womens' friendships.

Friendships are a good thing!

I know I am not alone. I have made many good friends through the internet and email lists. I do cherish those. I know there are many among those people who desire the same thing - a real close friend who lives nearby ~ someone they can share the ups and downs of daily life with.

So, tell me. What about you? Are you blessed with a special friendship? How did it happen? Or, are you like me? Are you feeling a little lonely at times and wishing for that special bond with another woman, someone you can call a best friend?

Do you think those in "leadership" positions have a harder time of making a close friend?

Spring florals

Good afternoon! Although it is rainy here today, again....I am drawn to the beauty of spring.

I love spring time and all the new flower blossoms. The only problem is that most of the flowers don't last long enough for me.

I am reminded of Isaiah 40:7,8.

"The grass withers, and the flowers fade beneath the breath of the LORD. And so it is with people. The grass withers, and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever."

My life is like a flower ~ here for a time, then gone from this earth, but I know I will live again. My eternal home is in heaven.

The other promise is that God's Word will last forever! No matter how we may be persecuted, or how our freedoms may be removed, God promises that He will safeguard His word.

Still, I do wish the blossoms would last longer. They are so pretty and make me forget about everyday stresses. To hold on to the memories longer, I take photos. I have posted many at

http://naturespeaking.shutterfly.com/

I hope you will visit me there, too, and leave a comment.

Spring time!

I promise to write more later.... I have been focusing on getting through illnesses and the school year for the past two and a half months.... Health is much better and only 1 more day of school. Yippee! I have been busy taking some photos of the flowers in my gardens and hope to post those soon.

After a week of rain and cool weather, it's a glorious warm, sunny day here today and I am going to go finish planting my garden.