Cactus Flower

Today a pal and I went to the biggest grocery store in the big twin city metropolis of Juazeiro/Petrolina.  It took us about 45 minutes to get there from Sobradinho.  Our goals were simple - save money and do it fast.   Neither one of us could be gone long as the sole care givers of our houses full of needy people.  To make matters worse the owner of the car we used (Byron) wanted it back at a certain time. I went prepared with a detailed list and make a commitment to not stray in the least from the items written on my paper.  My friend had a very limited amount of cash and the store only deals in cash, so that was her way of keeping on target with her purchases. We arrived at about 2 pm.  I told my pal that we had until 3 to be in line and on our way out.  Lines are long and checking out takes forever.  We had both been the store on numerous occasions to make purchases together for retreats.  So we know the layout and I felt it was a do...

So sweet to see a smile on this one of my three during a retreat now in January... may the smiles always show up from time to time to warm my heart, keep me sane and just to let me know everything is going to be okay. The last half of 2012 has been a time of much unrest and unhappiness in our home.  I want more than anything to see fresh happy faces on all my boys in 2013.  This is my prayer for this year... my goal... my utmost wish. A smile costs nothing but gives much. It enriches those who receive without making poorer those who give. It takes but a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever. None is so rich or mighty that he cannot get along without it and none is so poor that he cannot be made rich by it. Yet a smile cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen, for it is something that is of no value to anyone until it is given away. Some people are too tired to give you a smile.   Give them one of yours, as none needs a smi...

Seems I've been washing clothes for days and days! Ah, that's cuz I have been. We are in between retreats and only have a few days at home to rest up, regroup, and repack. My old Kenmore washing machine bought from other missionaries and originally brought to Brazil on a container boat wasn't the most cooperative but got the work done with lots of lovingkindness on my part. No dryer to throw in small items that everybody hates to hang up, just good old clotheslines and nice bright sunshine. I even hung a new line yesterday so I could hang more clothes! Seems I spend 3/4's of my time here in Brazil on mundane tasks - cooking, marketing, laundry, housecleaning and let's not even mention homeschooling right now. All the chores of life take twice as long here in this land of constantly open doors and windows, lots of bugs and the daily washing of sweaty clothes. Ah, and no packs of white paper plates, no easy foods, and where I live - no easy to get in and ...

Just a few days ago our little congregation had a big meeting.  It was a business session to decide how to go about spreading the influence of our group in 2013.  Much of what was said included ideas that I had been mulling over since reading the book Going Deep by Gordon MacDonald.  It's the latest book I received from the people at BookSneeze. The book is written in a fictional story format but for me held so much good practical information on how to go about extending the reach of any church group.  The fictional pastor of the book leaves his normal job description to begin working in a more personal and effectual manner with a select group of church members.  I was not only inspired by this book but given the ideas I felt I needed to look into the future of our own work here in Brazil. In 2013 I plan to concentrate more on the individuals in our congregation through mentoring and discipleship. Plans are already under way to change the workup of our Sund...