Day 2- Costa Rica

 

 Traveling to a local orphanage to play with kids and paint!

 

 

Faith and Trixie cleaning the windows.

 

Sampling fresh Papaya!

 

 

We had a great day! We painted one of the buildings where some of the kids are housed. We played Soccer, patty cake :), red light green light all day with the children. They even taught us some of their games. Our whole group got so attached to so many of the children. It was hard to leave. We gave our pillowcase dresses and the t-shirts for the boys to the orphanage. They were very grateful. I would post some pictures of all the sweet kids but we were asked to not post any pictures of the children on the internet.  Tomorrow we will attend the church here on campus at 10AM Costa Rica time, we are two hours behind. In the afternoon we are scheduled to go souvenir shopping.

Please continue to pray for us! I know God has already spoken to me through this trip and I'm excited to see how he will use us all more for His glory this week. 

Day 1- Costa Rica

 

Leaving from Atlanta 5:30AM

 

Passing time in Ft. Lauderdale Airport

 

We are in Costa Rica!!! 

 

Our Place for the week! 

 

Snacks from Score after arrival.

Sandwiches never tasted so good!

 

Out in the neighborhood inviting people to a movie night Saturday night.

 

Boys will be boys..

 

My precious roomies :)

 

Folding gospel tracts to hand out.. 

 

Goodnight Costa Rica, 2AM was tooo long ago. 

Everyone is wiped out..

zzZzZZzZzzZzZZz

The LORD did it!!

The beginning of 2 Samuel shows us the beginning of David's official reign. So far all seems to be going well for David.  The Lord is on His side. I'm sure this was a mountaintop time in David's life. The Lord gives David Jerusalem and provides a palace for David to live in. When the philistines came to capture David, he still confided in the Lord. (5:19)

Truths from this passage

1. David did not get caught up in the blessings and forget about the source of blessing. 

2. In the midst of all this success, David recognized WHO was behind it.

3. He immediately gave God the glory for the victory. (5:20) "The Lord did it!"

Often I understand why sometimes God chooses not to bless us. I myself know that I tend to cry out to the Lord only to give myself credit for the victory that only the Lord could bring. I'm learning that when my hearts desire is purely to see God glorified, He takes care of me and impossible situations. But I have to be willing to make adjustments in my own heart and attitude. God's glory is not dependent on if I get my way.  I have to become so satisfied in Him that even if God doesn't change my circumstances, He will receive the glory from my attitude, NO MATTER WHAT. See God desires people who want His name to receive glory more than their name. And how we show that we want that too, is to not hinge our praise to God only on what He does for us. Friends, bring God glory today with your response to life. And when God delivers you today, don't forget to say "MY LORD DID IT!!".

Sometimes I love to go to work

Not many people can say that they sometimes like to go to work but I have to say that many times I do. Thursday, July 7th Vera Bradley releases the Fall 2011 patterns.  Just thought I would share :)

 

Happy Snails

 

Mocha Rouge 

 

Safari Sunset

 

Plum Petals 

 

   I have listed my personal scale of favorites from left to right... #1 Happy Snails, (my absolute FAVORITE)  #2 Mocha Rouge, (girly) #3 Safari Sunset (totally appropriate for Virginia Tech, btw go hokies), #4 Plum Petals.

What do you think of them? What's your favorite? Vote at the top right corner of the blog (above my picture!!)

LOVE working with this stuff!! :)

Savior King

I can't stop singing this song! I can't get over the goodness of God. Only consecrated saints of God can understand the overwhelming desire within themselves to live in allegiance to the creator of the universe. So thankful for the sweet times of brokenness I have in my life that pulls me towards daily giving my life in total service to God. 

Forgive me dear Lord for not having time or failing to submit to serve You with every area of my life. At 4 yrs. old I said I would love you with my life, I gave you Amy, I gave you all of me. 

How could I hold back what is not mine. 

May I bring pure Honor to Your name with all of me. 

DO IT YOURSELF. Live Unhinged

Reading Psalm 15 this morning was humbling. I was forced to reevaluate my current attitude and behavior over the last few days. Its so easy to think, talk and act like the fault of my problems, frustrations and bad attitude has to do with other people. Almost every time I'll find something or someone else to pawn my actions on. I think "Of course, its them! not me", "The reason I'm so ticked has to to with them",  or "If they would quit acting that way then I could move on from where I'm at and have a better attitude".  The hard reality that none of us ever wants to hear is that our response to what we know as truth has NOTHING to do with other people, absolutely nothing. As a believer our attitude should not hinge on whether or not the world comes around in their behavior. Feeding off of how the world decides to treat me will never end in consecration or submission to what God says is acceptable. Honestly, how can we think that the worlds treatment of us will help us live the victorious Christian life? The power of God working in me won't come from what's going on around me, it comes from Christ IN ME giving me the desire to please Him no matter who ticks me off, who doesn't act right, who is never nice, who never puts me first,  who is selfish, who didn't speak to me, who doesn't notice me or who doesn't treat me with respect. Even if we received all those things and we're loved by everyone everyday, we ourselves would still fall short and do all of those things that frustrate us about others.


In Psalm 15 David is overwhelmed with the glory of the Lord's presence. He is made fully aware of the call to be Holy. He lists some very practical requirements of how the believer should speak and act.


Who can enter Your sanctuary Lord?


2 "Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts"
3 " Those who REFUSE to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends"
4 " Those who don't desire the company of evil behavior and honor the faithful followers of the Lord" (BTW honor = active verb, not a neat idea sometimes"
5 "Those who lend money without expecting double the profit later, and cannot be bribed to lie for selfish gain"


Such people will stand Firm Forever!


Friends, do you desire to be firm in the faith? I challenge you as I am challenging myself, that before you blame your shortcomings on others to evaluate yourself. DIY, improve your reactions and let the Holy Spirit manifest Himself through you today.

"Mrs. Howland Loves..."

So I see all these cute ideas and can't help but share them! 

Hopefully one day I can put these in practice in my own nest :)

So here's a few starters of the many more to come 

"Mrs. Howland loves"