When you’re missionaries or church planters or whatever you want to call people in that sort of ministry, you sometimes (often….) have some fairly small meetings. It’s your family and a few others and so from a tender age, you instruct your children to make sure they belt out the hymns. Actual singing ability is…
Maybe you could sit with me here awhile. I'll make you tea in my pretty green pot and set out a tray with chocolates and cookies. There will be a bundle of oleanders and cannas in an old pickle jar, because does anyone actually buy vases any more? I'd like to hold your hand. To…
About five minutes down the road, I remembered what I knew I'd forget: my little abandoned glass jar of sourdough starter at the back of the fridge. We would be gone for three weeks and if I'm honest, it had been at least that long since I last fed my second baby. "She'll be dead"…
There is a gift my children have only half received. I feel in some ways like we've all been gypped, but then, that would be denying God's wisdom. The other half will have to be given them by us, telling the old stories that can't help but embed themselves into their impressionable consciouses. They had…
Thursday night I was getting ready for bed when David came in from several visits. “Penelope!!” he whispered lest he rouse little miss G from her light slumber. I heard his excitement but could little guess what the next words would be. “Doña I.... was saved last night during meeting.” “What?!” I replied, incredulous and…
and a few other points of Interest from the Alves Home Gone are the days of my coveted slow farmhouse breakfast. I distractedly shovel some cheerios and blueberries toward the teething baby who throws most of them to the floor while banging her tray for more. My mind is on Spanish adjectives and math facts…
We had no desire for a big to-do. No fanfare, party or even a fancy cake. The day was too sacred for all that. Our baby is alive. She’s well. She’s one year old. Solemn joy. We had a family meeting of thanksgiving. It seemed more appropriate than throwing balloons around. Oh, how very, very…
Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord's thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is.Deuteronomy 10:14 They say it’s Earth Day. I guess that’s some oral demarcation to mentally soothe politically correct city dwellers. They lift their banners of dirt love with a dainty, manicured hand, telling us all…
We spent the last several days in Mexico City, seeing a couple specialists who could give us some direction on our baby’s hip dysplasia after being told she’d likely need to be in a cast for three months. I could easily dissect each phrase of that sentence and probably write an entire blog post…
When my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:2 When. It leaves no possibility for non occurrence. “If” finds no place in the inevitable realm of an overwhelmed, mortal heart. David the king, perhaps in a rare moment of solitude, fondly picks up his kinnor and leans…
penelope alves 