I Have No Idea How Daniel Is Doing
Yep. I took off for the day. I´m in Bahía de Coraquez having just been treated to some homestyle Ecuadorian cooking (it was excellent I might add). The gracious hostess was my friend Jeff´s mother-in-law. He was down here for the Peace Corps and happened to meet the right girl =). He told me I should visit his family down here and this city is actually where Daniel and I were planning to come after leaving Portoviejo. I thought I should finish what we started.
I really enjoyed spending time here and having some one-on-one with God was really good for me too. I feel a bit of the tug that maybe I should have encouraged the people here in the Lord more, but then I think: hey, I just saw a massive turtle! And I feel all better. I´m currently across the street from their house. They were incredibly hospitable and hung out with me as we trekked all over this part of town.
I´m jumping back on the bus soon to head back to the hospital for the night. When I left Daniel this morning, the infection looked even better and his spirits were up. Today has been a good day for me!
5 comments:
You needed a vacation!
Hey Ross,
The Lord has taught me a LOT about His character through my journey of being a parent. Thought I'd share my latest discovery with you, as it totally relates to what this blog is talking about. I was reminded as I was watching and delighting in Hayley and Jack playing and laughing together this morning how much more God delights in us when we allow ourselves to just "be" with Him. He wants us to do His work here on this earth, but at the same time I believe He wants us to enjoy His creation and just "being" with Him. How sad if Hayley and Jack felt like they had to be "working" all the time and didn't take time to play, be silly, and laugh! It's hard to see ourselves as His "children" when we're adults, but I have no doubt He wants us to take time to "be silly" at times too. So happy that you got a chance to just take off today. Praying you'll find more opportunities to rest in the Lord over the next few weeks!
I need to agree with you for the sake of my own sanity, but extending that analogy, it´s hard for me to imagine a good parent delighting in the play of one of his children while the one in the other room is starving. I don´t have any intentions of sounding condemning because I certainly don´t have this paradox figured out, but it seems that the Bible talks a lot more about living sacrificially than enjoying God through recreation. I definitely appreciate your insights on this!! Love ya cousin!
Attitude is important... even work can be liberating and seem like a vacation.
Okay---good point. And obviously I didn't mean that ALL we are to do in this life is play and have fun and have no responsibilites. But I do believe there is a balance and that the Lord wants us to enjoy what He has given us while expecting us at the same time to share it with others. Here are some scriptures for both of us:
1 Tim. 6:17-19 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
Eccl. 5:19-20 Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work---this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.
Ps. 23:2 HE MAKES ME lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.
I don't have it all figured out either, but I am seeking the Lord and long to be in His will for my life. He has blessed me with "wealth" from worldly standards and I have struggled with that at times, almost thinking it is not right to have money and feeling guilty about it even. Does that make any sense? But a sermon I heard and searching through scriptures to see what God says about it is that personally, He has not called me to a vow of poverty, but of generosity. And although I am not able to travel around the world actually helping people, I can send money to people who are and reach out to the lost right here in my community.
Lastly, regarding not being able to imagine a good parent delighting in the play of one of his kids while the other is starving---a parent on this earth would have a really hard time doing that, but as a parent deep deep down in the depths of your heart you DO want your children to enjoy life, and though I would GRIEVE over my starving child and do everything I could to help them, it would delight my soul to see the other enjoying their life. Kind of similar to parents who have a wayward child---their hearts are broken over them, but they still have other children who are doing great and making good choices and enjoying their lives so they're still happy for them.
It is such a hard thing to understand---why some of us are blessed down to our toenails and others don't have food for days. And when you are one of the blessed ones, it's so hard not to feel guilty about brothers/sisters all over the world who don't have food or shelter for their babies. All the more reason for Jesus to COME BACK QUICKLY!!!
Sorry for the super long comment. Thanks for your insights and I in no way took it as condemning.
Love you, cousin, and am so proud of the man you are and so challenged/encouraged by your passion for seeking the Lord and being obedient to His call on your life. May you be filled with his grace, peace, and wisdom as you embark on this new phase of your trip. Praying that because of your presence in Ecuador that "Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord!" (Ps. 40)
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