satisfaction

"God is most glorified in us, when we are most satisfied in Him."

I wish I could make this blog look kind of like my journal looks, because when I write, I like to copy things down, underline them, draw arrows to them, circle stuff, fold down pages, all sorts of things. If I were writing this post in my journal, I'd start by underlining, circling, AND drawing arrows all towards the word "satisfied".

Here's what I think of when I think of something being satisfying:
1. A fantastic meal (at Miyabi's, Inlet Crab House, Pepian, whatever it might be)
2. An excellent game of tennis
3. A jump into the cool, salty, creek water.
4. A sip of ice cold Coca-Cola from a glass bottle.
5. A fall onto a really fluffy bed.

All of these things satisfy right? The food satisfies hunger, tennis satisfies the itch for exercise and competition, the creek satisfies a hot summer day, ice cold Coke satisfies thirst, and the bed satisfies a tired body. So, essentially, we're receiving satisfaction through all of those things. So, those things, make us feel good. They make us feel refreshed, rejuvenated, comforted, peaceful, and happy.

So, WHY, WHY aren't we that easily satisfied in Christ? What is it that makes us just a little shy of satisfaction in Him? What is it that keeps us from diving in 100% to his cool, fresh water on a hot day, his big fluffy bed of comfort when we're tired, his fruit that come without ceasing when we need filling?

I've discovered, for me at least, that it's a number of things:
a) I think I've got life figured out most of the time.
b) I've got those "things" of life that help satisfy me.
c) I don't want to let those little things go that give me satisfaction.

What I've LEARNED however, {and am still learning at this very minute I'm praying for grace} is that the Lord wants each and every satisfaction to be found in Him. He wants all of our thirsts to be quenched in Him. Not in relationships with other people, not in activities, jobs, or even things, but for each and every satisfaction that we have, to be satisfied in Him and Him alone.

Matthew 6:33 - "But seek FIRST the kingdom of God and his righteousness."

Again, I'd draw a little arrow up to this scripture, and I'd put with little stars probably *Memorize*

This is my challenge for myself this week folks, to seek primarily the kingdom of the Lord, and find my satisfaction in Him and his goodness each and everyday, that I might not fall short of what He desires for me.

{day seven} teasin'

Today I had the rare pleasure to talk on the phone with my dear friend, Will. Will and I have known each other since first grade, and have been blessed enough to have families that love each other so much that we get to spend most holidays, Sundays, and special gatherings together. Since I was 14, I've had a permanent big brother in Will, and with all the good things that come from brothers, also come the teasing, tickling, fighting, fussing, and until about 15 pounds ago (on my part) the "Oh, you don't want to do that? Okay, I'll just pick you up and dangle you by your feet until you decide to say yes."

I have laughed hardest, felt 100% embarrassed, cried until my eyes ached, and had the best time I could imagine with that guy, and I am SO thankful! Today, we chatted and caught up, talked about Christmas-y plans for my next visit, and he expressed that he would never be coming to visit me here, and even if I were dying in the hospital how he'd just send me a balloon. (Only about 15% sure he's joking...)
Amongst our chatter, I told him how much I'd fallen in love with all of the girls here, and how I felt most days as if I had 60-some-odd little sisters running around all the time. I told him how they like to run up and just jump on me until I fall to the ground, and then it's a power struggle. How they LOVE to find out how ticklish you are and then take advantage of that for the next 4 months straight. How they like to create imaginary boyfriends for you, and then tease you like they're real. And how they just like to call you names, justtttt to get on your nerves, like, "Barbies", "Loquita" (Little Crazy Girl), and "Colochita" (Little curly headed girl).

This note, from one of the girls just expresses their sweetness. I was helping another girl in the computer lab one day, and came back to this written on a sticky note, and posted in the middle of my computer screen. Then, she was just peering around the door frame, giggling, and ran away!

There's nothing like a little teasin' to make you feel a lot loved! Will would be proud.

{day six} talentos y dones

What you learn, just about people in general, working at a home for girls who've come out of abandonment and abusive situations, is that they have their "thing". This thing, that most people have, that they do when they need their alone time, quiet time, to deal with frustration or sadness. For most of our girls, it's not to sit down and have a talk about it. For some, it's to sit with blank pages, markers, crayons, and colored pencils. For others it's to write about it in a journal. For many it's to escape to play the piano, guitar, and even the drums, or run to the soccer field and kick the ball around in solitude. For me, it's to lay outside with my eyes closed with only the sunshine on my face. (This proves to need an alternative when it's pouring rain outside.)

For one special girl, it's to crochet. She makes hats, blankets, scarves, bags, and sometimes just long pieces of crocheted yarn. Oh, she can do all sorts of shapes and sizes. She sometimes adorns them with colorful flowers. This morning, she walked into my office, and said with delight, "Betsy! I made this for you! It's a table decoration! You can use it in the middle of your table to put flowers on, hot dishes, or books!"

Tonight, as this is sitting in the middle of my table, awaiting a vase of flowers, or some books, I am so grateful that the Lord gives us gifts and talents that we can use to comfort ourselves, bless others, and glorify Him with.

{1 Peter 4:10}
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

{day five} selfie saturday

If there's one thing I've learned since being here, is that these babes LOVE technology. They could sit for hours just watching music videos, movies online, taking pictures, typing letters, researching poems...whatever you've got, they want it.

What I've noticed more recently, is their obsession with capturing every moment with my camera. Sometimes I'll open up my phone and have 100 recently taken photos in my album. Most times just of the floor, ceiling, or someone's back, but sometimes you get just a really really cute selfie. In the States, kids take selfies with fish {kissy} faces, the word BAE across the screen {Still don't know what that actually means}, a "Stay Fierce" face, or, try to make themselves actually look unattractive. What I love about the selfies of the girls I work with, is that they don't actually know what they're doing, so it just turns out sweet.

Now, if you're from the south, you know that I'm not saying "sweet" to mean like, "super cool", but you know that I'm saying "sweet" like, "Well, she just looks so sweet in that little pink ruffly dress." or "That sweet girl doesn't have an ugly bone in her body". And that's just what I mean with my description.

This little selfie-er absolutely captures my heart every time I see her. Giant hugs, a little raspy voice that laughs SO hard, soft brown hair with little bangs, a giant neon yellow sweatshirt with jeans with heart shaped patches, and a love for piggy back rides.

{day three} swagger

swagger: to move with confidence, sophistication, and to be cool. To conduct yourself in a way that would earn respect. To dress in a stylish and quirky way.

I put this definition, because I know a lot of people wouldn't be 100% sure what the word "swagger" was. Just since being out of the United States for a year, I have lost so much knowledge on slang, and on words that have a second meaning.

I chose this title for today's photo because this girl, is the definition of swagger. She is 100% her own individual. She is cool, lovable, kind, hilarious, independent, easy going, and an absolute rock star. Despite her history, past and present, she is one of the girls that I admire the most here. She takes her friendships very seriously, encouraging, loving, and supporting each one of her friends from a Christ-like woman's perspective.

I remember one specific instance a few months ago when she was worried for a friend, and we went and sat together under the stars outside and prayed for her. Her eyes filled up with tears as she just wept for the heart of her friend, and that Jesus would take care of it. This is the same girl that chose to have "Stay Fierce" embroidered on a fancy pillow for her Quinceanera celebration, and buy really cool high top sneakers to go under her poofy, gem-stone-studded royal blue dress.

I took this picture yesterday as I was running out the door because of a stomach bug, while she said to me, "Feel better Betsy. Stay fierce. Look at this picture while you're laying in your bed."

{day two} teamwork

I've always been one to 100% support teamwork and healthy competition. I have always struggled when people say to me, "Make sure there's a winner from both sides, we don't want to hurt their self esteem." Not because I genuinely want to damage a child's self-esteem, but because I believe that competition can foster self discipline, and an inward motivation.

I also love watching kids work together to reach a common goal. I love the idea of 5 or 6 different learning styles coming together to solve a problem, different skills and talents being mushed up together to create the best of their best.

Today was Guatemala's national "Day of the Children". It's a day to just celebrate the children in your life, and remind them how important, valued, and special that they are. We celebrated at the Oasis by welcoming the girls home from school with firecrackers, a big special lunch followed by cake, 3 hours of games and competitions, and then a movie with popcorn and chocolate covered marshmallows. Maybe we spoiled them a little bit today? :)

Here's my favorite photo from the day, of the girls really digging into the game at hand. I believe they had to unscramble words to make a phrase, in this particular photo!

"He who walks with the wise, grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." {Proverbs 13:20}

{day one} little hands

Each day, I'm blessed enough to see the beautiful in a lot of little girls who have been hurt, abandoned, and broken. A lot of times, it's just the littlest things that I notice each day in each of them, that remind me what precious beauty and softness each of them has.

I've decided to challenge myself to take a photo each day, and post it for y'all to see, of one of the things that captures my eyes and heart. I'm going [try] to, post one photo every day. Hopefully, this will encourage you to see the goodness all around in each of the little things.

This little chica is in my class. When she first arrived, I thought "There is no way that we're going to make it." She is so full of energy and personality (most days, enough of both for 12 people). She is silly and never stops moving. Her brain is going 1000 mph at all times, and to keep her focused, you almost have to sit on her. When she laughs, she can't stop, and she gets going so hard that her little body just falls right out of her chair. I have to re-braid her hair probably three times a day, because she plays so hard.
Today, she was doing a quick review of the skills we've been focusing on. The first thing I noticed were her little tiny hands wrapped around the pencil. As she measured each line on the paper, and quickly jotted down the answers, I loved thinking about those little hands, and that now, she can have her hands held, guided, and shown how to do all things through Christ.

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might" {Ecclesiastes 9:10}

Lovin'

There is absolutely no feeling in the entire world better than loving someone with your whole heart, and knowing that they love you that very same amount, right back. I personally think there are very few people that we love like that in our lifetime.

Tonight, I got to spend 33 minutes and 2 seconds talking to one of those people! That would be my Grammy. Grammy is my mom's mom. And she could possibly be the most wonderful woman that has ever walked on this earth.

I didn't have the chance to meet my Daddy's parents, because they went to be with Jesus long before I was around, but I've heard stories. I've heard about how my Grandaddy would pop iron coils around his biceps, how he taught my Daddy and my uncles how to play football, and that he was a hard hard working man. I've heard how my Grandmama was a wonderful cook, and when Daddy or his brothers would get out of line, she'd spank them with whatever was in reach. (She'd probably still do it to this day too) I am more than thankful for the times of just sitting and listening to Daddy's stories about his Mama and Daddy, and celebrating their lives on their birthdays, and Mother's and Father's Day.

I'm also very lucky that my mom's parents are still here. My whole life, they've lived 14 hours away, but, how BLESSED I've been that they kept a little beach cottage in my hometown, and that Mama and I would travel those 14 hours to see them every summer growing up. Oh, I'm SURE that there were times that I'd roll my eyes about having to spend time with my grandparents (I'm also sure I was probably 13 when I did this. 13 was a terrible time), but I know that every single Friday night that they were in town, I was curled up on their couch, watching Law & Order with my Pap, drinking Pepsi and sharing a bowl of popcorn, playing card games with Grammy, while snacking on warm, oven-fresh cookies, and reading stories from our favorite storybooks.

Being so so many miles away from them has been one of the most difficult transitions, knowing that they're in their little beach cottage, carrying on, but without their favorite granddaughter...oops...did I say that out-loud....


Mama and I have always talked about how Grammy is Pollyanna. She finds the good, the wonderful, out of every possible bad situation. For example: Break your leg in the middle of high school sports season..."Oh, you know you needed that rest anyways! Now you can catch up!" She loves people with her whole heart, and listens so carefully, with the most beautiful smile that I've ever seen on her face. Even when Pap is so focused on the latest NCIS and completely ignoring her. Her hands are made of silk, but are so strong to stitch pillows, little doll clothes, and to cook all of our favorite foods when she knows we're coming in town. Her heart is made of radiant gold, that shines through her words and service towards others, but is also tuned to make you the best person you could be, and she won't put up with "the non-sense" or "the sass".

Tonight, I called her on Skype (THANK GOODNESS WE TAUGHT THEM TO USE THAT THING), and it was just the two of us. Pap had gone in to take his shower, where I'm sure he'd emerge from the bathroom smelling of fresh shampoo and Ivory soap with his hair combed just so. She wanted to hear all about what I'm doing, as well as make sure I was drinking plenty of liquids to fight the cold I have. As I mentioned to her a few things that were happening here in Guatemala, she pulled out her little pad of paper, and a freshly sharpened pencil (she was a teacher, she knows how it's done), and begins writing all these things down. She wrote down my students' names, and descriptions as I described each of their personalities, she wrote down each prayer request and little detail so she would know how to thank the Lord for my girls, but also how to lift them up in prayer.

Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce you to the most delightfully wonderful woman I've ever met. If I am EVER even one-eighteenth of the mother, sister, grandmother, friend, and wife that she is, I'll consider myself successful. Find those people that you love with your whole heart, find 'em, talk to them, glean from them, and never let them go!

{proverbs 31: 10 - 31} "Many women do noble things, but YOU surpass them all"

Here, They Just Come and Go

Living in a very, let's say, transient place, I'm "lucky" enough to have friends that transition in and out of my area every few months. Seems like this trend likes to follow me. I remember when I was a kid, and the MINUTE that I'd make a "best friend" they would move away.

When I was 4, my best friend moved to Kansas.
When I was 9, my best friend moved to Virginia. (By the way, we wrote letters, emails, and then eventually text messages every day to each other for the last 15 years, and I'm just gonna go be in her wedding real quick next weekend. How's THAT for keeping in touch!?)
When I was 13, my best friend moved to North Carolina.
When I was 20, my best friend moved to Australia. (AUSTRALIA PEOPLE!!)
There was a point that I just decided to stop making best friends and only have surface friendships.

Now that I've been the one on the "moving" end, I thought, "Hmmm..maybe I won't have to deal with the people moving away situation anymore." FALSE. Since moving to Guatemala, I've been SO lucky to have made friends that are life time friends. The people that I know and love here, are people with the same heart as mine. People who live and breathe this smelly, humid, bus dust, mountainous, fresh fruited air. People who see the hearts of those around them, and care about them so deeply, that to tear themselves away is almost un-thinkable.

In this time, I met two ladies, who have absolutely, positively changed my life, 200%.

Let's start with my Emily.
Emily is a girl from Ohio, who was here in Guatemala to just love people. She started with one purpose and mission, and ended up with a completely different one. She didn't have a scheduled day-to-day, and some days she didn't have anything on the radar, but let me tell you, not a DAY went by that she was in this country, that someone, somewhere, didn't feel her love. Girl loves big. Emily's heart is probably 7,000 times the size of her body, and she is constantly giving to others. Her ability to give so much love to people who are typically harder to love is astounding. Emily has such faith in the Lord, and lives with such expectation in HIM. She gives 100% of her heart, soul, and mind, to seeking the Lord, and what His will is for each second of her life. Which, is why Emily went back to the U.S.A for a time. Who knows what that place holds for her, but faithfully, with each and every step, Emily hopped on two different planes, and made it happen. Emily has endlessly encouraged me to be wise, be thoughtful, and above all else, remain steadfast in my faith that the Lord has all things in His hands, and will forever carry me in those same palms.

Then, there's my Becka.
Becka is my favorite English-woman I have ever known. Right from the heart of London, Becka came to the Oasis last October to serve our sweet girls. And, SERVE, she has! Shew! The ability that she has to not grow weary of doing good...I just wish I could be that for 5 minutes. Becka's heart is so in tune with that of the Lord. I am consistently in awe of her constant love, strength, and kindness. She is always, always, always, thinking of how she can serve, encourage, and give Christ-filled wisdom to our girls. Because Becka has one more year of "uni" (college, for all of you Southern folk like me), she has to leave Guatemala in just under two weeks to wrap-up her studies for her final year. This girl has taught me, more than she'll ever know, and more than I could ever put into words. Not only have I learned some proper English terms that I just wasn't aware of (pants = underwear, trousers = pants), but she has helped me to grow in loving people through the ways they love to be loved. She's been a beautiful example of how to get up in the morning and first, think of each of our Jesus, and second think of, "HOW will I serve with a heart like the Lord today?"

I am so grateful that the Lord allowed these friendships to be, and to bloom in "real life" for so long. I am even more grateful for the way that He will use our friendships to challenge, and grow each other in the coming days, months, and/or years, until we are finally re-united with each other! I am hoping and praying each and every day for a safe return to our blessed Guate-land for each of these beauties. I KNOW without a doubt, that when the Lord calls, they will answer, and they will answer wholeheartedly.

I encourage you to take a look at your friendships and relationships. Realize, that each of these people that you've encountered and built lives around are not only there to entertain you, or to make you laugh, but are also there to encourage, lift you up, and help you grow to the person that the Lord has planned for you to be!

"he who walks with the wise, grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." {proverbs 16:20}

Hacemos Sexo.

Sunday, June 1, 2014

This afternoon, after church, Emily, Annie, and I found the little golden treasure of Antigua, Guatemala. It’s a sweet place in the middle of town called Pappy’s BBQ. After our plates of the most delicious BBQ I’ve had in months, we were aiming to leave when the owner asked me if I would pose with the beef jerky that they were selling, in exchange for a free sweet tea to go. (Sorry Mom if any beef jerky modeling shots make it onto Facebook.) After, Emily and I spent a delightful day shopping in the market today. Bought a few cute little things for the apartment, and then stopped for a mountain dew on the way home. We realized that we had spent all of the money that we had between us, and so, in the drizzling rain of rainy season, we had to walk home, instead of getting a little Tuk Tuk ride.

As we neared our house, we noticed a man in a sky blue Aeropostale graphic tee (very common wardrobe choice here) jogging behind us. Not jogging to exercise. Just to catch up with the girl in the ankle length black dress and the girl in the hand sewn tablecloth being worn as a shirt. As he came closer, I caught myself pulling my purse a little bit closer to my body. This is just first nature here. Not that the man would have had ANY luck stealing my bag, because all he would have gotten was: a canned mountain dew, my prayer journal, chapstick, about 50 cents (because we counted out change to purchase a really great tank top), and a South Carolina drivers’ license. My purse being stolen was the least of my worries.

As he walked up beside me, he said “Hola. Buenas tardes. Hacemos sexo.” Loosly translated, “Hello, good afternoon, we have sex” (He must have seen my beef jerkey ad) As I calmly looked at him and said, “No gracias”, Emily and I began to walk a bit faster before we could tuck into a tienda and separate ways on the Street from this man.

Needless to say, we made it home, and spent the last 2 hours of our day curled up on the couch, drinking coffee, and watching Law & Order SVU episodes.

Cleanliness is Next to Godliness

So, I've encountered several people in my life, who have just been plain clean, neat, organized, and tidy. I am not naturally one of those people. In fact, I ADMIRE those people, I wish I could have just an ounce of their enthusiasm for cleaning. I'm not dirty, and I'm not messy, but I also have this ability to make organized, piled, chaos. When I was younger, I'd have piles of things all around my room, just to make it easier to see things. I very vividly remember putting dishes in the sink un washed and carrying on with my activities until it was more "convenient" to rinse them, and put them in the dishwasher, or leaving a mug that may have had tea it in beside my bed overnight.

Well, let me tell you, that I AM now one of those people that I have admired for so long. Because of the way homes are built here in Guatemala, and the lack of "sealing" around doors and window, and the bugs that they have here, I have absolutely become the clean police. Dishes are done immediately, trash is thrown away as soon as it's dirty, floors are swept twice a day, clothes are folded and put away directly out of the dryer, and bathroom and kitchen are wiped down with cleaner after almost each use. When I tell you that I will not live in this tiny apartment with bugs, I mean, I WILL NOT LIVE IN THIS TINY APARTMENT WITH BUGS. Honestly, I've probably become a bit aggressive about cleanliness and orderliness in this new season of life of mine. My mother has laughed at me when I've told her, "Mama, some people here just don't have the same standard of clean for the bathroom as I do" -- remembering the years she had to remind me day after day to wipe down the sink, or take a scrub brush to the toilet.

Well, this new found obsession, mixed with 12 hour workdays and the attempt to have a microscopic social life, have brought me to be a very tired, stressed, and bent-out-of-shape individual. So, I decided to hire a housekeeper. No one can keep Guatemalan homes clean like an actual Guatemalan, so I found a lady. Now, I'm not sure if any of you have ever met an angel before, but, if you'd like to meet one, her name is Ana, and you can find her in my apartment on Monday mornings from 7:15-10:00. My precious Ana is so kind. She is so diligent, and hardworking. I pay her 100 Quetzales a week, which evens out to about $11.

Here is a list of all the delight, happiness, and glory Ana brings to me on a daily basis:
-Scrubbed bathroom sink, toilet, and shower
-Swept and mopped all floors
-Scrubbed countertops, stovetop, and appliances
-Windexed all glass/mirrored surfaces
-Made beds
-Folded/put away any laundry that I might have left out
-FLUFFS PILLOWS

This is every Monday people. Once a week, I get to come home to the most beautifully sparkling apartment, and then I tip-toe around it for the next 7 days trying to keep it just as beautiful as she's made it. Sometimes I feel guilty that this $11 is not necessarily in my budget, but then I realize that Ana has two beautiful daughters who love small toys, treats to get chocolate covered frozen bananas, and I realize, and extra $11 is an absolute GIFT for this family.

I also want you to know that Ana smiles continuously as she works. She hums, she watches a little bit of soccer here and there, and she does her work with joy. THIS my friends, is the epitome of a servant of Christ, kneeling before him to bring Him glory through her work. Going the extra mile to do something for someone. And let me tell you, Ana, is my sweet little Monday morning angel!

Join me this week in praying for Ana, and her family. That they be lifted up continuously to the Lord, that they are able to show their children the love of the Lord, and that they're blessed with steady jobs. Pray that I'd be able to show Ana my appreciation for her, and that I would be able to radiate the love for Jesus that she does to me!

Come Away With Me

When I was 16 years old, I came to a place called San Lucas, Guatemala for the first time. I stayed in a home for girls, in a red house, with 4 sets of bunk beds per room, ate scrambled eggs and black beans for every meal for a week, and worked on construction projects. When I was 17, I came back to this same place, stayed in the same room, and did the same work. I saw the glory that was brought to the Lord from this place for girls who had been abused, hated, neglected, and forgotten. I saw the change in their faces as they were brought to a place of safety for the first time in their lives.
When I was 21, I came back to this same place. I lived there for 3 months, this time in a house that was green. I helped teach little girls who had never had the opportunity to go to school before. I HATED the leaving part at the end of my three months.

Each time I came to this place, I felt Jesus telling me, "Listen. Here. This is your place. This is where your heart thrives. This is where you come alive."

I heard those words, FELT those words, for 8 years.

In November, I came back to a place called San Lucas, Guatemala. I don't live in the home for girls this time. I don't live in a spectacularly colored house. I don't eat eggs and black beans for every meal. I don't construct buildings. I DO teach. I spend my days in the sunshine helping students learn, helping girls grow, and loving them, more than I could have ever, in my entire life, have imagined I could love people.
Today, I see the glory that is brought to our Lord from this place for girls who have been abused, hated, neglected, and forgotten. Today, I walk into a place each morning at 8:00, where I can FEEL the peace, the restoration, and the reconciliation of each of the smiling and tanned faces that greet me.

The Lord has a purpose for me. The Lord has a purpose for these girls. His grace is extended to them. His LOVE is poured out all over them, like a summer rainstorm. His peace, that surpasses all, is melted on them, like honey.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." {Romans 15:13}

The song that I'm attaching here says:

"Come Away with Me. Come Away with Me. It's gonna be wild, it's gonna be great. It's gonna be FULL OF ME."



Find yourselves, "going away with Him" each and everyday. Answering his call. Enveloped in his will. Covered by His peace and His love.

Chili Chili Chili

I interrupt my thoughts about my John Piper study to bring you some taste bud lovin' deliciousness. If you ever were a guest at Ansley & I's house there's about a 150% chance that we cooked for you. If you were ever there in the fall or wintertime, there is about a 90% chance we cooked chili with cornbread (and for awhile, the cornbread was in the shape of owls because we got a precious new baking pan and were really hip and trendy).

Well, as I've been cooking for my friends here, I've been trying to cook food that is good for groups. (That way I'm not baking 10 pieces of chicken and mashing 30 potatoes with my flimsy metal fork because I can't find a potato masher in this entire country.) So last night I went grocery shopping to hop on the chili train. So they had about 90% of what I was looking for, and the other 10% I decided that I'd improvise. I should improvise more often. It was seriously, the best chili I've ever eaten. (Not to be prideful) Here's the recipe for all you chili lovers out there!

Guateflauged Chili

*About 1 pound (maybe a little more) of hamburger meat
*2 green peppers
*3 small yellow onions
*2 cloves of natural garlic
*1 can of presoaked black beans (you can fresh soak them if you want to be really cultural)
*1 small can of corn
*1 can stewed tomatoes
*1 can diced tomatoes
*1 small can of tomato paste
*salt & pepper

So, I browned the meat covered in a few shakes of sea salt and pepper (just the meat. didn't add any extra oil)
Chopped all the vegetables into bite sized pieces and dumped all of it into the pot. Let all of the vegetables and meat simmer together on the "3" setting on my stove dial, which would be between medium and low. Let the mixture simmer for about 20-30 minutes so that all the flavor seeps out and it becomes a bit liquidy. Added a little more salt and pepper and mixed it all together. We served it with fresh tortillas from the tortilleria down the street (piping hot off the comal - can't beat it), but I'm sure it would have been just as delightful if you used cornbread or Fritos!

Aaaaand Enjoy!

{devotion}

In this 15 Day Challenge of mine, I've been studying scripture each day to follow along with the point written in the blog I'm following. My friend Emily has also embraced this challenge with me, and what a J O Y it is to confidently express our struggles and encouraging points with each other through our study each day.

Day Two~
"The promises of Christ be trusted in so fully that peace, joy, and strength fill your soul."
This day was met by particular challenges of a day of dysfunction and stressfulness. It always seems that when seeking after Him, the Lord provides us with the perfect medicine to heal our hearts. On Tuesday when doing this, I was preparing for school to start, and felt about as overwhelmed as could be. My attitude was short, my heart was full of distraction, and then I read. THEN I read these scriptures:

"He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."
{isaiah 40:29-31}

"And my God will meet all your needs according
to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus."
{philippians 4:29}

*This one broke me. highlighting MY God will meet all your needs. It's said so simply. There isn't a whole backstory. If you do [this] He'll meet your needs. If you do [that] He'll meet your needs. NO. HE IS MY GOD, and daily, hourly, per minute, He will meet my needs. Because he cares for me. Because he loves me: with a love so strong and unchanging.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as
you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope
by the power of the Holy Spirit."
{romans 15:13}

Day Three~ The fullness of God will overflow in daily-acts-of-love so people can see us & give glory to God.
This day [Wednesday] was the first day of school. I was c h a l l e n g e d that day, to not show anything but love all day. Not to let my frustrations and feelings get the best of me. (If you're a teacher, you know that the first day of school is joyful time, but c'mon, let's be honest, we all want to scream at the top of our lungs about 6 times throughout the day)

"It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
{1 corinthians 13:7}

"Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth."
{1 john 3:18}

*One of the actions that comes along with the definition of love is kindness. I read somewhere (and I can't remember where now, and I didn't write down the reference, so give me grace people and don't pop me for plagiarism), but I read that "To be kind is to be useful, serving, and gracious." And let me tell you. Think of the kindest person you know. If they don't fit that description, I don't know what does.
I asked my students what kindness was. My sweet Carmen responded with: "Para tener Dios, siempre en nuestras corazones." {To have God, always, in our hearts.} My little monkey couldn't be more right.

Day Four~
"Be a woman of the BOOK - love, study, and obey the Bible in every area. Meditation on his word be a source of hope and faith."
I've studied this topic for what seems like years. Yet, still, it inspires me every time I read it. It makes me care to superglue this giant black book to my hands, and never let it go, so that in each and every situation I can dig into it.

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching,
rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so
that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
{2 timothy 3:16-17}

"I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you."
{psalm 119:11}

*This takes me back to being 5 years old and riding in the backseat of my mama's forest green Chevy Suburban. We would listen [until the CASSETTE TAPE] unraveled and fell apart, to Steve Green's "Hide 'Em In Your Heart" . Here's a little clip of this song so that each of you can revel in my childhood scriptural goodness that hums along in my heart everyday.



I'm going to stop at Day Four, and let you catch up with me. I will try to post about every four days, so that I don't overwhelm you with words on a page. Take courage, find devotion in our Jesus, find devotion to His word.
{I'm actually SIX days in today, so let me tell you, the discipline to read one specific thing and meditate on it has been a true blessing to this scattered-active-I-try-to-do-everything-for-600-people-in-one-day-girl.}

The Fifteen Day {and everyday after that} Challenge

So recently I came across an article that one of my friends had posted on Facebook. Typically, everyday I read some kind of excerpt from a blog, mostly John Piper's "Desiring God" {desiringgod.org}. On Monday, I hadn't read for that day, and was having an exceptionally horrific type of day, with everything going wrong that could possibly go wrong. After opening the page with the blog, I left it there for about 8 hours while I worked on other things (Lesson Plans because SCHOOL STARTS TOMORROW AND I'M NOT PREPARED) One of my friends later that afternoon asked me if I'd happened to read the blog that day. I said, "Well, it's been opened, but not really read. I need to do that. I really need to do that." (Obviously just by saying that I was convincing myself that I'd be disciplined.)
I went home, chopped vegetables for supper, downloaded the most recent episode of The Bachelor (because let's be honest, who DOESN'T want to watch Juan Pablo once a week?!), swept my apartment, made the beds, cloroxed the bathroom, and THEN (priorities people)sat down for a few minutes on my couch. I pulled up my internet with every intention of hopping on Facebook & Twitter to see what people were up to, when that blog slid right up from the bottom right hand corner of my screen.
So, I thought to myself "OH YEAH! This is a great time to squeeze in some time with my Jesus." (Squeeze in, THAT is the mentality that should be thrown out the window as soon as I wake up)
So, I read through the article which outlines 15 points of a Christ-like woman. I fully expected to be reading something about a "Proverbs 31 Woman". Which is fantastic, don't get me wrong, but it's kind of the go-to when discipling women. But THIS, written by John Piper in 1995, when I was a mere 6 years old, THIS gave me such perspective. Each point is written much like a to-do list for women, and consistently pumps the glory and delight of being a woman in love. A woman in love, so deeply, and rooted in the love and delight of Christ, that she is unshakable.

In this, I've decided to study each of the points. One a day, and research some scripture to tag onto them. So, for me, it's a 15 Day Challenge, that will last each and every day of my life, as I meditate on these truths of being a woman reaching for the Lord and saturated in each and every word He gives us.

Here's Day One:

1.That all of your life—in whatever calling—be devoted to the glory of God.

"For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. ALWAYS!" {romans 11:36}

"It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal." {revelation 21:11}