Several weeks ago the kids and I delivered gospel calendars for the new year here in the village. It was evening and we walked along slowly gifting them to old acquaintances, smiling and awkwardly signing some off to a deaf family, leaving them at homes so religious, so anti gospel it seemed futile to even…
Let’s Travel! Campeche, Campeche
Is this post cheating? maybe. I'm not doing much writing. Instead, it's an invitation for you to pack those bags and travel to one of the most iconic cities in the southeast of Mexico. Walled and fortressed against pirate attack by the Spanish, Campeche was a hexagonal shaped, compact colonial city founded in the 16th…
Hello 2023
Happy New Year, everyone! Hope you had a great time over the holidays and wish you a year ahead filled with blessings and the glory of God in your life. Last year (in March, maybe?) we made a slight change to our family devotion time and I thought you might enjoy skimming the following list.…
Healing.
Yesterday was Winter Solstice. Here, half way between 15 degrees N and the Tropic of Cancer, night began to fall at 5:30. The early darkness is a weighted blanket, enveloping weary souls with comfort and peace. There is no cajoling to play outside until nightfall, few obligations to be out. Like a yearly Sabbath, winter's…
Better in the Patio
After a bit of a hiatus from house meetings, we are back at it. For a few months, we had our weekly gospel meeting in the building we meet in. It went about the way we expected. No one was motivated to invite their neighbors. So, of course, no one came in. This is not…
Providence and Glory
I asked that His Name would be glorified in our day. It was a usual petition, a common desire. Armed with my little prayer, we embarked upon the day. The internal expectation was that before me was a peachy day, one of ease and obedient children. He would be glorified in our familial happiness, in…
Fall 2022 Favorites
So there are a few things that I have been super enjoying (which is terrible English, but perfectly descriptive) and I'd love to share them with you. Let me know in the comments if we share any loves and if you have any similar recommendations! The Book World: I just love Larry Collins and Dominique…
Piece of Poetry
The waiting seemed a small price that dayFor what the King had promised to repayHis faithful servant, his duty doneWhen homeward he his horse had spunWith jewels dancing, a gold crown hungThe great King’s beauties on his tongueFound at the gate he once had leftA little family no more bereft The waiting doneA Glorious welcome…
To Enrich the Soul
I went for many years without hardly enriching my own soul. They were years full of babies and sleep deprivation, endless meals and therefore dishes, exhaustion upon exhaustion. In my old blog of 10 years ago, I vividly recall a post entitled "The Mush of Motherhood" where I related the story of reading Hop on…
The Story of 7 Women
Precisely four days ago was September 4th. Back in 2003, 19 years ago, that was a Thursday. It was also a cool fall morning, my backpack heavy on my shoulders, my sins alarmingly less heavy than ever before. That's the only reason I remember that morning on the school bus––I've generally attempted to erase any…
penelope alves 