She LOVES books

Hi.  This week was a lay low week.  We had one day of class, and then our language helper’s sister passed away.  Like I said before, death is so common here. It is also sort of expected that life stopBs and if you’re close to the family, you will just spend hours upon hours just being there, we may feel like we’re getting nothing done, and yet it’s not nothing.  We love our language helper and also learned that she’s super committed to teaching us Jola.  She showed up at our house when it was time for class, and we did all the salutations and started talking, she then shared with us that her sister died the day before and as we kept talking she said she had come from the village where her sister died to do class with us, and we said “WHY ARE YOU HERE?!” So TJ hopped in the car and took her back to the village so she could be with her family.

We read lots of books!

We took the opportunity to get some things done that we don’t usually have time for, as well as having people over to our house.  There is family that came over for the evening, and we are growing to love them, their kids speak english and are close in age to the girls and so the girls LOVE that they can actually communicate with one another.  I decided to make them pizza and cookies.  There is nothing like someone enjoying your food for the deliciousness that it is, and enjoying the time together.  Two of my very favorite things, cooking for friends and spending time enjoying each other’s company.  I am grateful for the friends God is giving us here, I don’t know them well yet, but I look forward to getting to know them better.  I look forward to the deepening of friendship and that can only go deeper as there is the commonality of relationship with God.

Cinzia and Mae spend the morning together every day

What am I struggling with these days?  I struggle with my mouth {SIGH}… too much comes out too fast.  I’m really a words of affirmation person, and I need that to operate well in life.  The other side of that is that when I’m not happy with something I will be verbal about it.  At the end of every day, I am often frustrated with myself, with my mouth, wishing I could have dealt with the girls in a different way, or held my tongue in this situation or that.  I have so much need for the Lord, I need him not just in my life and in each day, but in every moment.    We think of this life as so physical, but it’s just as much spiritual as it physical.  It is HARD to be humble and realize that we’ve failed.  I am so thankful that God is so patient with me, continuing to walk me through each day and each struggle, continuing to love me even when I don’t look to him.  This week I had a discussion with Penny about the heart issue of not being sorry for our sin, and what that means.  We talked about forgiveness and how hard it is.  I couldn’t hold the tears back as I myself felt convicted with the reality that Jesus forgave us of our sins before we even committed them.  I asked her if she would be able to forgive Ava for all the things she will ever do right now?  And that, that is what Jesus did!  Before we ever sinned against him, he forgave us of every single thing we would do against him.  Are we sorry for those sins?  Do we accept his forgiveness?  These seem like simple truths, and yet they are the things that should penetrate our hearts and help us to understand who Jesus really is!  In explaining to Penny what Jesus has done and how desperately he wants our hearts, MY heart felt pain for how much I grieve the Holy Spirt, I felt convicted about my struggle with my mouth, and my struggle with forgiving others.  So I’m gonna keep walking forward, incredibly grateful for God’s grace and mercy in the midst of my pride.  How wonderful it is to belong to him!

This Psalm encouraged my heart today, and was a reminder of how much he cares for me, his child! My desire is that every person might know him, and his heart for them!

Psalm 91

“Those who live in the shelter of the Most High

    will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

This I declare about the Lord:

He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;

    he is my God, and I trust him.

For he will rescue you from every trap

    and protect you from deadly disease.

He will cover you with his feathers.

    He will shelter you with his wings.

    His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

 

Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,

    nor the arrow that flies in the day.

 

Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,

    nor the disaster that strikes at midday.

Though a thousand fall at your side,

    though ten thousand are dying around you,

    these evils will not touch you.

Just open your eyes,

    and see how the wicked are punished.

If you make the Lord your refuge,

    if you make the Most High your shelter,

no evil will conquer you;

    no plague will come near your home.

 

For he will order his angels

    to protect you wherever you go.

They will hold you up with their hands

    so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.

You will trample upon lions and cobras;

    you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.

    I will protect those who trust in my name.

 

When they call on me, I will answer;

    I will be with them in trouble.

    I will rescue and honor them.

I will reward them with a long life

    and give them my salvation.””

Homemade Tortillas

Enchilada Sauce

Sauce: Finished product

Shredded Chicken

Cheese

Fill and Roll

Sauce and Bake

Drool over finished product

Eat Finished Product