Signs of Encouragement

Two emails arrived from direct contacts in Honduras. They were encouraging and positive. This is good! We will continue to assess the current events, but feel a great measure of peace at the present.

"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."
-Deuteronomy 31:8

With prudence, yet also in faith...

Seeking Direction

At this point, the travel plans to Honduras stand. I feel both relief and trepidation. After all the planning, hoping, communicating, waiting ... we are so ready to go. Yet, we are parents of young children. Leaving two behind and bringing one. We need God's approval and protection if we are to go.

I am praying specifically for peace and confirmation. Tangible confirmation. It is my hope that if we are not to go, the Lord slams the door of opportunity shut with a bang. If we are to go, that we may see his direction and provision written all over it. Specific demonstrations of his "Yes. It is time to go." That we would have a "peace that surpasses all understanding" in traveling to a country in upheaval.

This morning I was reading in Proverbs. Peppered throughout the chapters were verses that seemed to jump from the page.

Chapter 16:
•"We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer." (v.1)
•"Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed." (v.3)
•"We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps." (v.9)
•"The path of the virtuous leads away from evil; whoever follows that path is safe." (v.17)

Chapter 17:
•"Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth." (v.24)

Chapter 18:
•"The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe." (v.10)

Chapter 19:
•"Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life. You can make many plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail." (v.20-21)
•"Fear of the Lord leads to life, bringing security and protection from harm." (v. 23)

We are willing to let go of "our" plans in favor of "His." If this means not going, so be it. If this means continuing forward, we do so in faith.

I'm choosing to only pray about this now. I will refrain from belaboring the concerns, as they tend to distract and worry me. Please join us in prayer for clear direction and peace. I'll keep you posted.

Praying & Waiting

"Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can't accomplish a little thing like that, what's the use of worrying over bigger things?

... And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

...Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need. So don't be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the kingdom."

(Luke 12: 25-28)

Uncertainites

Military coup in Honduras. There are many questions. Many uncertainties. Our trip is to depart 11 days from tonight.

Please pray with us.

Strawberry Jam

After the bakery came the berries ...

... and then the jam. Can you hear the angels singing the Hallelujah chorus?

Morning at the Bakery

We took a morning trip to the bakery with just the girls, as Peter is off at Grammy and Gramps' for the weekend.

It was delicious.

All eyes were wide.

And sparkly.

And covetous.

And delightful.

Little Zippered Fun

I'm so excited about this little zipper pouch, I can hardly stand it.

When I found these coordinating fabrics at the thrift shop, I knew I had to do something fun with it. The selvedge on the floral suggests the piece to be from the 60's and I adore it. That same day, I also found a bundled stash of vintage zippers for a dollar! I think this apple green zipper is a delicious match.

I have plans for this sweetie to come with me on our Central American voyage in a few weeks. Chapstick, ear plugs, sunscreen, nail clippers, toothbrush/paste ... and (sheepish grin) mascara. Perfect little carry-on pouch.

I have a feeling I'll be making more of these. Maybe with the inside lined in oilcloth or an iron-on vinyl? Goodness, I just love pretty, practical things.

Pit Digger

For years, my son has loved to dig. He'll pass hours away with a shovel and some bare dirt. And forget the kid-sized tools, he likes man-sized.

One of the kitchen windows looks to the side of the house and I'll see him there laboring away. I think it's great he's outside and amusing himself. But last month, I actually strolled over to the side of the house and fully experienced the construction zone. Wow. You may not be able to tell from this photo, but we've actually lost Jane to the pit. It's so deep, she needs assistance to achieve freedom once she's tumbled in. Not long after this picture was taken, we had to halt excavation because he hit pipe. City pipe. Uh, yeah.

He's now busy filling the pit so he can shift locations. I was tempted to ban pit-digging altogether. It's messy, unsightly, and has it's potential hazards. But a boy who happily passes time digging dirt? Should I really be complaining?

For now, I think I'll just caution the guests and worry about landscaping a few years down the road.

Packaged Glamour

I've been on a bit of a quest for some modern-day glamour. With a little bit of thought, I decided I needed some vibrant red lip-gloss.

Typically, I'm a drug-store kind of gal when it comes to cosmetics, but lip products always seem worth the splurge. Wonderful texture, no odd fragrances, long-lasting color. Plus, the sleek tubes always feel like a little bit of artwork in my hand.

Last evening, I set out to run some errands on my own and stopped in at the swanky cosmetic shop. A very chic and eclectic young woman quickly discerned just what I was after when I described my vision. She led me right to this little tube of "Venetian." Not quite as cherry-red as I was initially searching for, but a lovely shade of electric watermelon.

Hmm. I'm thinking Pops will be quite pleased to see me tonight.

"Lady Baltimore" Luggage