Proof positive...

This man is cutting the lawn across the street from our house - I know it is called mowing in proper English, but when you use a weed whacker, is it really mowing or cutting or trimming?










Here is the lard aisle in our local supermarket....

View from our window

Here are some of the things that I see when I look out our windows. All of my petty concerns and worries fade away quickly when I take a moment to take in the beauty just outside, right here in 'our' yard.
More and more things are becoming normal and life here in La Ceiba is taking on a bit of routine.
I now know that seven quick knocks are not someone trying to get my attention at the gate, but our friendly geckos making themselves known.
I no longer need moisturizer, and wonder why I even packed it, space being so precious...
I am, at the moment, winning the laundry war
I have learned that laundry is a five step process - soak, wash, rinse, hang out to dry, take inside to finish drying.
I thought I missed the rain while living in the desert, I no longer really miss it.. we had more rain since we arrive than we had the almost three years we lived in the desert.
I have learned that fruit flies can get through anywhere.

I found out that they sell coffee pre-mixed with sugar in the ground coffee section of the store.. no wonder it tasted so funny yesterday morning
I am learning to make pretty good tortillas - the secret ingredient is the lard
I truly appreciate my Ginger Orange Shower Gel - although nothing truly gets the sweaty smell out totally, or perhaps it is just that I begin to sweat the moment I step out of the shower
I never thought I would prefer thin bath towels, but now I see their value - they dry quicker.
I am learning that walking is a great mode of transportation
I have not seen a lawn mower since we got here, grass is mowed with a weed whacker or machete
I am no longer surprised to see wild horses, and dogs wandering down the street
I am no longer closing my eyes when we pass a car on the road, while the road curves, driving straight into the blind spot
I can serve my family American fast food if I want to, it is all here ready and available at Gringo prices....
I am getting to know some incredible people, my life is truly richer for meeting and getting a chance to work along side Erin, Mike, Lindsey, Sean, Jamie, Joshua and Andy. These were all strangers more or less a month ago, and they have truly accepted us with open and loving arms.

Life in Honduras is great and I am so grateful for this opportunity to live here, to learn more about the people and serve An Awesome God.

My three C's

I am not one to make New Year's promises, but this year I was challenged to take an inventory of my life. 2008 presented so many challenges, changes and choices for us as a family and for me as a person – it truly was a whirlwind year with little time for reflection. I finally have time to think more clearly, pray for purposefully and truly listen to what God has in mind for me and our family. Life here in La Ceiba offers plenty more time for quite reflection and it is becoming clearer to me that I ought to focus on a few key things this year – and 'coincidentally' they all begin with C, perhaps to make it easier for me to remember my lessons…
Contentment, control (giving it up), and compassion are going to be my focus this year. Although three relatively simply words they encompass so much and have such far reaching consequences for my life. I would be delusional if I even for a second thought I would master these things in one short year.. my goal is simply to move in the right direction. So I covet my friends prayers – that I would be a faithful student, have a willing heart and an open mind to the ways that God is going to teach me. He is ready, but am I?

Perception vs reality

Why is it that I have such a hard time getting to reality? I seem to get stuck in perception, and then perception colors my life, my world view, my attitude towards anyone and anything around me?

Perception is not real; it is not true, it is often completely wrong. I know that in my head, but my heart.. that is another story. So I am once again reminded of God's mercy with me, His incredible patience with this slow learner, who just does not seem to 'get it.' Never do I feel God's impatience with me like I feel with our boys when they 'just don't get it,' never do I feel His frustration with my inability to absorb, obey and trust – yet I am so quick to become frustrated with the boys when they do disobey, repeatedly make the same mistake or simply forget what I told them.

I take comfort in Beth Moore's quote: "God's specialty is raising dead things to life and making impossible things possible." Impossibly slow learner like me…. there is hope!

Random things that are becoming the norm

We have been here in La Ceiba almost two weeks, so some of the things that seemed strange initially are becoming 'normal' and even routine. It is amazing how quickly the normalcy sets in:
Throwing toilet paper in the trash can, not in the toilet
Having to wash hands with hand sanitizer as there is no water - something with rain and water pressure
Dishes can get clean in cold water as long as one has the special soap
The vegetables and fruit take a 20 minutes bleech/water bath before we eat them
If there is yogurt in the store buy it, it may not be in there tomorrow, same goes for pretty much any grocery item - it was 6 days between our first and second time to buy Diet Coke for Bob
I stop and look each time someone is honking a horn outside, it may be someone coming for a visit
When it rains, take a shower quickly, because the water may be out soon
I can buy ice cream, water, oranges, bread and someone said fish from vendors who walk by the house daily
Roaming freely are horses, pigs, and dogs
There is an obstacle course in the living room, to avoid the holes in the floor
Buckets are necessary to prevent all the leaky water from puddling in the floor
Cooking dinner almost always involves at least one electric shock
Four cars across on a single lane road is fine, when it gets to be six, I begin to pray
Everyone is so nice and kind, and so willing to help this gringo family wherever we are

The laundry saga continue

This is what it looks like outside our house this afternoon. The water is flowing like a faucet through the drainage pipe that is coming off the roof. It is no wonder I am losing this battle.....

Neighborhood vistas

This horse walked by our house the other night.. although he
had a friend with him then, another horse. He does not appear to be own
by anyone and roam as he pleases.

This man is transporting a large wood ladder so he is supporting the
weight of the ladder with his right leg, and peddling with his left leg only. The