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| Yes...time continues and once again here I am, the great forgetful one, posting months after my most recent post.
What is on your mind today...this week...this month, what is the overarching lesson that the Lord is teaching you?
Consider these words in prayer:
"Thou GREAT I AM,
Fill my mind with elevation and grandeur at
the thought of a Being
with whom one day is as a thousand years,
and a thousand years as one day,
A mighty God, who, amidst the lapse of the worlds,
and revolutions of empires,
feels no variableness,
but is glorious in immortality.
May I rejoice that, while men die, the Lord lives;
that, while all creatures are broken reeds,
empty cisterns, fading flowers, withering grass,
He is the Rock of Ages, the Fountain of living waters.
Turn my hear from vanity,
from dissatisfactions,
from uncertainties of the present state,
to an eternal interest in Christ.
Let me remember that life is short and unforeseen,
and is on an opportunity for usefulness;
Give me a holy avarice to redeem the time,
to awake at every call to charity and piety,
so that I may feed the hungry,
clothe the naked, instruct the ignorant,
reclaim the vicious, forgive the offender,
diffuse the gospel, show neighbourly love to all.
Let me live a life of self-distrust,
dependence on thyself,
mortification,
crucifixion,
prayer." Amen.
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| I said, "well, I am going to go surfing"...they said, "we are going with you."
We all then immediately went to go surfing and got all gear together, spreading cool weather
sticky bumps over our boards with deft memorized moves of our hands, straining to the point
of hernia as we pull on wetsuits that would keep us warm in the 56 degree water, tightening velcro
straps around our ankles lest we lose our boards in the frothy 5-12 foot breakers spilling onto the beach
in all their glory. We run toward the water as the East rising sun rises just beyond the beach by yonder hill shooting rays of warmth upward toward the wispy clouds. We are the first ones in the water and darkness still covers the water adding that tinge of an eerie feeling as we paddle through the first set of breakers. You paddle hard into the second set of breakers and perform a nearly perfect duck dive just at the right time as a 6 footer crashes where you just were. Finally we are there beyond the breakers, some sitting, some laying on their boards resting in the salty water of the Pacific Ocean...with ideas of catching the best wave that morning we sit and watch...waiting...waiting. The sun splashes down on the beach warming the sand that is now 150 yards away from us. The rays of sun dash upon the waves and illuminate the spray of the breakers pushed by a stiff onshore breeze.
Sitting there on the board rolling with the swells is something to be experienced, to me it is exhilarating and not just because of the cold water, but we each have our times of contentment that cause us to cry out to the Lord in whelming peace and joy for our position before Christ.
We were there waiting to catch...that perfect wave...waiting...oh, hey is that it...uh, no...missed that one...again...oh!....nope....we were waiting and waiting and not one of us were catching a wave...a hint of frustration began to creep in....am I not paddling hard enough, driving for the wave too soon...too late...!!
Then there on the shore..................someone....calls to me "Come and eat breakfast."......who me, with you
oh, I would love to....thus begins my quest for "Breakfast by the Sea" with my Jesus....what is your quest with your Jesus?
John 21:1-14
One of the guys I surf with....
This picture displays what I am thinking about lately......
Thought that once a week I would throw in a picture or illustration to in part, capture what I am thinking about, pondering, chewing on, or otherwise giving thought to...
A quick note about what is going on with me...if you care:
Living in San Diego, CA
Finishing up my 4-year degree from Thomas Edison State College in NJ (yes I am taking full advantage of the correspondence part of this, and San Diego is a beautiful place to correspond from)
Only claiming to be a shapeless piece of steel, with my Triune God holding the hammer...shaping me
I don't know how to really love...I never stood still long enough....forever a wanderer am I to be? Wandering to where...for what....and why...?
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| Yesterday I made pasta...
Today I made pasta...
...tomorrow...pasta...
...I love pasta....
...more later...
...I am late for pasta...
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Think with me for few moments about these ideas: Friends,
weddings, surfing, nephew, brothers, sisters, family, pasta and sauce, skiing,
work, old blue, Jeep?, motorcycle?, salami, Elmtons Pizza, college football,
Chipotle, Chicago, San Diego, Poland, bon-fires, GTI, Camaro, God’s Word,
college, Bible School, water, biking, running, swimming, sailing, talking with
mom, working with dad, missions for our Lord….what does all of this have in
common….will the path of my feet ever join these again…does it matter, would it
be, could it be that these ´things´ tied to life experiences with memories so
fond be past memories forever? and of these what matters most…..well, this list
could be pared quite a bit to reveal a
truth about our lives and two of the things that they should be doing,
two of the core things that we are created for______________ and ____________!
As you see there are two blank spaces that need to be filled
in from the list above. If you want, leave a comment saying what you think they
are….and ponder your own list and ideas….what is the most important thing for
you in your life day to day? What should it be? Why should it be? 
Other thoughts....
Weeks continue with experiences that bring into light the
truth that abiding in Christ is and should be the vitality of life. As I sit
here munching on Smarties pondering the path of my feet and decisions upcoming,
I feel as though my lack of diligence has bit me and it smarts. Maybe you have
heard the phrase ¨put your nose to the grind stone¨ those words that my father
told me time and again echo in my ears as I am have just three months to finish
studies. To stay in Mexico and study can be done for part…if the General Console
here at the American Embassy will proctor all of my TECEP’s and smile at my
request for her to do so…than it would behoove me to spend half days studying
and add another 12 credits closer to the ever elusive magic number of 120. Then
there is the matter of a DANTE and a CLEP left that need to be taken in the
States....hooray, spend a month or two at home for holidays…what joy…so either
stay here in San Juan Cosala for the fall, then home for a month or two and
then back here to Guadalajara for language school…..or, if the General Console
lady frowns and is too busy to spend a total of probably 12 hours proctoring
the exams for a diligent American student…then it is back to the States for me
for the fall! Pictures from family vacation:
Our vacation spot...primitive...almost, cucharaches, oh yes, crabs, yep, beautiful snorkeling, for sure. 
2 of my brothers and my dad with our long boards in La Royya Seca near Tenacatita.
 The boys...miss you guys. Surfs up! 
Sunset over the Pacific ocean....going back again someday....peace!
Prayer request: We start a CI in Pachuca next week…may God’s
love flow through us to others, the teachers, the kids… | | |
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Everyone want everyone elses everything....¿you too?
-
…”shepherded them according to
the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.”
–Psalm 78:72
-
Speaking of David yet a perfect
picture of my Good Shepherd….His hands are so skillful to guide me, yet often I
don’t let him, but he continues to prod me along the narrow path…yes, that path
so sparsely traveled….and he sends those along to encourage me with words and
works of love….a hug from the Lord saying, “continue on my son, the water brook
is just around the bend”….and times when I think that he has gone to another of
his sheep, his promises come tumbling back in full truth that he shepherds
according to the unwavering integrity of his heart.
- These truths all I have seen in
my life and revealed ever more in the last month traveling to La Concha, Mexico
to share of in the ministry of 20 young people on a journey of their faith…so
different some of them, in their desires to see Christ, those fervent were
evident, others mas menos as they were growing in their Lord and overcoming
deep sorrows already experienced in this life…what joy to observe and serve,
just serve them and serve.
-
The words to a song that came
to my heart after days and days and a long drive….
Astray – To the
Fold
1. “I’m the hundredth sheep,
I’m the one
What am I doing
here out on the run
I have wandered
away from the fold
My plea
shepherd: come take a hold
I am alone,
scared, and cold
My plea
shepherd: come take a hold
Refrain:
Come take a
hold, close to thy heart
If you must,
break my leg a part
Teach me, guide
me, skillfully to know
Place me on your
shoulders as we go
Back to the
fold, in from the cold
I need to hear
your sweet familiar call
Jesus, shepherd,
save me lest I fall
2. “I’m the hundredth sheep, I’m the one
What am I doing here
out on the run
On every side,
wolves want my hide
My cry shepherd:
come take a hold
Back to the safe
pasture of your fold
My plea Jesus:
come take a hold
…more later...
Some experiences
that have totally been awe-inspiring for me in the past few weeks….
1.
Scuba diving and running out of
air at 90 feet
2.
Three more scuba dives and
acquiring my open water certification through NASE worldwide
3.
Free diving and snorkeling over
a coral reserve
4.
Spearing a 2 kilo octopus while
free diving
5.
Observateur obscur d'un coup de
professionnel
6.
Seeing a dead man on the side
of the road
San Juan Cosala Cross Hiker
The joy of a young heart(s)
Yummo...sandia
...............................................
Yes...and there was a 2 kilo octopus as well...
Such friends as these.....almost makes me want to sneeze...
Peace and love to all....
verapace
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