What a great birthday I had yesterday. I wasn't telling anyone here, but I forgot about FB! So when I turned on my computer, there were a lot of birthday greetings. A little after 5 am, my phone rang, and I thought who in the world is calling so early and decided that it was probably a wrong number. Well, lo and behold, it was Becky from the states singing Happy Birthday when I answered. What a pleasant surprise. So we chatted for awhile, and she had forgotten that we are an hour behind KS time. But no matter because I'm up early anyway. I heard from my children which is always a BIG blessing. I Skyped with my youngest last night and was able to talk to his whole family. Totally wonderful. Paul and Gabriella took Leticia and I out for dinner to an authentic Chinese restaurant. They did not know it was my birthday till we arrived back home and some of the guys were standing by the gate and said happy birthday to me. And Gabriella wanted to know whose birthday, and I told her it was mine. Well, how great God is. She said that's why the Lord told her and Paul the day before to take me out to dinner. God always takes care of the "little" things, and he knows how to bless our socks off! He is soooo good to me!
Paul and I laughed when I told him that I was learning some Chinese culture from him. His reply was something to the effect that I had to come to Costa Rica to learn it. He and Gabriella are truly a blessing to me. Paul put food on my plate when it was getting empty, and I told him that it reminded me of my dad when I was really little. And I actually used chop sticks for part of the time. I could never quite get them to work before, but I'm getting there. By time I leave here, I should do pretty good, just in time to return to a place that basically uses pieces of tortillas for utensils!
I hear so many times the reason God is doing something is to get us out of our comfort zones, like that is the only reason. As I was thinking about that yesterday, I was thinking, really? No, he takes us out of our comfort zones when we have been chosen to do whatever he wants us to do. He always has a purpose for doing what he does, and it isn't to just get us out of our comfort zones. True, it's not comfortable at times, because we have to change due the circumstances that he puts us in, but he's preparing us for whatever he has planned. Like yesterday. Chariti, in Mexico, popped up to chat when I was working on the computer. She was telling me about the changes there in her living conditions since she had returned there. I was laughing so hard that I was almost in tears. Comfort zone??? No washer and dryer. Hardly any furniture, and no waste paper cans, which she went and bought. Things that most Americans take for granted. And then today or yesterday in the conversation class, we were discussing the "comfort zone." Coming here is definitely out of our comfort zones, and we have the things that Chariti doesn't have. But he strips us of all the things we cling to, including people-family, church, etc. in order for us to cling to him. God will be first in our lives. Here we have been stripped of our language, food, friends, family, paying jobs, cars, houses, yards, customs, etc. Why? Because God is teaching us to totally depend on him. If we don't learn to do that, we won't make it in some of the countries where some are being sent. (It's very difficult to put all this into words)! And we truly learn that he is in control. Nothing happens in our lives without his say so. So all this teaches us to truly wait on him and follow the leading of his Holy Spirit. There is a deeper love for him that grows from all these things. We learn that he truly is our Father, and he loves us with a love that is deeper than we can understand. And whatever happens is for our good and his glory. AND he always provides for our needs whether it's physical, emotional, or spiritual. We don't always "feel" his presence, but he is always with us. He said so in his word. And that's called "faith" to believe what you can't feel or see. When we rely on his word, we have peace even when there's nothing peaceful going on around us. So to be out of our comfort zone is actually exciting, because you don't know what's coming next. So whether we have the physical comforts or not, we have the Comforter.
And when you are learning another language, it's really a strange feeling when you forget words in your own language! Today Kevin, whose is 16 and learning English, asked me what the word for parque de atracciones in English was. It took me a couple of minutes to come up with amusement park! And spelling? I always received A's in spelling. Now I find myself asking myself if the word has two r's or one. Is it a t or c? Comfort zone?! And when I'm writing and need a certain word and can't remember what it is...Sometimes I leave a blank and tell my friend to fill in the right word, please, because I can't remember what it is! And she will write back and tell me the word. Hallelujah!!
Well, tomorrow we leave for Panama again for our visas. It's my last trip there this year as far as I know. So I must get to bed.
I pray that my Father will bless my family and help them to have the peace that he has given me.
Paul and I laughed when I told him that I was learning some Chinese culture from him. His reply was something to the effect that I had to come to Costa Rica to learn it. He and Gabriella are truly a blessing to me. Paul put food on my plate when it was getting empty, and I told him that it reminded me of my dad when I was really little. And I actually used chop sticks for part of the time. I could never quite get them to work before, but I'm getting there. By time I leave here, I should do pretty good, just in time to return to a place that basically uses pieces of tortillas for utensils!
I hear so many times the reason God is doing something is to get us out of our comfort zones, like that is the only reason. As I was thinking about that yesterday, I was thinking, really? No, he takes us out of our comfort zones when we have been chosen to do whatever he wants us to do. He always has a purpose for doing what he does, and it isn't to just get us out of our comfort zones. True, it's not comfortable at times, because we have to change due the circumstances that he puts us in, but he's preparing us for whatever he has planned. Like yesterday. Chariti, in Mexico, popped up to chat when I was working on the computer. She was telling me about the changes there in her living conditions since she had returned there. I was laughing so hard that I was almost in tears. Comfort zone??? No washer and dryer. Hardly any furniture, and no waste paper cans, which she went and bought. Things that most Americans take for granted. And then today or yesterday in the conversation class, we were discussing the "comfort zone." Coming here is definitely out of our comfort zones, and we have the things that Chariti doesn't have. But he strips us of all the things we cling to, including people-family, church, etc. in order for us to cling to him. God will be first in our lives. Here we have been stripped of our language, food, friends, family, paying jobs, cars, houses, yards, customs, etc. Why? Because God is teaching us to totally depend on him. If we don't learn to do that, we won't make it in some of the countries where some are being sent. (It's very difficult to put all this into words)! And we truly learn that he is in control. Nothing happens in our lives without his say so. So all this teaches us to truly wait on him and follow the leading of his Holy Spirit. There is a deeper love for him that grows from all these things. We learn that he truly is our Father, and he loves us with a love that is deeper than we can understand. And whatever happens is for our good and his glory. AND he always provides for our needs whether it's physical, emotional, or spiritual. We don't always "feel" his presence, but he is always with us. He said so in his word. And that's called "faith" to believe what you can't feel or see. When we rely on his word, we have peace even when there's nothing peaceful going on around us. So to be out of our comfort zone is actually exciting, because you don't know what's coming next. So whether we have the physical comforts or not, we have the Comforter.
And when you are learning another language, it's really a strange feeling when you forget words in your own language! Today Kevin, whose is 16 and learning English, asked me what the word for parque de atracciones in English was. It took me a couple of minutes to come up with amusement park! And spelling? I always received A's in spelling. Now I find myself asking myself if the word has two r's or one. Is it a t or c? Comfort zone?! And when I'm writing and need a certain word and can't remember what it is...Sometimes I leave a blank and tell my friend to fill in the right word, please, because I can't remember what it is! And she will write back and tell me the word. Hallelujah!!
Well, tomorrow we leave for Panama again for our visas. It's my last trip there this year as far as I know. So I must get to bed.
I pray that my Father will bless my family and help them to have the peace that he has given me.
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