My gym membership ain't what it used to be....

When I started going to the gym, Melinda would meet me at my house, I'd wait for her, she'd wait for me. We'd walk to the gym, talking and laughing, or crying, the whole way. We'd work out next to each other, encourage each other, and then walk home. Talking even more. But Melinda is moving. So now I go with Todd Erickson and Clay Erickson who tell me if they have to wait more than 2 minutes they are leaving me, who walk in front of me because I walk too slow and who have asked me not to speak to them, because I interrupt their "gym" time. Then, if I don't want to get left at the gym, I need to leave when they do. So today, I am feeling kinda blue, as I realize that I'm not getting as much out of my gym membership as I used to!

When is being called fat a compliment? A change in perspective.

My sister, Eileen, came to visit. She is tall, thin and beautiful.



I took her to meet the two Godly sister in Santiago, Zamora. I was so excited for them to meet my sister.



"Maureen," they said, "You are fat and your sister is thin."
Wow, in the US that could end a friendship.



I have lived here in Guatemala long enough to know that saying someone is "gorda" or asking their age is not rude. However, it still catches me off guard. But it was their next line that changed my perspective.
"Todd is able to provide food for you. You are blessed to never go hungry."
I assured them that my sister's husband provided plenty of food too, my sister just eats less and exercises more.

What a paradigm shift. Next time you look in the mirror and are about to complain that you think you look fat, use it as an opportunity to thank God that you have enough food to eat.

I have been working on losing weight because it is a better witness and much healthier. I just hope it doesn't reflect badly on Todd.

All In A Week

This week Emily made marshmallow hearts


and visited a church celebrating a prayer group that has not missed a week of praying in 20 years!!




















Katey redesigned her TOMS that had holes in them


















And delivered money that she raised to Pedro for his therapy.

























Clay pretended to go to the beach



and helped lead three kids to the Lord while helping translate for a team with our church.



I'm not going to pretend we have it all figured out. Just spend more than five minutes with us and that will be painfully obvious. But we are learning daily how to live out the verse
1 Thessalonians 2:8 "We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. "

Resolutions

I love New Years and the days that follow.
I love getting a new journal.
I love making resolutions.
I love it all.
I feel like it is a time to start fresh. It motivates me to take stock in my life and it spurs me on to make goals.

This year I want to continue to eat gluten free and eat as many raw foods as possible. I want to keep exercising and continue in my quest to get healthy. I want to have more sex with my husband. (Yeah, I said it)

I want to be a student of the Holy Spirit and actively listen more and to read The Word with fresh eyes. I am going to read thru the whole Bible writing notes in the margins and pass it on to my oldest daughter, so she has a Bible that I've studied to spur her on in her walk with the Lord (thank you Melinda Evans for spurring me on).

I want to watch all 7 seasons of the Gilmore Girls.

I want to read more.

In 2011 I read
The whole Hunger Games series
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality
The Cross and the Switchblade
Keeping aBreast
Decision Points
Me Myself and Bob
Fool-proofing your life
The 100 Top Picks for Home School Curriculum.
(and I am sure I am missing a few more)

On my current list for 2012 is
Unveiled by Alan Smith --heard him in person, can't recommend it enough.
Intercessory Prayer by Dutch Sheets
Think Differently Live Differently, by Bob Hamp,
The Essential Guide to Healing by Bill Johnson and Randy Clark. This book is out of my norm for types of books I read. Excited.
One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
Fasting by Jentezen Franklin
gluten-free girl by Shauna James Ahern

Still deciding on my fiction.

So what are your goals for 2012?

Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus.......

Warning: this blog is not appropriate for small children.

Tonight on CBS was the TV show Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus based on the letter written by Virginia O'Hanlon to the New York Sun in 1897. The topic of Santa comes up every year around this time. Last week I saw a story on Fox News where some parents wanted a teacher punished for telling the class there was no Santa Claus. I get it, I have kids and I was a teacher.

This same topic comes up here in Guatemala. While having a conversation with a Guatemalan friend, she relayed a story about her childhood. She asked her older brother if Santa was real. He said only in rich families. She then asked if they were rich, he told her no.

We work closely with a family in the village of Santiago Zamora. Last year just before Christmas the dad was riding back to his village on his bicycle, his only form of transportation, with cereal and milk for Christmas Day (a treat they can't normally afford.) Half way up his road he was robbed. They tied him up and took his bike, the cereal, milk and a few other gifts he had bought. This family can't afford to believe in Santa.

But that is where the good news comes in. This same family loves Jesus. This same family shares testimony after testimony of how good God is to them. They may not have gifts but they have joy. They may have no hope of filled stockings but they do have the hope of a God who is not just for the rich, but who offers a new life for all.

So, I get it, go ahead, tell your kids about Santa, but make sure you tell them about Jesus too, because He is real.

This same family has a son who, without a scholarship, will have to quit school. Please consider giving to our Servants 4Him scholarship fund. Education is a great gift, even if your teacher says there is no Santa.

Gluten Free or as they say in Spanish...Sin Gluten

So, I’ve gone gluten free; in reality 3 out of 5 of us have gone gluten free. I know it’s the new bandwagon in the U.S. but let me assure you, it is not trendy here in Guatemala.

So, why in the world would I choose to go gluten free? Well, my stomach has bothered me my whole life. And for the last few years I knew I should probably try going Gluten free but in reality, I LOVE GLUTEN. In fact, I even believe I was addicted to it.

After going home to the states and eating at every restaurant I have missed, I returned to Guatemala feeling quite sick. I was happy mind you, just sick. So I decided to “cleanse” for a few days. We’ve all done it, the post vacation diet of fruits and veggies, but I was craving bread like a chain smoker craves a cigarette. I needed motivation to stay with my healthy foods for just a few days. Mind you, this was not going to be permanent. So I bought the book (on my iPad of course, I have yet to find a bookstore) Wheat Belly by William Davis

Wow, It offered the motivation I needed. He said, the first few days you will crave bread like a chain smoker craves a cigarette!

So, I stuck with my “temporary” healthy eating for a few more days. And something that I never expected happened, I stopped craving bread and I felt better than I had felt in years!! I had mixed emotions. Obviously I was happy to feel so good, but I was sad, because I realized that the very food I craved and ate often was the very food making me sick. I could not turn back.

Todd and Emily have joined me on this lifestyle change. Todd has not noticed much difference, but Emily who has always been skinny but had a little protruding belly, came to me just yesterday and said, mommy my big tummy is gone. After reading wheat belly I believe she was bloated from gluten.

Why am I sharing all this with you? Well, not to over spiritualize this but I was refusing to give up the one thing I loved not realizing it was the very thing hurting me. I see this in my spiritual life too. I tend to want to hold on to the very thought, action, or sin that I think I need in my life; not realizing it is the very thing holding me back.

This whole journey has been quite eye opening.

What are you holding on to that is really hurting you?

Happy 15th Birthday Clay!!

Clay has done things his own way since he was born. He was 10 days early, spent 5 days in NICU and could jump before he could talk. He's been a leader since he was in preschool.



He makes me laugh


















And has always been handsome.
















He likes the Redskins.
















And is a hard worker!!














He loves his dad.













and liked playing lacrosse.



















He adds joy to each day.
















And has already had memorials named after him!!


















He loves music, like Toby Mac













He's becoming a great musician in his own right and speaks great spanish. He has a large heart for ministry.
I watch in awe the man of God he is becoming.

I love you, Clay.
Mom