Making the Best of Our "Ifs and Thens"

It's been so refreshing to be here in Nampa and to be fed at church in ENGLISH!!!  And it has been overwhelming as our friends and church family have showered us with generous gifts and abundant time spent with us!  We feel like the center of attention and very loved.

It seems that each day is slowly clicking away so that one day can easily feel like one week.  There are times that we get discouraged because there still is not a full-time job/career for Cal and we start to wonder HOW we will make it (of course we are forgetting God's amazing blessings in the past, His promise to take care of us and His amazing love and guiding hand for our future) and that feeling can reoccur several times a day or every other day, but God has been so faithful in using the people around us to constantly remind us that we are in the palm of His hand and He is caring for us. 

For some reason our limited minds put those same limits on God.  After God has blessed us with some income or a generous gift, we are completely blown away and humbled and promise to never forget His hold on our lives and that He will always take care of us, and then, it seems that we always get attacked by the evil one immediately after when he tells us lies that that was only a one-time thing, but what about next week or the week after...how will you make it then?  And then all of a sudden we've forgotten our promise to REMEMBER what God has done for us and that He will always take care of us.  But God is so faithful to take our humanness and limited minds into account and remind us who He is and that His blessings never stop flowing.  It's not just a one-time thing...it's a life-time...no, it's an eternal thing.  :) 

For those who were at church this past Sunday will know what I'm talking about in my next few sentences.  Our pastor was talking about God's "Ifs and Thens".  For example: "IF you obey my commands, THEN I will bless you".  He was explaining that many of us are so busy rushing to the THENs that we handle our IFs poorly.  Cal and I do not want to be so busy complaining about our time of "ifs" (waiting) or rushing to the THEN that we don't see His blessings along the way and glorify His name. 

I am doing a Beth Moore study on Revelation at church every Thursday right now and she is encouraging us to write down all the ways that God is revealing Himself to us every week and as I look back, I am always so blessed to see how MANY ways He is speaking and revealing Himself to us as we are really in a very EXCITING time of our lives.  There are so many possibilities with jobs, places to live, etc...As Sarah said at church on Sunday, we just need to ride this roller coaster, throw our hands up, scream and enjoy the ride!   God knows the track that lays ahead and so even though we can't predict the next turn, we know that God can see it and will keep us safely in our seats.

We'd so appreciate your prayers for us right now.  We can feel a constant battle going on for our souls.  We KNOW that God's plans for us are right and good, but we want to be patient and not get the cart before the horse in our own power.  We need prayer for wisdom and discernment as well as a peace that can keep us and help us to persevere until God's direction is made known in our lives.  This time in our lives has been somewhat harder to "wait" than in the past and I think it's Satan's attempt to knock us down so that we will not shine God's light.  Please pray that Jesus's light will never go out in our lives and that we will daily put on the full armor of God!

We are so thankful for a church family, friends and mentors that have so faithfully loved and cared for us through many difficult times!  And for the miracles that Jesus has done in our lives, we PRAISE HIM!!!!  There is no one as worthy as He!!!  I am not worthy to eat the scraps from His table, to wash His feet, He is so Holy that if I was to gaze at His face, I would die, His power can calm storms, He can think it and mountains appear, at His command mountains fall into the sea and nations are destroyed and yet, He picks me up, cares about my smallest concerns, cradles me, wipes all my tears away and blesses me beyond my wildest dreams.  That's the God I serve!!!  Pray that we remember that each and every second of every day!

First month down...

<---Ella and Papa Jeff. They're two peas in a pod!

We've been back from Peru a month now and can hardly believe that it has not been longer!! It seems like we've been gone an eternity. Homesickness (for Peru) has set in and we are really missing our friends, family rather, in Peru. But there are so many wonderful things to be thankful for here. The newness of Ella in her cast is wearing off. We're starting to get the hang of a 2 1/2 year old in a full-body cast and how to maneuver her around. She's getting pretty sick of it, but is such a good sport. Her latest "accomplishment" was learning how to wiggle around and kind of "crawl". She'd start on her stomach and then put her hands under her body and push up. Then, with her half-free leg, she'd scoot forward and drag her immobile leg along. It wasn't a good idea though. The night after she figured out how to move she was in terrible pain and slept very little because it stressed her muscles that just been operated on. So, we're trying our best to keep her from scooting, but it's hard now that she knows she can do it. Ella's still as happy as ever. She asks politely to be moved from here to there and is more patient than I think I would be in her position. God has placed a peace on her little heart and body. We are so amazed at the signs of His love and fulfillment in her life. I know that there is no way a little two year old could understand what is going on with her body, but it seems that Ella does understand or is at least patiently accepting this new life-style, at least for now.

<--- Ari was doing a puppet show for Ella

Ari has been having a rough time. Not because of Ella in her cast, but we think because of all of the changes in her life. The biggest one being the move from Peru to the States. She is starting to settle in now, but the first three weeks were really tough. We had to continually comfort her and reassure her that we weren't leaving. Every time one of us would go somewhere (when she wasn't coming along) she'd cry and hang onto us until we'd finally have to pry her away and slip out the door leaving her in the arms of either Cal or me depending on who was staying at home with them. Ariana has however, enjoyed speaking English and being in her own element. One phrase she uses a lot at church when she recognizes someone is, "I know you!!" And then she runs to them and squeezes them tightly. All the signs of familiarity are very comforting to her right now. Cal and I have been struggling with a sense of "lostness" (just made up a word). :) But that's kind of where we're at. It's crazy that that feeling can even be around right now because we can see the amazing ways that God is leading in our lives! We've narrowed it down to the fact that it's Satan's way of battling us right now. Right now I am doing the Beth Moore study on Revelation and have been challenged to write down all the ways that God meets with us each day. How he reveals Himself to us and gives us divine appointments on a regular basis. I've been doing it for three weeks so far and when I read all the blessings and ways that God has revealed Himself to us aloud to Calvin the other night, we were snapped out of our frustration, and were overwhelmed as we reflected on God's goodness and love in our lives. We are absolutely certain that He has a great plan for us! We are still in need of prayer! Please pray that we would seek His will in our lives and that the distractions that Satan throws at us would NOT be effective. We want to follow Jesus whole-heartedly!

<---Ella LOVES dogs!! This is one of her favorite things in the whole wide world!

Another upcoming "event" is our (mine and Ella, Ari, Aunt Rhonda, Brianne & Ryker's) trip to Salt Lake City for Ella's MRIs and cast change. We're SO blessed to have such a great family and be so close-knit! I'm so thankful that Aunt Rhonda and Brie are spending four days to travel with me and my girls and help out while we're in SLC so Cal can continue working!! This will be a big visit for us because we'll get some important questions answered. Like, does Ella have cerebral palsy and how is it effecting her development? And is the dimple on Ella's lower back connected to her spinal cord and will it require back surgery? The trip will be a milestone as well because it's our half-way mark for Ella in her full-body cast! We'll only have 6 weeks left!
This past month has been a blur as we've reconnected with friends, cared for Ella in her cast, tried to settle into American life, and Cal's gotten trained at his part-time job at Paul's. It's been a hard transition, but so good. We are so blessed with the amazing friends and family that we're surrounded with. Thank you so much for your continued prayers for our family as we seek what God has for us next. We could not ask for a better body of believers! Thank you, thank you, thank you for your out pouring of love on our lives! We'll continue to keep you posted.


<--- Here's Ella passing some time with her Papa Al :)





I just had to get one of her little bum....so if anyone's wondering how we change diapers and were "it" all goes...now you know. :)

What is the Purpose of all this Waiting?

What does God have planned for us? Whatever it is, it is GOOD. But, am I willing to wait? Is Cal? Is Ariana? Or is Ella willing to wait? How about you? Waiting is so hard, but so worth it. As I look back at the past 3 years, sometimes I feel like all we've done is wait. Wait to see if Ella would be born....wait to see if I would live through the chances of infection....wait to see if Ella would live more than a day....wait to see if she could ever come home...wait to see if she would ever learn to eat....or if she'd have any vision...or if she'd learn to crawl...or ever be out of her three body-casts at age 6 months...wait to see if the clot in her heart would shrink...or if God wanted us in Peru...or if God wanted us back home to care for Ella...wait for Ella's 4th cast to come off and 5th to be put on...wait to find out if Ella has Cerebral Palsy....or wait to find out where God wants our family to "be" here in the States....or in what job??? God has answered some of our waiting questions only to then wait again on something new. So, are we doomed to spend our entire lives waiting? But maybe we're not really waiting. Maybe we only think we're waiting because we haven't found what we think we're looking for. But what are we looking for? If it's God's will that we're in search of, then only He will know how to get there. And if only He knows, then why don't we fix our faces on Him and take one day at a time and know that since we're not somewhere different, we're right where He wants us at that moment!

Now, I know that there are other times that we haven't moved from the spot that we're in because we're content there and God has asked us to move and has an open door waiting for us, but in fear or because we like where we are, we stay...that is different. That is not waiting. But if we are seeking His will with all of our might and no doors are opening in a direction of change and no doors are closing where you are currently, then why can't we be content to stand still. It's like we're all in the waiting room at the doctor's office. Names keep getting called one by one, and maybe people are even getting called that arrived AFTER you did, but yours is not called. Do we get mad and impatient or can we just sit for a moment and think, "hmmm, maybe there's a reason He has us here.....waiting."

You know, I've found that many times it's in my times of waiting that God has molded me, shaped me and used me the most. If we're already where we think we're supposed to be then maybe, just maybe we quit looking for where it is that He wants us to be. And if we're not looking, how many opportunities to share Christ with others do we miss out on? It may be that time in the waiting room that we meet someone passing by that is completely lost and are able to help them get where they need to be. Maybe they haven't even checked in yet (met Jesus) and you are there right at the perfect time because you weren't too busy moving yourself to the check-up room, so that you can help them make the first step to finding out where God wants them to be - by first, getting them signed in! If you weren't there, in that time of waiting, that person could still be out wandering and lost, all alone!!

I don't know about you, but for me, I'd much rather be waiting than lost! Because when you're lost, you don't even know where the food is. Or water or protection, etc... Or if you're lost in the midst of a great sea or even a swimming pool, you don't even know where the edge is to hold on for dear life!! But in contrast, when you're waiting, many times it's in comfort. I think of the lounges that we wait in when we get our car serviced. It seems there's always bottled water, coffee and even a piece of fruit to chew on while we wait. When we have already been "checked in" (saved by Jesus Christ), we are no longer lost. In our moments of unclear direction, we are waiting, but we are waiting in the comfort of His loving, capable arms. He will not let us drown or die. He is waiting for the opportune moment to bless our socks off. Even as I waited in pain (both physical and emotional) at the hospital when my water broke 5 months early when I was pregnant with Ella, I was in His comfort!

Right now, I feel like Calvin and I are in the waiting room of our lives. We don't even know what we're waiting for, but it's GOOD, I'll tell you that much. It's going to be awesome as God's plan for our lives unravels. I can't wait to see what it is. You know, it was just last night that we were out with some dear friends and they were telling us about their precious kids. One of their boys said something like this to his mom as she was laying with him in bed and he was gazing around the room, "I am looking at the angels right now." !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Another time at the park, he slipped while climbing a ladder and when his mom asked if he was ok his reply went something like this, "I'm ok, that man caught me." Alarmed, she asked who he was talking about because there was no "man" in sight. He replied, "It was Jesus. He takes care of me." Looking at my own kids, there are so many times I KNOW they have been caught by an angel or that the food lodged in their throat was loosened by Jesus because He loves us THAT much. He is THAT awesome. He is THAT real and THAT present in our lives! If we invite Him in, He is there. And it doesn't matter if we're waiting...He is still there. Just because we're waiting does NOT mean that He is not present!!!

It might be that it is in this time of waiting, that our family will be paused long enough to feel His hand guiding us or His angels catching us when we misplace our feet and it is THAT confidence that He is building in us to rely on Him and to know He will be there to catch us that is preparing us for the next open door. Will it be an amazing job that pays enough to hi-light my hair and get my nails done..........wow, that would be cool. :) Or is it another ministry that He is paving the way for as we speak? Or maybe He'll open the door to adopting some more children?? We don't know, but we can rest in His love, in His mercy and His protection as we wait. I sure don't want to mis-read today as a day of dreaded waiting when it could be His plan for today that I sense His near presence - even His hand on my back as He leads, or that He puts just the right person in my life that will lead to the next open door, OR that He will put someone in my path today that will lead to their salvation!!! I don't want to miss it! It is my deep prayer that God will take away my feeling of waiting and replace it with a feeling of contentment and that I will be a tool that He can use in my time of "waiting".

I think any time we have a sense of waiting, it is a beautiful opportunity for God to mold some character into us. Instead of being mad and "brittle", we need to be content and "soft" so that He can work with us and sculpt us into an amazing masterpiece.

These verses have helped me through many times of waiting and hardship:

1 Thess 5:16-18
"Always be joyful. Pray continually and give thanks whatever happens. That is what God wants for you in Christ Jesus."

2 Tim 2:10
"So I patiently accept all these troubles so that those whom God has chosen can have the salvation that is in Christ Jesus. With that salvation comes glory that never ends."

And here are some verses that are an encouragement to do it:

Isaiah 30:18
"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!"

Psalm 27:14
"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."

Psalm 30:1-3
"I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord."

Hebrews 10:35-39
"So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him." But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved."

James 5:11
"As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered."

James 1:2-4
"consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

Luke 8:15
"But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop."

And the one that tells us how to do it:

Hebrews 12:1-3
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

Never-ending Faithfullness

Have you ever noticed that God is ALWAYS faithful? And even when we aren't faithful, He pulls through in amazing ways. I don't mean that nothing bad ever happens, because we have our own free will, so of course, being as human as we are, bad things will always happen. But I'm talking about when you're facing a really tough situation and you can't see your way around it and then panic sets in.... And then out of the blue, an unimaginable turn of events takes place and you're riding an even cooler road than before!
Here's a quick "for instance"... Ok, for instance:
When my water broke with Ella and I was on bedrest in the hospital for weeks and Ari was in daycare for months and we knew if Ella made it, she'd also be in the hospital for months...we knew we were going to be facing millions of dollars of bills. It was pretty crushing and no matter how we looked at it, there was no white light at the end of the tunnel. We sure didn't have that kind of money! Even if we got some other kind of surprise mail with money in it or a better paying job or anything our minds could conjure up, we wouldn't have enough. We did have insurance, but as far as we knew, it only covered a percentage....
This is where God steps in. We had already ruled out a miracle when BAM! We get one. Come to find out our insurance paid 90% up until we reached $5000 out of pocket and then it covered 100% of EVERYTHING!!!!! Are you reading this? 100%!!!! Calvin and I were able to pay all of our bills on time, but it wasn't a fluke. Let me tell you why. Because a year earlier, Cal had switched jobs and he was trying to decide which insurance plan he wanted. For some odd reason (just felt like he should) he picked the premium plan. I remember thinking, "man, why did he do that? Now we have to pay so much more out of his paycheck each month!" Little did we know that one year later we'd desperately need that PREMIUM insurance plan to pay for Ella and me, and the Holy Spirit had led Calvin to the correct decision!
Anyways, all that to say, what seemed like a disaster, God already knew about and had planned for! We had no way of seeing our way around it, but He could see above and beyond it and was already planning for our next hurdle!
Ok. End of "for instance".
I'll get to my point. I feel that same guidance in our lives right now!! We have a LOT of "what ifs"! What if Ella needs medical care that is not orthopedic and un-covered by Shriner's? What if Ari gets sick and we need to go to the doctor...where will the money come from? What if we can't find jobs that allow us to have our own place? What if we can't afford to drive down to Salt Lake and pay for hotel rooms and food for the rest of Ella's treatments? What if? What if? What if?
But I'll tell you what! Jesus Christ knows exactly WHAT!! He provides in ways we can NOT fathom! He opens doors we didn't even realize existed! We no longer worry about "what if" because we know who's in charge!! That's Jesus. The Alfa and Omega, Beginning and the End, the First and the Last...He IS!!! Nothing is impossible with Christ!
I just had to share today. I hope that if you have some "what ifs" you can lay them at Jesus' feet and watch as He blows you away with blessings and miracles.

New Life in Nampa

To my Sweet Ella Breanne - January 21, 2011

To my darling little girl,

Who always dances

And loves to twirl:

You’re having a hard time right now,

You see you can’t move,

You want to, but you don’t know how.

You’re entire body is held fast,

Completely still

With your spica cast.

You can move your arms and neck too,

But you’re restrained

From your chest to your shoe.

I’m not quite sure how to tell you why.

I could start,

But then I’ll cry.

When you look at me with those great big eyes,

I want to tell you,

To explain all the “whys”.

You’re just so young,

It’s hard to describe

With my unskilled tongue.

The hardest part for me I think

Was when you first came in

And couldn’t even blink.

You slowly opened your eyes,

You said, “No Way!”

And then had only cries.

As you awoke a tiny bit more

You looked from your chest

Right down to the floor

This new foreign “thing” had you bound,

“Help me Mommy!” “Stuck!”,

You said as you looked all around.

The breath went out of me like never before

I didn’t know what to do,

My heart started to roar.

Tears were burning my eyes as I tried to hold them back,

I couldn’t let you see how afraid I was,

I had to stay on track.

I had never broken down in front of you,

I had to be strong,

To help you!

In the past there were days we didn’t know,

Didn’t know if you’d live or die,

Or if you’d breathe well enough to cry.

We’ve been in hospitals, ERs, Ors and more,

You’ve clung to life so many times,

You’ve had procedures galore!

But this, this is different, now you’re two.

How can I explain

Why you’re black and blue?

Or even to tell you good news, that there were no glitches,

Your surgery went well,

And to count all your stitches.

You’re just too little to understand

That you’re stuck and hurt now,

But in three months you’ll stand!

How can I describe that it’s for your own good,

That what we’re doing now

Is all we really could!

I’m just so glad that Daddy was there,

He knelt down and loved you,

And whispered, “there, there.”

He was strong when I could not be,

Words of love and comfort

He recited to thee.

Your Daddy loves you oh so much,

His words calmed you down,

They were just the right touch.

Kind of reminds me of someone else I know,

He’s big and he’s strong,

His love only grows.

It’s God, our father, who made you first,

You were His prized artwork,

He’s so proud He could burst.

He made you the way you are for a reason,

You’ll endure this

Only for a season.

We’re just so glad that we have you!

You could have not made it,

But you did and we do!

Who knows, maybe someday you’ll meet someone,

who’s stuck just like you,

But you’ll be able to help, to teach them some fun.

God works in mysterious ways,

He loves us and comforts

And always stays.

He will never leave or forsake us

He’ll always heal

And never break us.

This is a gift He’s given you

The opportunity to rely on Him,

And I hope you do.

He gives us more than we could ask or dream,

Look at my life!

He gave you to me!

And so, my darling little girl,

I’ve found new strength

In this whirl.

I hope and pray that you might understand

A little about

God’s mighty hand.

We’ll conquer this together you and me,

But don’t forget

With Jesus, that’s three!

But then there’s Daddy and Ari too,

So wow!

God’s given you a zoo!

My darling, precious little one,

Even though I can’t explain

What’s happening to you.

Please just know we lift you up to Jesus

Each and every day

Because He’s the one that frees us

In a fresh and brand new way!

For you right now, the cast is what is binding,

But for others, it’s their sins,

So, if you lean on Jesus, to them your life is shining!

And somehow I think you know how big God is,

Like He’s already said,

“Little Ella, this is how it is….”

He explained it all to you in a way you can truly get,

And you just said, “ok God”

“I never will forget”

I see it in your face today as you bring on each new task,

There’s a peace and joy

That could not be a mask

For this look only appears when you’re in the “fam”,

The family of God that is,

When you’ve met the great I AM!

We love you Ella Breanne. Get well soon. Love Mommy.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

And Now...We Wait

Well, it seems silly to stop blogging now. God has used this blog as a source of ventilation for me (Jen) and to bring prayer and unity with my friends and family. The title may have changed, but the intent is the same.
1. To Glorify Jesus
* To vent
2. To Inform what Jesus's doing in our lives
3. To solicit prayer
You have probably received some sort of email from us about this blog. It's because we have set the settings to Private so that only those that I've invited can view our blog for safety reasons. When we were in Peru, we weren't too "worried" about people stocking us or our kiddos, but we want to be smart in this world of internet who is viewing intimate details about our family and especially our kids.

Life has been full of change recently. The first big change, obviously, is our surroundings. We've been adapting to our American life. Ariana asked me last week as we were driving, "Mommy, why does it rain all the time?" I think the rain has been hard for her because it only rained a handful of times while we were in Peru. 9.9 times out of 10 you can guess that it's NOT going to rain in Arequipa, so all the rain here is pretty hard for a kid that just came back from the land of eternal summer and wants to play outside.

Another change has been being able to drink out of the faucets! When we were in Salt Lake for Ella's surgery, I was talking with another mom in the parent's lounge and she told me that she'd see lots of people carrying around water bottles in the facility because the water was bad. I was immediately concerned because I had been using it to rinse my toothbrush and drink figuring it was safe because we were in the U.S. I stated my concern and she had to explain that she meant that the water only tasted bad, but was not bad for you. :)

Throwing our toilet paper into the toilet has been probably the biggest adjustment. When we were away in Salt Lake for Ella's surgery, Ariana stayed with family in Nampa. While she was with my aunt, Rhonda Gray, Ari threw her toilet paper in the trash. Aunt Rhonda thought it was strange, but didn't correct her. The next time, again, Ari threw the tp in the trash. This time Aunt Rhonda thought, "Hm, it must be some strange Peruvian thing," but still didn't correct Ari. All week Ari threw her paper into the trash until one time it dawned on her, she looked up at Auntie Rhonda and said, "I can throw this into the toilet can't I?!" And Aunt Rhonda just smiled and nodded.

I have to admit, dish washers, clean water, dryers and carpet have all been welcome signs of being in the U.S. as well. We feel completely spoiled with all the conveniences. I think my favorite change is not having to walk 5 blocks from my house and wave down a taxi everytime we leave. It's SO NICE to just hop into a vehicle and go where you need to go! (kids restrained in carseats is nice as well) :) There are just so many differences that become so apparent that we never even knew we had become accustomed to.

One funny change is that we now are in the majority instead of the minority. It can be frustrating to be in the minority as you cannot speak the language of the people, have trouble adjusting to the culture, and are OFTEN discriminated against, but one plus of being the minority is that we spoke a different language than most of the locals and could speak freely without anyone understanding us. I remember being in the States before we went to Peru and would hear Spanish around me in the grocery store and wonder if they were talking about me. It was so frustrating and now we had the same "effect" in Peru! It was so funny because many times, Cal and I would be riding the public bus systems and see someone doing something crazy and make a blunt statement right there because we knew that they couldn't understand us. Something like, "Oh my goodness, that guy is REALLY picking his nose. It's like he's digging for gold. Look, he's really going for it!" And he'd be sitting right next to us. :) So, coming back, it's hard to remember sometimes that everyone can understand us.

I was a "victim" to this when we first arrived on U.S. soil at the Houston, TX airport. I was talking with my mom about how bodies adjust to food in different countries and used the word "constipated" a little too loud and all of a sudden realized that the people around me could understand what I was saying!!!!! How embarrassing! :)

But it goes both ways...when you're learning a new language, many times you can say something ridiculous and not even know you said it, like one time I told Calvin's language teacher that his BROTHER was pregnant!! Or another time I was trying to say that I was afraid of something, but the word for afraid in Spanish if VERY similar to a very bad word....and I used the bad word without realizing in front of one of our pastors!!! Luckily they figured out what I was trying to say and laughed it off. They were very gracious. So, speaking English in the U.S. is so nice...a rest for our brains, but definitely an adjustment.

Now, we are starting to get settled in. Many of you know Cal got a part-time job at one of our local grocery stores, so having him go off to work has started us in a routine this week. We are SO thankful for this job that God has provided. It is only part time and hopefully only temporary until Cal can find something he really wants to do, but God has been so good to give it to us to provide for our immediate needs.

Another change this week was the purchase of a new vehicle!! We did have a little bit of money in savings, which was from the sale of our car before we left last year. God blessed us with a great new vehicle this week that we were able to pay cash for with the money from the sale of our car! Cal and I remember saying to one another last year when we sold our Honda Civic, "Well, that was probably the nicest car we'll ever have," because we had just sold all of our possessions and weren't leaving for a financially profitable life, so we just assumed we'd never have a nice car again, but God is so good and is full of surprises. I know it wasn't a fluke that this amazing car came along for such a great price. We are so awe-struck and amazed at the blessings that flow from our Heavenly Father when we have absolutely no power over a situation and let Him lead.

Besides our reverse culture shock, new car and getting used to a kid in a cast, there's not a lot to report. Our emotions are all over the place as we search for what God has for us next. Some days we feel like we've been called to a life of waiting. Before this ("waiting" for a career for Cal), we were waiting to know if Ella would be well enough to return to Peru so that we could plan accordingly, before that we were waiting to know if God wanted us in Peru and before that we waited on the Lord for our daughter's health and life as she so frequently gave us scares, and even before that we were waiting to find out if God had plans for our little girl to make it into this world alive! Now, I know if I look at this progression, God. Is. Always. Faithful. PERIOD. So, we believe that He will be faithful to us now as we are waiting yet, again. Our goal is to live each day with a sense of adventure because we know who the captain of our ship is! We know that He only leads us to good things and has no bad plans for us. We know that He loves us more than we can even comprehend.

Ephesians 3:20 says that He can do more than we can possibly imagine by His power that lives within us!

Oh how we pray that we'll be listeners to His will. That we'll hear His voice when He calls and head His direction in our lives. If you pray for us, pray that we'll be wise and that we'll not only hear every word He whispers to us, but that we'll LISTEN and act upon His prodding in our lives.

I know that it is in these times of waiting that we grow. That we understand more deeply who Christ is and that He, JESUS CHRIST, is glorified in and through our lives. I hope that I can be a vessel that waits well. That can weather the storm, and though knocked around and a little worn, will arrive at it's port safe and sound. I'd rather have a few "character" scuffs (or rather, improvements - scuffs that create character) upon arrival than to have sunk in the ocean with no captain. JESUS CHRIST is our captain, and our deepest prayer is that we truly let HIM sail our ship. He KNOWS what each wave will do. He KNOWS what lurks under the water, He KNOWS where all the other boats are, so we are safe to trust our boats (lives) to Him because He can steer accordingly. It may seem odd to us from our narrow point of view when He turns to the right or the left when it causes a delay, but little do we know that there was a jagged rock ahead that lay just under the water and out of our view that would gash our boat (lives) to the core, and he turned the boat to save us. How many times do we see that God is turning our lives in an undesirable direction and in a panic rush to take command, only to be left with a sunken ship!

It's those little old ladies that drive so slow your hair falls out and you wonder how in the world you got stuck behind them in traffic that may actually be saving you from a disaster that would have been waiting for you up ahead if you'd have been 2 minutes earlier, or the line at the grocery store that originally looked like the quick one, but really turned out to be the never ending line where someone's arguing with the clerk or WORSE, using coupons (just kidding), or just any circumstance that we see as really inconvenient or that has thrown our "plan" off track that could actually be God's way of directing us!!! Man, I hope I see His warning cones today. To yield when He asks without asking questions. To take a hard right at His smallest prompting or a hard left when He urges, even if it throws me "off track". I hope I can listen to His voice and let HIM be the captain of my ship because only HE knows how to reach my destination safe and in tact.

Thank you once again for all of your prayers. And now, as we sign off on our life in Peru and head a new direction, we pray that God will be our captain. Thank you for taking this journey with us. Your comments, messages and emails have lifted us in many hard times. We are so thankful for this awesome body of believers! Now, let's go shine Jesus wherever He calls us today! We can't wait. :)