Birding in Tulum, Mexico...

We left Belize this weekend for a road trip to Cancun to meet up with Nathan.  On the way we stopped in Tulum.  Our intention was to check out the ruins there but we ended up on the beach instead.  

What a thrill it was to see these birds in action!

just chillin'

Tom relaxing!

When he's not working at the CDF office or preparing a lesson for Belize Bible Center you can find Tom painting at home.  I love all the art work that graces our walls.  If you want to check out his pieces...just come on over!

Am I saying what I think I'm saying?

The tongue is such a small part of the body...and yet it can do so much damage.  

Thinking before speaking is something that I have had to learn.  Studying a foreign language was/is the best teacher I've had in this regard.  When attempting to communicate in Russian I couldn't just blurt out whatever I was thinking. I had to think of HOW to say it first.  I would agonize in my head over the simplest of statements at the beginning of Russian language acquisition.  The question 'Am I saying what I think I'm saying?' constantly floated through my mind.  

Even in your native tongue it's important to think before you speak...or before you press send on that email or private message on Facebook.  As we move further into this new year honoring the importance of communication is on my mind.  Words can often be misinterpreted and feelings can get hurt in the process.  Especially in this digital age where so much of our communication is electronic.  Without the accompanying body language or being able to hear the tone of voice we are often left wondering if the other party truly 'got' what we were trying to say.

My prayer is that I will consistently think before I speak or write...

and that I will be effective in saying what I think I'm saying!

Yummo!

Cassava Fries with salsa...

I ordered these fries for the first time on our anniversary back in December when we had lunch at the Orange Gallery.  I love cassava chips and thought the fries would be fun to try.  They are light and crunchy and I love the flavor.  We visited the restaurant again after our time at the Butterfly Ranch so of course I had to have them again.  

Move over french fries...cassava fries are my new favorite!

What's in your Bible?

Does the inside of your Bible look like this...

or am I the only one with stashes of memorabilia inside their precious book?

I cannot remember when or how this collection started.  Perhaps it began years ago with just a program or some notes from a sermon.  While I don't think my Bible is ready to be featured on the show Hoarders it might look that way to some.  As I opened it up this morning a letter from Meesha tumbled out of Matthew.  Turning the pages I found a bookmark from Istanbul, the boarding pass from a trip to the states to see Jalen graduate along with the ticket to the venue where his graduation was held.  I found the label from a bar of soap called 'Father Frost' that was given to me by my Business English students back in Russia, the envelope that held the invitation to the Fourth of July party at the American Embassy here in Belize, and a song sheet from leading worship at Krasnodar Bible Church.  I also found a family photo from the year when Nathan had to wear glasses but Spencer did not.  I even had the envelope that my eating utensils came from when we flew from Russia to Istanbul...still shocked that it has Protestant, Catholic and Jewish prayers written on it.

Perhaps it's time for a scrapbook.

But for now...I will just share with you how I almost lost this precious book with all of it's mementos.   As we were packing to leave Russia to move to Belize we had certain constraints on us.  Lack of time was a factor which leads to hasty decisions, the size of our suitcases along with how much they could weigh also played a role, and of course the questions 'what did I need right away?' and 'what could I pack in the boxes to arrive later?' also had to be taken into consideration.  I chose to pack my jewelry box in the suitcase and my Bible in a box for later.  I thought my smaller newer Bible would do for a few months until our boxes arrived.

After all this heavy, cumbersome NIV Study Bible published in 1984 is a monster.  I don't carry it around much. Even in the cute Bible cover with the handles it is still awkward to tote around.

At the last minute, I took the jewelry box out of my suitcase and put the 25 year old NIV  in it's place.  I remember thinking that if I get asked to share some thoughts I would need the big Bible with all of my notes in it and of course the jewelry could wait.  As many of you know our boxes from Russia were stolen and never made it to Belize.  My jewelry is lost along with other treasures of ours, however, my Bible is safe on my lap right as I write.

Tom gave me this Bible in 1987...it was a Mother's Day gift...received just months before Nathan was born.  It held a few of Spencer's certificates that he had entrusted me with from YWAM. I can turn to the very back page and reminisce about Nathan spilling milk from his sippy cup into my book bag back in 1989.  There are song lyrics hastily written out from a conference Tom helped organize in Southern California, along with programs from funerals, and sermon notes from an international church I attended one summer in Rome.  Most importantly, it holds years of underlining, highlights, prayers, and notes in margins that could never be replaced.

As I take begin writing down the lessons God has for me this year...I have to acknowledge that this is one of them:  Embrace the nudges of the Spirit.  

Something prompted me to take the jewelry box out and put the Bible into the suitcase just before leaving to catch our 4am flight out of Russia.  I didn't make that choice on my own I had help.  And I am so grateful that I was saved from losing a truly priceless gift.

Coconut Sugar Body Scrub

 I love using this scrub!

The recipe is very simple:

1 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of coconut oil

Stir until blended well.

The recipe can be doubled to fit whatever size container you choose to use. This luxurious scrub can be used in the shower or bath. I put some on my wash cloth or just use my hand to rub it into my skin.  It leaves skin feeling soft and produces a healthy glow. I use it a few times a week.  And it's a perfect gift...easy to make and simple to package but it can have a great impact on the receiver!

Contemplation and Study...

Photo taken at Green Hills Butterfly Ranch

As we travel around the country I love taking photos so that I can look back on the event and further contemplate His handiwork. Our time at the Butterfly Ranch was an overwhelming experience of the beauty of His creation.  

Can you imagine the sound of hundreds of butterfly wings beating, or the visual impact of 13 different species in flight, or having them land on various areas of your body as you walk through the enclosure? 

Tom's shirt...

my head...

Spencer's shoulder... 

my leg...

Meesha's hand...

Even when we left the ranch I could still see butterflies in my mind.  It was a long, dusty, and bumpy ride to get out there but it was worth it. And I am grateful for the hundreds of images I was able to capture.  I am positive that they will provide hours of contemplation leading to various passages of scripture to study throughout the year.  

May we seek opportunities wherever we are to contemplate His beauty and to study at His feet!

Happy 2013!

2013 is here!

As 2012 came to an end it occurred to me that our family has new cultures to Embrace and new traditions to look forward to.  The constant in our life has been change.  We have learned to Embrace the changes and learn from the lessons God provides along the way.  

As part of Embracing the new we chose a different menu for our third New Year's meal here in Belize. We had two Russian salads, two Indian dishes, and an American dessert.  I made Crab salad,Vinegret salad, and a Chocolate Cake (Gluten Free of course!). Meesha made Channa Masala and Tandoori Chicken.  It was quite a feast and the four of us enjoyed every bite!

We reminisced on the lows and highs of 2012 and discussed what we are looking forward to for 2013.  It was such a sweet time.  Although we had plans to go out to a church service and a barbecue afterwards it felt more like a 'stay home' night.  So we watched the fireworks our neighbors set off and enjoyed writing our names with sparklers in the darkness.  

As 2010 came to a close I kept hearing the word Joy and it became my word for 2011.  2012 gave me the word Surrender.  And for 2013 the word Embrace has been put on my heart.  I know that there will be many new things to embrace...people, travel, new ministry opportunities, a change in attitudes and so on.  Experience has taught me that when God gives me a word He has lessons planned for me in relation to that word, so, I choose to joyfully surrender and embrace the words and see what awaits me this year.

May God give you a word for 2013, may He fill your year with joy, love, peace, and good health to enjoy whatever comes your way!

Blessings to you today and all throughout this New Year,

Alida

Come and see!

I love the come and see moments in life.  Perhaps your son wants you to see a picture they just finished, or your husband takes your hand and leads you outdoors to see the sunset, or a friend calls you to view children at play in the neighborhood.  No matter what the come and see moment turns out to be...I have rarely been disappointed in it! 

Go and see what wonders God has placed in this world.

Go and learn from those moments.  

Meditate on them and ponder them in your heart.

Last week Tom called me to come and see.  A beautiful butterfly awaited...posing for a photo on the screen of our backdoor.  As someone who lives with fibromyalgia there are times when I would rather just sit with my feet up or lay in bed and not move.  Tom knows that when I don't feel well I don't always respond favorably to those calls.  But, this day, in spite of how I felt, I went with camera in hand to answer his call to come and see.  And I am indeed grateful for the reward.  God's creation always amazes me.  It always fills me with a sense of wonder.

How did He create so many different varieties and shades of gorgeous?

  Why did He put such detail into His work?

  What a mighty and awesome God is He!  

Why not stop what you're doing right now and look in the mirror?  Follow the spirit's call to a come and see moment. Take keen notice of the beauty of the person in your mirror.  No matter the circumstances of your birth...you exist because God willed you into existence.  You were created, designed, and hand crafted into being by the Creator, Designer, and Author of the universe.  You have over 10,000 genes and 23 pairs of chromosomes that were all hand picked by Him.  You are beautiful and you were deliberately created by the power of His loving breath.  God smiled and rejoiced as He watched your birth.

During this season of celebrating the birth of Christ take some time to stop, to come to Him, and gaze deeply on the realities of Christmas.  Ponder the fact that Christmas leads us to Easter, notice that the impact of Easter ushers us into a relationship with Him for all eternity.  None of this was a coincidence.  It was planned and executed perfectly because of His sacrificial love.

May we live a life worthy of that Love during this Christmas season and all the days of our lives! 

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One week until Christmas...

Are you ready?!

Toilet paper roll Christmas wreath

I am not sure how many people save these

but we do...
cuz that's how we roll!  

The idea for this wreath came from Pinterest.  

The original post is here .  

The instructions are in Hungarian, however, when I put the site through a translator not all of the words were translated.  Here is a short tutorial on how we made our wreath.  I don't really have detailed notes on each step.  We were winging it just from the pictures.

I found that if you flatten the roll first it is easier to work with...

Divide the roll into four sections...

cut into strips...

We painted the insides a darker green...

Then we painted the outsides a lighter green...

 Hot glue five petals together to form a flower

Before you glue the flowers together that you have created...you can work on your layout.  

I chose to do 12 flowers on the bottom layer and six and the top layer.

In the original she used 10 on the bottom and 7 on the top.

Once you decide how large you want yours then hot glue the flowers in a circle.

I couldn't find red beads here in Belize so we cut circles out of red foam and hot glued those on 

Now it's hanging on our front door!

We have a few more crafts to finish as we continue to decorate for Christmas.
This was a fun and easy project to start off with!

Happy 31st Anniversary to us!

December 13, 1981

Love is just a word until someone comes along and gives it meaning.

We are so grateful to truly understand the meaning of love...not just in theory but in practice!

Be...

 

Over the past twelve days I have been undergoing a root canal.  It's been difficult at times to be joyful or patient throughout this process.  Especially with tomorrow being our 31st wedding anniversary I didn't want to spend our vacation week in a dental office.  But, such is life. 

Reclining in the dentist's chair with my mouth propped open as her drill splashed water in my face all I could do was pray, breathe deeply, and hope that it would end soon.  After filling the tooth she told me that I would have to come back after the first of the year to have the crown put on. As I wallowed in self pity I was reminded of a friend with cancer who may be facing the last Christmas with her family.  She has truly been a model for me of being patient in affliction. 

Thinking of her sure put my 'suffering' through a root canal before the holidays in perspective.  I am going through an inconvenience...and being inconvenienced is not the same as suffering.  I may not be able to munch on peanut brittle this Christmas but I can still rejoice in the hope that comes with celebrating the birth of Christ.  I can be grateful for His sacrifice and remember what He endured for us. And I can look forward to and continue to pray for His return!  

Throughout this holiday season and beyond may we remember to be
 joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.

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A Christmas table...

 

 

 

 

Alvina and her mom set such a beautiful table for the CDF Christmas party. The ambiance in their home was a blessing for us all.  We truly enjoyed a wonderful evening of great food, great fellowship, and great fun!  

Dear Santa...

This sums up how I feel today.  These past few weeks I have been going through some dental work and for some reason a fibromyalgia flare at the same time.  Right now I cannot even remember what being pain free feels like.

I would appreciate prayer because I know that there is nothing that Santa can do for me...but prayer always helps!

practice shots...

I took these photos last Saturday after watching a Nikon School video about my camera.  In the past my main strategy was to just take a lot of pictures and hope for a good one in the bunch.  There is still so much more for me to learn about photography.  And I will have fun learning and practicing because after all 'practice makes better'!

What new thing are you learning?

Nothing but a Wisp of Fog

This photo was taken yesterday as I watched Tom cross the hammock bridge in Roaring Creek.  I thought of this verse and how it applies to our lives.  Later at home, I looked it up in The Message version of the Bible:

And now I have a word for you who brashly announce, “Today—at the latest, tomorrow—we’re off to such and such a city for the year. We’re going to start a business and make a lot of money.” You don’t know the first thing about tomorrow. You’re nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing. Instead, make it a habit to say, “If the Master wills it and we’re still alive, we’ll do this or that.”

James 4:13-15, The Message

Americans love to plan and ponder what we want to happen next in our careers, our ministries, or our families. However, the reality is, we really don't have a clue about what God has in store for our future. During this advent season we wait with great expectation to celebrate the birth of our King.

But, is He truly that in our lives?  

Is He the King of our time, our finances, our marriages...our plans?

How often have you heard someone say "Lord willing, I'll..."?  I know that I say things like that now and then. But, I don't always mean it.  What I mean is "I am going to do..." or " I am going to go to..."

The other day I wrote a status on Facebook that said "Lord prepare me for what you are preparing me for".  And I mean that.  I don't know what He has in store for us in 2013.  Both Tom and I will turn 50 next year. I don't know about you but I had dreams and goals that I wanted to accomplish before turning 50.  And yet God had other plans for my brief time on earth.

As I ponder this passage I am compelled to remember that He is eternal,

He is my King and He has control over all the days of my life.

And I...I am nothing but a wisp of fog.  

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Terribly Terrific Toffee...

I have seen this holiday treat before under the name 'Christmas Crack'.  I love recipes with just a few ingredients.  If only saltines were gluten free I would make this...it sure looks tasty!

For those of you who want to give it a try the recipe is here:  Terribly Terrific Toffee

the gifts of a fundraiser...

I was up until 4am last night editing 420 photos down to 86 and getting them loaded onto Facebook.  We had an awesome event with an incredible turn out of  around 200 youth and youth leaders.  If I had more energy I would write more about the specifics. But since I am functioning right now on 4 1/2 hours of sleep I will leave you with the link to view the photos on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.393776677364039.91357.100001951297438&type=1

There are so many precious moments to treasure...

We at CDF are so grateful to all of the volunteers, to Andrea and Dion for all of their efforts, and for all of the youth and youth leaders who came out to support the event!