Feed on His Faithfulness

My head has been kind of spinning the past few days, trying to get a grip on life. I realized that I really have no idea what the future holds. I know I'm a little late in realizing this... none of us have ever known, and none of us ever will. It just kind of hit me. But eventually I realized it is when I "have a grip" on life that I think I don't need to depend on God. I turn to myself, or to other people, but don't go to Him for strength.

But I need Him. Even when I think I don't, I do. And that's not me saying that to sound like a "good Christian" or something... it's the truth! And honestly, instead of that bringing fear or anxiety of the unknown, a calm, refreshing peace washes over me when I realize and accept that truth. Because then I don't have to have it all under control. He already does. He did, He does, and He will. What a relief! It is things like this that I keep learning about His character where I can't stop falling in love with Him.

He can already see the big picture. He knows. Worrying about it doesn't help me in any way... it only keeps me from living fully in every moment, soaked in His presence, eyes, ears, and heart open wide to take in all He has to teach me.

A verse I've been clinging to is Psalm 37:3- Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Every section of this verse has a deep meaning for me now- I feel like it sums up what I need to do right now (and every day the rest of my life...).
Trust in the Lord- with why I am here, with the future, with my dreams
Do good- help in any way I can, even if it is small
Dwell in the land- kind of like Jeremiah 29, live intentionally right where I am, in the present
Feed on His faithfulness- let His faithfulness and who He is wash over me and be my strength

I hope I never become numb to how amazing God is or not be excited about who He is and all He's done...I want to be amazed by Him every day. He is so good. I wish I could give Him a giant bear hug! What a champ.

After the reservation trip (I'm still working on writing about that...) I came back and had a day off where I played with Joel and Ian, the 6 and 3 year old sons of the missionaries I'm living with. These two have given me so much joy! We went swimming in the creek, played with their parrot (which bit me on the toe!), made a few videos, and just had fun together. Since then, I've been homeschooling Joel  and helping out around the house.

We all went to Quepos (meaning Cynthia, Josiah, their kids, Adilia, and I), which is a touristy town along the Pacific ocean, 6 hours away from here. Cynthia and Josiah had a missionary conference, and Adilia and I went along for what we called "a beautiful adventure." It was so exciting! I got to see a whole bunch of the country, and it's always fun to spend a few days at the beach:) I had a great time with Joel, Ian, and Adilia, because when you're with kids, you can act like them, which gives the beach a whole new (and more exciting) appeal.  Those few days consisted of sand fights, wave jumping, running through the water, and smiles. It was Adelia's first time at the beach, which was exciting, too!

Basically, a few days after I arrived ready to work, I left for vacation. But I'm not complaining! :)

I also went to a... strike? I'm not sure what to call it. A bunch of people from Jicotea (meaning about 50) got together to try and get the bus to come to the station that it is supposed to go to. It hasn't been going because "the road is too bad" (although, I can see why that would cause problems...), but this creates a big problem for the people who depend on the bus to go to work every day. So I'm pretty sure I was on the national news on Friday. No big deal :)

I've been able to practice my Spanish a lot, too. That's how Adilia and I communicate, as well as all of the other people that live and work around here. Cynthia also helps me. I am learning to let go of my pride as I continue to learn... although it is a bit difficult, and I normally end up with a red face after trying to speak. :) So far, while trying to talk and have a conversation, I've said a few interesting things...

"My men are red."
"I took tourists in the trash."
"The 40th of October."
"That hotel is delicious."
And many, many more...

So the past week or so has been interesting! Although I didn't have much of an idea of what I would  be doing in Jicotea, this week has been different than anything I imagined, but in a good way. I'm not exactly sure why God called me back here, or what I'm doing here. If you asked me before I left for Costa Rica why I was going or what I was doing, I probably would have said something along the lines of going to learn Spanish and serve with a ministry that works with the indigenous people of Costa Rica. But really, I'm here because this is where God led me, and I am realizing that there doesn't have to be a specific thing or reason to be here for, because following Him is all the reason I need. I am so thankful that God led me here again.

So that's why the verse in Psalm 37 is so important to me right now... Trust in the Lord, and do good: Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

Let that be a verse of hope and purpose as you go about your day:)

Catching up...

Sometimes, when I walk out the door, or when I'm sitting on my bed, or when I'm walking, or when I hear the rain "tinking" on the roof, or when I feel the most beautiful breeze, I re-realize that I'M IN COSTA RICA!

GAH!

My heart kind of swells up with joy and awe, a mixture of adoration for my God and excitement for this life He's blessed me with. I've been living with my host family the past week, trying to learn more Spanish:) I feel like I've learned a lot in this short time... about Spanish, yes, but more about life. Little things, like I don't have to be "doing" something to be faithful. Like in Psalm 46:10 where it says "Be still and know that I am God." These little things remind me that God is here and has a purpose in all of this.

This past weekend, I took the bus (a bit of a scary thing to do, considering I've never even taken a bus in America, let alone Costa Rica where most of the stops aren't labeled!) to Cartago, the closest city, to visit some friends I met while here in January. I hung out with the family that I lived with for a week, and they fed me tons of food (we went to the market and I was given many many different types of fruit to try... yum!) and I was "crazy" with Raquel, my 12 year old Tica Sistah. It was so fun to be with them and loved by them. I honestly feel like a part of their family when I'm with them, which is such a blessing. I slept over at their house and felt like a pro taking the bus the next morning. :)

Later that day I went with my host family of right now to an uncle's house-- the goofy uncle's house. I did Karaoke for the first time (thankfully there were some songs in English... I'm not very well versed in the Latin music scene:). It was a great weekend!

It has been really interesting to observe the culture here. Sometimes I feel like I'm on the outside of a house, peeping in a window, watching to see what "normal life" looks like for a Tico. That kinda makes me sound like a creeper... but a lot of what I have been doing is observing- my host family, the people I pass on the street, the people I stand in line with in the bank, etc. I'm basically trying to be a sponge, soaking in a new way of life and a new language. It's fun!

A few things I've noticed so far:

• You acknowledge someone when you pass them on the street-including when you're driving
• You actually pass people on the street (that's a new one for me!)
• It's pretty much accepted everywhere that there is a God- Catholicism is very much a part of this culture
• Elderly people deserve and get more respect
• Men are always served their meals by the wife, who always cooks the meals 
• being on time doesn't really matter that much
• You always greet someone with an "air kiss" on their right cheek
• Honking at someone does not cause an angry reaction
• Motorcyclists can basically do whatever they want on the road 
• It is not uncomfortable or awkward to be touching someone when they're sitting or standing next to you (ex. arms, shoulders, legs... coming from America where everyone has a "don't touch me" mentality, it takes a bit to get used to:)
• Generations of family hang out together... and take care of each other 
• Futbol is incredibly important!

Well, not much is going on right now, but either tonight or tomorrow morning I'll be heading to Jicotea, a tiny town where I'll be staying for the rest of my three months. In my mind, I've been going back and forth from SUPER excited that I have to bounce up and down or squeeze something to pretty nervous... because I'm not entirely sure what I'll be doing, and I'm still not that great at Spanish:). But mostly I've been looking forward to this next experience, knowing that I'll be stretched and be able to experience God in a new way. I'm excited to see the way that other people experience God and live out their faith, too.

God is such a champ... I am continuously amazed at how wonderful He is and in awe of His love for the people He made. What a great God He is! 

Anyways, have a great day!