A Special Prayer

Each day I notice little things, tiny things, big things that remind me I'm not getting any younger. Who of us is, anyway?? My grandson (I won't mention any names here!) has remarked a couple times, "Grandma, your hand is shaking!" Yes, it is. My left hand shakes at times, but I'm used to it - in fact, I don't even notice it sometimes! But that's OK. I can still do what I do, even with that shaky appendage! And it doesn't bother me, so don't let it bother you!! I found a poem that states just how I feel! I believe the author was speaking tongue-in-cheek part of the time, and sometimes that's just how I feel! So, here goes!

Prayer for the Middle-Aged
By a 17th Century Nun

Lord, Thou knowest better that I know myself that I am growing old.
Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject
and on every occasion.
Release me from craving to straighten out everybody's affairs.
Make me thoughtful but not moody, helpful but not bossy.
With my vast store of wisdom it seems a pity not to use it all,
but Thou knowest, Lord, that I want a few friends at the end.
Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details;
give me wings to get to the point.

Seal my lips on my aches and pains.
They are increasing, and love of rehearsing them is
becoming sweeter as the years go by.
I dare not ask for grace enough to enjoy the tales of others' pains,
but help me to endure them with patience.
I dare not ask for improved memory,
but for a growing humility and a lessening cocksureness when
my memory seems to clash with the memories of others.
Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken.
Keep me reasonably sweet.
I do not want to be a saint ---
some of them are so hard to live with ---
but a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil.
Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places
and talents in unexpected people.
Give me the grace to tell them so.
Amen.

And I only add,
Amen and Amen!

Popcorn

Back in the "old days" we called it Popcorn Testimonies. In church this morning our worship leader, Manuel, asked for testimonies. And the popcorn started! Just a few:

Avelina - She is new to our church. She shared how she wants to keep coming and asks that we pray that her husband Daniel would show an interest in God and realize his need for Christ.

Rosa - Her daughter Aracely took off and is shacking up with a man she met just a short time ago. She took her twin daughters with her, and Rosa is brokenhearted! Yes, we prayed with her, and will continue praying!

Sadia - Sadie, an early teen, led a little friend to the Lord this week and we rejoiced with her!

Ivonne - Ivonne shared of the blessing the women's conference was yesterday.

Salem - God is caring for Salem and helped her through an extremely busy study week in her university work.

Janett - Tania, Janett's sister, is at Word of Life Institute and Janett was able to spend two weeks with her! She loved it and of course loved being with her sister, who she misses terribly!

Sarai - She had exams coming up May 1st, but they've been postponed until May 15th! Big reason to rejoice!

Manuel - Now you may not think finishing high school is a big deal, but for Manuel it definitely is! Manuel is in his 40's, is married with four children (two of them teens!) and he graduated from high school a couple weeks ago! Definitely a reason for rejoicing! Manuel is studying English at our "New Image" Community Center and doing very well!

Manuel

And the biggest treat this morning was a biblical message on submission by Tim O'Brien! Thanks, Tim! During Sunday school, after the worship service, at least 4 women commented on how helpful it was to them! That's what we're here for!

Bajio Women's Conference

Each year the Bajio area churches of Mexico hold a women's conference. Today it was in Celaya at a beautiful party hall. Nancy Muro from Puebla was our dynamic speaker and it was a time enjoyed by all. She challenged us to "rise and shine" as it tells us in Isaiah 60:1-5.

We arrived at 9 for a light breakfast of orange juice (FRESHLY SQUEEZED and yummy!), yogurt with granola, WARM sweetbread, flan, jello and coffee. After the first session, we broke for a light "almuerzo" - not lunch, just something light - of little tacos, very nice. After the second session we could help ourselves to more of whatever was left. In the past there has been a big dinner served, but due to costs and the difficult economic situation here (and everywhere, I think), they opted for a light "snack." It worked well - no one went away hungry!

There were about 300 of us there from Queretaro, Celaya, Irapuato, Salamanca, San Juan del Rio (20 of us!), Saravia and maybe a couple other places. I brought greetings for my kids from a lot of different ladies - some of whom I can't remember their names! So, you all, consider yourselves greeted!!

Linda's Handcraft evening

Linda makes wonderful crafts - all kinds of crafts. Last night she guided us in making some pictures with - of all things, balloons!! The pictures were already pasted on the wooden frames and we just had to "balloon" them with some kind of sticky stuff. It makes them shine and they come out really pretty.

Linda has been witnessing to and praying for her husband for years - and of course we pray with her! This past week he told her, "Next time they have a marriage seminar, I want to go with you." YES!!! We're all delighted and will continue praying! He'd had some serious health problems lately and is looking for answers.

Look like fun? It is!! The hardest part was blowing up those tiny balloons!

Linda brought along two items for sale. This one is in three parts and is beautiful! When I left, Gaby was trying to get her hubby to agree to buy it! I don't know who won!

And this one!!! Wow! I sure wanted to buy it, but Ivonne had ordered it done for her granddaughter! Besides, there's NO WAY it would have fit in my suitcase! If any of you want one, you'll just have to come down and have Linda make you one - and figure out yourselves how to get it home!

Words, they're only words. But are they? Two weeks ago I read this poem and it was great, but then, it hit home this past week. A friend said to me, "Remember the kind words you shared when I was so sick?" Of course I didn't! But he did and those words will go with him for a long time, meaningful, helpful, uplifting. But the following poem is my prayer - for me, for all of us.


I spoke
Words fell
Aimlessly on ears.
Later
One said,
"Your word--
It helped
That day."

I turned
Wondering--
Forgot I said
That word.
Let me speak
Those words
Often.

Helpful words
That I forget.

--Jim Elliot in "The Journals of Jim Elliot

Our Friends' Vacation Home

Our friends and colleagues, Stu and Cristina Grewatz, who work in Mexico City, have a VACATION HOME right here in sunny, warm San Juan del Rio!! And it even has a swimming pool! What luxury! Stu and Cristina invited Alan, Beth, the boys and me out for lunch a couple weeks ago and, as you can see, Dayton thoroughly enjoyed the pool!

As you've observed already, this isn't a LUXURY VACATION HOME. Each time the Grewatz family comes out, they WORK on their VACATION HOME. Their kids Erica and Danny work right alongside their mom and dad. And most often, they bring along a bunch of folks with them and hold a "mini-retreat." So much for VACATION!! But, as the saying goes, a change is always good, and this is a huge change from their crazy life in the biggest city in the world!

Dayton, Cameron and Danny played games in the "roomy" living room - actually, that's all there is - a living room! And a small kitchen and a bathroom, and that's it! Little by little the "one room house" is becoming a roomy vacation nook.

CAUGHT!
As we were leaving, Stu just waved good-bye from his comfy corner in this VACATION SWIMMING POOL!

EASTER SUNDAY

People were spread all over the campground, enjoying their meals - and the kiddos enjoying the little "park."

These folks brought their own "comal" (like a grill) and made their own tortillas for lunch! How creative! I bet you don't see that at many picnics in the States!

Alan and Beth with their invited guests (on the left) Jason, Kristin and their little boy Justin. Bethie is holding Annie - Brock and Heather Hower's little girl. She's Uncle Alan's special girlfriend! And she's a cutie!

I know Easter Sunday was awhile ago, but since I'm quite a bit behind in my blogging, I'll add it today. At least it's still April!

On Easter Sunday the Bible churches of the Bajio gather at Camp Koinonia for a beautiful Easter service, then lots of food, fun and fellowship. This year there were over 200 of us - I didn't actually count heads, but there were a lot of us for our small space! New Birth Bible Church provided the music and everyone sang enthusiastically. Carlos, a young man who has been active in the children's ministry over the years, gave an excellent message. We finished up with the Lord's Supper, led by Mauricio Perez. It was a very special time.

Instead of describing everything, here are pictures that describe it best. And of course I put the meal pictures first! Well, what's done is done! I'm not doing it over again!

We were packed in! Standing room only for anyone who came late!

Carlos Camacho preaching. He's gotta be older than he looks! He does a great job of communicating.

Mauricio

Julio (the big guy) visited all the tables and ate 'n ate 'n ate, and I think he had some left over for the next day! He can certainly put away the food!

Uncle Walter

Today my Aunt Loretha sent me the bulletin and a copy of the message at my Uncle Walter's funeral. I don't know who preached the message, but humor me while I share just a bit of it!

Ask anyone who knew him or worked with him, and they will agree: he was a ROLE MODEL..

Ask anyone who knew him or worked with him, and they will agree: his VISION was large enough to include the whole world....

Ask anyone who knew or worked with him, and they will agree: Walt was FAITHFUL in serving the church, throughout his lifetime.

As anyone who knew him and they will agree: Walt had a unique SENSE OF HUMOR...

If you look up, in his garage today -- you will find what he called "the gizmo." This was a chain-reaction alarm clock, he constructed! It worked something like this: the alarm clock goes off, turning alarm knob in back, reels in a cable, attached to an arm with wooden match sticks. This would cause the match sticks to rub against sandpaper and light the fuse of a fire cracker, which had a string which released an arm that hit another arm, which hit a rubber band that moved another arm, which hit a block which opened a hopper filled with corn. The corn would drop into a bucket which had a string attached to a hatchet, which cut the string attached to an arm with a boxing glove, that hit a bucket that was filled with either water, or confetti--tip it, and finally, the water or confetti would drop on the sleeping person's head!

That was Walt, with a twinkle in his eye.

And that was just ONE of his many fun inventions!

No wonder we miss him!

The Final Laugh

I've been working so many hard and long hours on the web page www.obrerofiel.com, that I need some humor in my life today. So, here it is!

A bullfrog plump named Ogden Glump
hopped into a bog
and landed splud amid the mud,
a fine place for a frog.
But whizzing by came Buzz Mcfly,
the local razzing pest,
he saw the frog stuck in the bog,
so nearby came to rest.
With ornery glee he laughed, "hee, hee,"
rejoicing in his luck
to see below his bloated foe,
helpless in the muck.
"Your mom's a toad!" he loudly crowed,
"and oh the rotten break,
while on his pad, your poor old dad
was swallowed by a snake!"
But Ogden Glump, the bullfrog plump,
just trained a marksman's eye,
and with lightning slurp and froggy burp,
he swallowed Buzz Mcfly!

Good for a few laughs, huh? OK, back to work!!