Monday, March 29, 2010
Dayton's Sunday School Ruminations
Yesterday, Dayton was playing on the hammock and all of a sudden yelled, “Mom! You know what would be really good? . . . If we had the plague of flies and the plague of frogs at the same time!”
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
A True Story
My mother-in-law just wrote about Alfonso, a believer in the church here in San Juan del Rio, who died last night. His testimony is a real-life example of the effectiveness of the World Cup tracts. He came to the Lord through one and then led his drinking buddy to the Lord (both of them were alcoholics).
Alfonso came to our Jornada office several years ago holding a World Cup tract. He said, I found this on the ground and want to know more. He was hard to understand when he talked and we found out later that we was basically an alcoholic who had lost his family because of his habit. We asked Dan Kendal to study the Bible with him, he accepted the Lord and his life was turned around, but of course he suffered a lot of physical problems because of his drinking. One of his drinking buddies, Felipe, became a Christian because of Alfonso’s testimony to him and he’s part of our church.
Alfonso came to our Jornada office several years ago holding a World Cup tract. He said, I found this on the ground and want to know more. He was hard to understand when he talked and we found out later that we was basically an alcoholic who had lost his family because of his habit. We asked Dan Kendal to study the Bible with him, he accepted the Lord and his life was turned around, but of course he suffered a lot of physical problems because of his drinking. One of his drinking buddies, Felipe, became a Christian because of Alfonso’s testimony to him and he’s part of our church.
Get Your Tract Shoes On!
Once again the Puebla-based Christian publishing company, Ediciones Las Americas, has created and printed up tens of thousands of these glossy, color tracts. On one side is the "Plan of the World Cup" and the other side is the "Plan of salvation for the world" which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Our small ministry team decided to use a large chunk of our annual budget and to give personally as the Lord led us so that we could purchase as many of these as possible to share with local churches to distribute and to distribute ourselves. I don't recall the exact number we ended up getting for our investment, but I think it was around 13,000. Wow!
I know that in the USA, tracts are often seen among Christians as an ancient and perhaps ineffective, if not inflammatory, method of sharing the Gospel. We've found that here in Mexico the results can vary but these particular tracts are fairly easy to find willing takers. There is so much interest in the World Cup here that in past tract outreaches for previous World Cups, hundreds of people requested Bible studies and dozens of people accepted Christ as a result of these tracts. I recall a story of a missionary or two who took a box of 10,000 of these tracts to a busy Metro subway stop in Mexico City. They ran out in 10 minutes! You can't beat that for sharing the Gospel in printed form. Several Bible studies resulted from our last World Cup tract distribution here in San Juan del Rio, and it was a surprise to hear that those asking as a result of receiving one of these tracts, did not receive it from someone handing it to them...they found their tract on the ground, picked it up, read it, and responded to the free Bible study offer. I would say they received it from the Hand of Providence rather than a human hand. Is that awesome or what?!?
Any "tract stars" out there who'd like to come down and pass out a few thousand of these? Let me know! We can figure out where, when and how as soon as possible. Don't delay...the games start on June 11th and I only reserved about a hundred or so tracts for casual distribution. I would need to reserve a bunch before our team has them all given out.
Get Your Tract Shoes On...Let's Race To Win Some Souls!
After all, that's really our "Gooooooooolllllllllll!!!!!!!!!!!"
Monday, March 22, 2010
40 Creeps Up On You...I Know
After our Sunday morning Bible study with Jason and Kristin, we celebrated Kristin's 40th birthday. She was a bit sad to have left the 30s but such is life on this earth. I found these candles in McAllen last week...the tips of the flames were the same color as the candles...that was cool.
While Kristin wasn't too happy to have turned 40, it seemed appropriate to remind all of us that it's better to grow old and be found in Christ, than to be youthfully young and not know Him. That was the case with her former life. Isn't it great to be a new creation? Nothing can take us away from the love of Christ...not even old age. In fact, I think old age can bring us that much closer to Him as we mature and as we take each breath that is one more breath closer to our last.
Philippians 1:21 has to be one of my favorite life verses...for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
(not to mention I won't mind letting someone else deal with taxes after I'm gone...lol)
Friday, March 19, 2010
Goofy Stuff
None of us had ever seen a Coca-Cola can of this size. I couldn't resist buying it even though I had two Cokes in the cooler! It is a commemorative can for the upcoming World Cup. I did my part to commemorate it by drinking it and taking a couple pics of the can before throwing it away.
I was thinking of mailing it to Beth's sister, Kris, who is a huge Coke fan, but by the time we arrived in McAllen, it was dented and sort of lost its commemorative fascination. I suspect I'll see more of these down here in the next couple months. If you're a Coke fan and want one of these really cool cans, let me know and also send me about $50 USD and I'll be sure to ship it to you...unopened. That's $1 for the can and $49 shipping and handling. LOL (just kidding...however, I might be willing to help you get one if you're really a big Coke can collector...skinny Coke can collectors need not apply) ;-)
What do you do when you need to leave the dog behind with no one coming to check on her for 2 days? This should do it. Peanut is a pretty good sport about our trips. She can tell when we're leaving her for a trip...she grumps up on the top step and lies down with her ears folder over and puts on her big puppy dog eyes. No doubt as soon as we're gone a few minutes, she perks up and has a great time without us. She's a good actress.
(I was going to get some great video shots of the 2 1/2 lane highway passing in northern Mexico but both sets of the rechargeable Kodak batteries I bought in Laredo a few weeks ago have turned out to be duds. Both sets were dead and all I managed to get from them were four pics, including the three above. Looking closely at the packaging, Wal-Mart imported the batteries from China via Mexico which probably means they were intended to be dumped in the Mexican retail market which is a dubious market for such products. Mexico often has worthless junk for sale in the stores here which is why I intentionally bought them in the USA. Apparently, Laredo, TX is not USA enough. Bummer. $22 wasted. Thanks a lot Wal-Mart. Had I had the receipt and packaging with me, I would have tried to return/exchange them in McAllen. Unfortunately, I didn't have them.)
Back From the Border
Thanks for praying as we traveled to McAllen, TX in order to attend the funeral of our co-worker, Dan Kendal. He was only 71 years of age when the Lord took him home and the service was a fitting tribute to his life. It was good to be there. Bev, Dan's widow, appeared to be doing well as was the rest of the family. They have 3 adult daughters, all are married and are missionaries in Mexico which is a living tribute in itself.
The trip also allowed us to receive some ministry materials that have been at the CAM Center in mail storage for some time. Thanks to Jeff and Linda Arnold who drove down from there to attend the funeral and who brought these materials (mostly dictionaries and grammar & writing reference materials for our library). We were unsure when we'd ever be able to retrieve these items so this worked out very well.
We also took advantage of the stores in McAllen and were able to pick up some other books, clothing, favorite food items, etc. Perhaps purchasing a GPS device and accompanying maps for Mexico was the most notable purchase. Finally, we'll know where we are when we're lost! LOL (BTW, the GPS says that our house sits at about 6,220 feet above sea level...I really DO have my head in the clouds!)
Other than noting more military checkpoints and that these were more stringent than in the past, we did not really observe any other evidence of the ongoing drug war. What a joy to see that a new loop around Reynosa has been completed enough to drive around the one section that I loathe to drive. The police there have a reputation for hassling expatriates and that area was where I was stopped in September by a pair of fake police. A couple months ago there was a military shooting on that main highway and a stray bullet killed a baby aboard a transit bus. We'll be glad if we never have to drive through there again!
Again we thank-you for praying for this brief trip. FYI it's about 575 miles from home to Edinburg (McAllen), TX taking this particular route.
Yesterday, we returned home Wednesday evening and resumed our routine with the co-op schedule yesterday. Today is mostly home school, laundry, and errands. I think a second cup of coffee is in order at the moment. Have a great weekend everyone!
The trip also allowed us to receive some ministry materials that have been at the CAM Center in mail storage for some time. Thanks to Jeff and Linda Arnold who drove down from there to attend the funeral and who brought these materials (mostly dictionaries and grammar & writing reference materials for our library). We were unsure when we'd ever be able to retrieve these items so this worked out very well.
We also took advantage of the stores in McAllen and were able to pick up some other books, clothing, favorite food items, etc. Perhaps purchasing a GPS device and accompanying maps for Mexico was the most notable purchase. Finally, we'll know where we are when we're lost! LOL (BTW, the GPS says that our house sits at about 6,220 feet above sea level...I really DO have my head in the clouds!)
Other than noting more military checkpoints and that these were more stringent than in the past, we did not really observe any other evidence of the ongoing drug war. What a joy to see that a new loop around Reynosa has been completed enough to drive around the one section that I loathe to drive. The police there have a reputation for hassling expatriates and that area was where I was stopped in September by a pair of fake police. A couple months ago there was a military shooting on that main highway and a stray bullet killed a baby aboard a transit bus. We'll be glad if we never have to drive through there again!
Again we thank-you for praying for this brief trip. FYI it's about 575 miles from home to Edinburg (McAllen), TX taking this particular route.
Yesterday, we returned home Wednesday evening and resumed our routine with the co-op schedule yesterday. Today is mostly home school, laundry, and errands. I think a second cup of coffee is in order at the moment. Have a great weekend everyone!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
BREAKING NEWS...Please Pray!
One of our older co-workers, Daniel Kendal, has been ill for well over a year. In recent months he'd been struggling with failing health due to some complex tumors and issues that I didn't quite understand except that his situation was serious and that recovery was unlikely. This evening the Lord took Dan home into his presence.
I was at the community center helping the ESL classes when I first heard about his passing. A number of church leaders and members were there for meetings and all of them were in tears. It was touching to see how they loved Dan and Beverly. The leaders announced that they'd have a prayer meeting for the Kendal family tomorrow evening. I thought that this was a very special gesture.
My wife's family worked many years with the Kendals, and we have shared a few years here in San Juan working with them as well. We continue to live a few minutes from one of their three daughters, Ruth Yingling, and her missionary family. We've decided that it would be appropriate to drive to McAllen, TX this weekend and attend the funeral which is planned for Monday morning. We are sorry for the family's loss and yet rejoice at Daniel's heavenly healing.
We plan to leave Saturday morning and return Wednesday or Thursday at latest.
We'd appreciate your prayers for the Kendal family, including wife Beverly, and the three adult daughters, Ruth Yingling (husband, Scott), Rachel Reaser (husband John), and Priscilla Clark (husband Ted). I don't recall how many children the Clarks have but I think 5 or 6, the Yinglings have 5, and the Reasers 2, so there are a number of very sad grandchilldren too.
We'll miss Dan's presence here in Mexico and pray for the Lord to sustain Beverly and give her peace about the future.
Pray for our trip by car to be safe and without incident. I do not really enjoy these trips due to the harsh environments we drive through, the tremendous distance (over 600 miles one-way), and the many potential dangers along the way. Our last trip included being stopped by fake police who tried to extort money from us, but who did not do so successfully nor did they cause us any other harm. We've always had safe trips for which we're grateful to God. May this trip go well for us and some of our co-workers who'll be traveling up also. Thanks for your prayers.
This is the last photo I think I took with Dan Kendal. He's in the middle, just in front of my mother-in-law, Beth Hanna. He and Beverly are to the right of their daughter and son-in-law, Scott and Ruth Yingling. This was taken at our most recent CAM Mexico Conference in late November 2009 and this group was of the Moody Bible Institute alumni represented at the conference.
This photo was taken in April 2002 when we took an exploratory trip to Mexico. I believe it was the first time I had met Dan Kendal. In this photo, he was translating for me as I preached a sermon at the Abundant Life Bible Church in San Juan del Rio. Dan's Spanish was exceptional after several decades of ministering in Latin America; he was also an excellent translator.
I was at the community center helping the ESL classes when I first heard about his passing. A number of church leaders and members were there for meetings and all of them were in tears. It was touching to see how they loved Dan and Beverly. The leaders announced that they'd have a prayer meeting for the Kendal family tomorrow evening. I thought that this was a very special gesture.
My wife's family worked many years with the Kendals, and we have shared a few years here in San Juan working with them as well. We continue to live a few minutes from one of their three daughters, Ruth Yingling, and her missionary family. We've decided that it would be appropriate to drive to McAllen, TX this weekend and attend the funeral which is planned for Monday morning. We are sorry for the family's loss and yet rejoice at Daniel's heavenly healing.
We plan to leave Saturday morning and return Wednesday or Thursday at latest.
We'd appreciate your prayers for the Kendal family, including wife Beverly, and the three adult daughters, Ruth Yingling (husband, Scott), Rachel Reaser (husband John), and Priscilla Clark (husband Ted). I don't recall how many children the Clarks have but I think 5 or 6, the Yinglings have 5, and the Reasers 2, so there are a number of very sad grandchilldren too.
We'll miss Dan's presence here in Mexico and pray for the Lord to sustain Beverly and give her peace about the future.
Pray for our trip by car to be safe and without incident. I do not really enjoy these trips due to the harsh environments we drive through, the tremendous distance (over 600 miles one-way), and the many potential dangers along the way. Our last trip included being stopped by fake police who tried to extort money from us, but who did not do so successfully nor did they cause us any other harm. We've always had safe trips for which we're grateful to God. May this trip go well for us and some of our co-workers who'll be traveling up also. Thanks for your prayers.
His Staff Became a Serpent (or is it the other way around?)
The monotony of our weekly routine was just killing me recently. So, as the principal of our local homeschool, "Grace, Mercy and Finish It Now!" Elementary/Middle School, Beth and I got the boys through their work as quickly as possible and we headed over to a town to the west of Queretaro. This little town produces mostly wooden furniture but in one of the very last stores we walked into, we found some really cool rain-stick serpents. This one was the largest size. I almost went with the medium but for a few bucks more, the large one could be had. And besides, we'd driven over an hour to get there so we might as well blow $30 and get something worth remembering.
It's actually a really cool piece of art and I won't let the kids play with it. Maybe I should spend more money and have it put into a wooden case with a glass top or something. Hmmmm...I think I'm too cheap for that. But it is cool and I'll post a video of it so you can hear it too. I'm very proud of this find. We've never seen one of these anywhere else in Mexico so I think we stumbled across a unique piece.
It's actually a really cool piece of art and I won't let the kids play with it. Maybe I should spend more money and have it put into a wooden case with a glass top or something. Hmmmm...I think I'm too cheap for that. But it is cool and I'll post a video of it so you can hear it too. I'm very proud of this find. We've never seen one of these anywhere else in Mexico so I think we stumbled across a unique piece.
If... (some thoughts by Amy Carmichael)
If in dealing with one who does not respond, I weary of the strain and slip from under the burden, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I'm afraid to speak the truth lest I lose affection, or lest the one concerned should say, "You do not understand," or because I fear to lose my reputation for kindness; if I put my own good name before the other's highest good, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I hold onto choices of any kind, just because they are my choice; if I give any room to my private likes and dislikes, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I feel bitterly toward those who condemn me, as it seems to me, unjustly, forgetting that if they knew me as I know myself they would condemn me much more, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If monotony tries me, if stupid people fret me and little ruffles set me on edge; if I make much of the trifles of life, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I am inconsiderate about the comfort of others, or their feelings, or even of their little weaknesses; if I'm careless about their little hurts and miss opportunities to smooth their way; if I make the sweet running of household wheels more difficult to accomplish, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If interruptions annoy me, and private cares make me impatient; if I shadow the souls about me because I myself am shadowed, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If something I'm asked to do for another feels burdensome; if yielding to an inward unwillingness, I avoid doing it, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If the burden my Lord asks me to bear be not the burden of my heart's choice, and I fret inwardly and do not welcome His will, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I covet anyplace on earth but the dust at the foot of the cross, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I have not compassion on my fellow servant, even as my Lord had pity on me, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I can easily discuss the shortcomings and the sins of any; if I can speak in a casual way even of a child's misdoings, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I can enjoy a joke at the expense of another; if I can in any way slight another in conversation, or even in thought, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I can write an unkind letter, speak an unkind word, think an unkind thought without grief and shame, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I am afraid to speak the truth, lest I lose affection, or lest the one concerned should say, "You do not understand," or because I fear to lose my reputation for kindness; if I put my own good name before the other's highest good, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I myself dominate myself, if my thoughts revolve around myself, if I am so occupied with myself I rarely have "a heart at leisure from itself," then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I cannot in honest happiness take the second place (or twentieth); if I cannot take the first without making a fuss about my unworthiness, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I do not give a friend "the benefit of the doubt," but put the worst construction instead of the best on what is said or done, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I take offense easily; if I am content to continue in a cool unfriendliness, though friendship be possible, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If a sudden jar can cause me to speak an impatient, unloving word, then I know nothing of Calvary love. For a cup brimful of sweet water cannot spill even one drop of bitter water, however suddenly jolted.
If I say, "Yes, I forgive, but I cannot forget," as though the God, who twice a day washes all the sands on all the shores of all the world, could not wash such memories from my mind, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If souls can suffer alongside, and I hardly know it, because the spirit of discernment is not in me, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If the praise of man elates me and his blame depresses me; if I cannot rest under misunderstanding without defending myself; if I love to be loved more than to love, to be served more than to serve, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If in the fellowship of service I seek to attach a friend to myself, so that others are caused to feel unwanted; if my friendships do not draw others deeper in, but are ungenerous, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
That which I know not, teach Thou me, O Lord, my God.
If I can easily discuss the shortcomings and the sins of any; if I can speak in a casual way even of a child's misdoings, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I can enjoy a joke at the expense of another; if I can in any way slight another in conversation, or even in thought, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I can write an unkind letter, speak an unkind word, think an unkind thought without grief and shame, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I am afraid to speak the truth, lest I lose affection, or lest the one concerned should say, "You do not understand," or because I fear to lose my reputation for kindness; if I put my own good name before the other's highest good, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I myself dominate myself, if my thoughts revolve around myself, if I am so occupied with myself I rarely have "a heart at leisure from itself," then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I cannot in honest happiness take the second place (or twentieth); if I cannot take the first without making a fuss about my unworthiness, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I do not give a friend "the benefit of the doubt," but put the worst construction instead of the best on what is said or done, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I take offense easily; if I am content to continue in a cool unfriendliness, though friendship be possible, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If a sudden jar can cause me to speak an impatient, unloving word, then I know nothing of Calvary love. For a cup brimful of sweet water cannot spill even one drop of bitter water, however suddenly jolted.
If I say, "Yes, I forgive, but I cannot forget," as though the God, who twice a day washes all the sands on all the shores of all the world, could not wash such memories from my mind, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If souls can suffer alongside, and I hardly know it, because the spirit of discernment is not in me, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If the praise of man elates me and his blame depresses me; if I cannot rest under misunderstanding without defending myself; if I love to be loved more than to love, to be served more than to serve, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If in the fellowship of service I seek to attach a friend to myself, so that others are caused to feel unwanted; if my friendships do not draw others deeper in, but are ungenerous, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
That which I know not, teach Thou me, O Lord, my God.
From If by Amy Carmichael. Christian Literature Crusade © 1991
She was a missionary in Southern India for 55 years (never taking a furlough)
Spring and Summer (Which Always Come Before a Fall)
I'm not sure what happened to spring this year. This was probably the coldest winter we've experienced in Mexico in our brief 6 years here. A couple weeks ago it finally started to warm up to the 70s and the lows were trying to leave the 30s. In the past week, we've topped 80s and the lows are now in the mid to upper 40s. It feels like summer to me. Bright, blue sunny skies...breezy and dusty. Yup. Summer. Here. Now. Love it!
I hate to talk about the weather. That's what you talk about when you can't think of anything else to mention, isn't it? But we do have other stuff going on...it just seems rather routine.
We're still enjoying our weekly co-op classes. Beth is teaching turtles in science class and her literature circle finished To Kill a Mockingbird a few weeks ago and is now covering The Scarlet Letter. My literature circle is finishing Hate That Cat (poetry) and heading into Walk Two Moons. Both of these are by Sharon Creech. I love all her books. Love That Dog was her first poetry book and if you're teaching elementary poetry, these are excellent tools to use. PE classes are enjoying soccer.
At this moment, Beth is waiting for Kristin (& Justin) to arrive for their weekly Bible study. I've been encouraged by my Bible study on Mondays with Jason. He's devouring the Bible each week as he's reading through the New Testament for the first time. I was just aiming for him to read a chapter a day but in about 2 weeks he finished Acts through 2 Corinthians, reading the latter in one day. He doesn't have a lot of time for reading since his work week is 6 days and he's also doing a self-study in English and continues to borrow history books from our library. He loves to read and he loves history. He only made it through 3 chapters of Galatians this past week so on Monday we read the last 3 chapters together and summarized an overview of the book. I think we'll enjoy Ephesians.
Jason has been covering large portions of Scripture while Kristin has been plodding along. He tells her she's not reading enough but then Beth notes that what Kristin is reading, she's really getting and she's applying to her life. They're kind of funny when they pick at each other over stuff like that. Our conversations after Bible study can be a mix of awkward to comical at times. They're growing and coming along, and that's the main thing.
I last filled up the fuel tank at a PEMEX gas station (the only kind in Mexico) that I don't normally use. Apparently, this particular station is giving away a compact car this summer and for every 100 pesos of fuel purchased, they're giving away one entry form. The attendant rounded my purchase of 440 pesos up to 5 entries (I tipped him a little extra...but I have no idea why!). I've seen this kind of "raffle" before and have always just thrown the entries away. Knowing Jason and Kristin would love to have a car again (having sold their big Ford van to Jason's sister a few years ago when they desperately needed money), I gave the entries to Kristin. She thanked me several times.
I laughed about it and mentioned how the chance was pretty slim that they could win the prize. She said that Jason's dad always gives her these entries when he gets them too and that since they hadn't won anything in these types of giveaways for a long time they were "due." I explained the "gambler's fallacy" to her and said, "so if you flip a coin three times in a row that comes up heads, the next flip the chance of being heads is..." and she interrupted me and blurted out, "It's gotta be tails!" Oh...ok...you know some people just aren't going to understand stuff like this. lol
English classes are going OK. My Saturday classes have been dwindling. The last couple weeks I've only had one faithful student. The other 2 or 3 that were coming have had some schedule conflicts or something. One never knows what the real reasons might be. So, maybe they'll be back, maybe they won't. We do struggle at the location as it isn't in a nice area and some people don't feel comfortable there. I think more so due to the local church meeting there, the community center has a "religious stigma" attached to it. This is a real problem but we have no idea how to solve it yet. At least we do see some folks from the community come and that is at least a start. My lone student is not a believer so this is a plus. We often see the church folks come to such classes and despite our encouragement to them to invite and/or bring unsaved friends, neighbors, relatives, co-workers, etc. with them, they usually don't.
Finally, I'm enjoying my new bicycle which I purchased at Academy Sports in Laredo, TX a couple weeks ago. It's a Scwhinn Suburban Sports bike. I had a local bike shop adjust the spokes. It bugs me that Academy Sports gets away with selling new bikes that need repairs but I didn't have time to wait for them to make the adjustments. I had one shot at picking up a new bike so I could not have waited a week.
The front suspension forks and the comfy gel seat situated on a hydraulic-like post work great for our bumpy streets. I've ridden into the center of town a couple of times the past few days. It's not only been great exercise but provides an adrenaline rush too. I think I'm probably risking my life riding a bicycle on these streets but I'm trying to be as careful as possible. I also try not to do the things that I see other cyclists doing that nearly get them killed. Like ride around in black clothes at night on unlit streets, in the middle of one-way streets going the wrong direction. I almost hit a guy like that last night coming home from ESL classes. I know there are cultural and educational issues at work when people do such things that seem to me to be simply dumb and illogical. Or maybe it's just that the person is dumb and illogical. I don't know! Whichever it is, I'll try to avoid those kinds of risky habits. I don't think I'll have to work at it too hard.
Well, Kristin is here now and I've got three hours before a team meeting with the other men at our new local Wings Army. I still can't believe San Juan del Rio now has an American wings place. Today is buy 20 and get 10 free...hmmm...should the four of us go with 30 wings or 60 wings? If I'm riding the bike over there, I'll say 30. If I'm driving, I'll say 60. I don't think I'd make it back on the bike if I eat 15 wings! The tough decisions that missionaries face. Maybe we should pray about this one. :-)
I hate to talk about the weather. That's what you talk about when you can't think of anything else to mention, isn't it? But we do have other stuff going on...it just seems rather routine.
We're still enjoying our weekly co-op classes. Beth is teaching turtles in science class and her literature circle finished To Kill a Mockingbird a few weeks ago and is now covering The Scarlet Letter. My literature circle is finishing Hate That Cat (poetry) and heading into Walk Two Moons. Both of these are by Sharon Creech. I love all her books. Love That Dog was her first poetry book and if you're teaching elementary poetry, these are excellent tools to use. PE classes are enjoying soccer.
At this moment, Beth is waiting for Kristin (& Justin) to arrive for their weekly Bible study. I've been encouraged by my Bible study on Mondays with Jason. He's devouring the Bible each week as he's reading through the New Testament for the first time. I was just aiming for him to read a chapter a day but in about 2 weeks he finished Acts through 2 Corinthians, reading the latter in one day. He doesn't have a lot of time for reading since his work week is 6 days and he's also doing a self-study in English and continues to borrow history books from our library. He loves to read and he loves history. He only made it through 3 chapters of Galatians this past week so on Monday we read the last 3 chapters together and summarized an overview of the book. I think we'll enjoy Ephesians.
Jason has been covering large portions of Scripture while Kristin has been plodding along. He tells her she's not reading enough but then Beth notes that what Kristin is reading, she's really getting and she's applying to her life. They're kind of funny when they pick at each other over stuff like that. Our conversations after Bible study can be a mix of awkward to comical at times. They're growing and coming along, and that's the main thing.
I last filled up the fuel tank at a PEMEX gas station (the only kind in Mexico) that I don't normally use. Apparently, this particular station is giving away a compact car this summer and for every 100 pesos of fuel purchased, they're giving away one entry form. The attendant rounded my purchase of 440 pesos up to 5 entries (I tipped him a little extra...but I have no idea why!). I've seen this kind of "raffle" before and have always just thrown the entries away. Knowing Jason and Kristin would love to have a car again (having sold their big Ford van to Jason's sister a few years ago when they desperately needed money), I gave the entries to Kristin. She thanked me several times.
I laughed about it and mentioned how the chance was pretty slim that they could win the prize. She said that Jason's dad always gives her these entries when he gets them too and that since they hadn't won anything in these types of giveaways for a long time they were "due." I explained the "gambler's fallacy" to her and said, "so if you flip a coin three times in a row that comes up heads, the next flip the chance of being heads is..." and she interrupted me and blurted out, "It's gotta be tails!" Oh...ok...you know some people just aren't going to understand stuff like this. lol
English classes are going OK. My Saturday classes have been dwindling. The last couple weeks I've only had one faithful student. The other 2 or 3 that were coming have had some schedule conflicts or something. One never knows what the real reasons might be. So, maybe they'll be back, maybe they won't. We do struggle at the location as it isn't in a nice area and some people don't feel comfortable there. I think more so due to the local church meeting there, the community center has a "religious stigma" attached to it. This is a real problem but we have no idea how to solve it yet. At least we do see some folks from the community come and that is at least a start. My lone student is not a believer so this is a plus. We often see the church folks come to such classes and despite our encouragement to them to invite and/or bring unsaved friends, neighbors, relatives, co-workers, etc. with them, they usually don't.
Finally, I'm enjoying my new bicycle which I purchased at Academy Sports in Laredo, TX a couple weeks ago. It's a Scwhinn Suburban Sports bike. I had a local bike shop adjust the spokes. It bugs me that Academy Sports gets away with selling new bikes that need repairs but I didn't have time to wait for them to make the adjustments. I had one shot at picking up a new bike so I could not have waited a week.
The front suspension forks and the comfy gel seat situated on a hydraulic-like post work great for our bumpy streets. I've ridden into the center of town a couple of times the past few days. It's not only been great exercise but provides an adrenaline rush too. I think I'm probably risking my life riding a bicycle on these streets but I'm trying to be as careful as possible. I also try not to do the things that I see other cyclists doing that nearly get them killed. Like ride around in black clothes at night on unlit streets, in the middle of one-way streets going the wrong direction. I almost hit a guy like that last night coming home from ESL classes. I know there are cultural and educational issues at work when people do such things that seem to me to be simply dumb and illogical. Or maybe it's just that the person is dumb and illogical. I don't know! Whichever it is, I'll try to avoid those kinds of risky habits. I don't think I'll have to work at it too hard.
Well, Kristin is here now and I've got three hours before a team meeting with the other men at our new local Wings Army. I still can't believe San Juan del Rio now has an American wings place. Today is buy 20 and get 10 free...hmmm...should the four of us go with 30 wings or 60 wings? If I'm riding the bike over there, I'll say 30. If I'm driving, I'll say 60. I don't think I'd make it back on the bike if I eat 15 wings! The tough decisions that missionaries face. Maybe we should pray about this one. :-)
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