I was able to get a little rest last weekend....
This weekend is the 7th & 8th Grade Retreat.

We have been staying very busy here on the mountain. We did have time to go on a church retreat on the pacific coast of Honduras. From the shore you could see El Salvador to one side and the other Nicaragua was barely visible. The weather was much hotter and the swimming was good.

At school the students have had several events including a Band/Choir/Guitar concert. There have been a couple of teacher meetings which has allowed me to meet several parents.

The 7th grade has several students that want to make a difference for God in the school and it is exciting to talk with them and encourage them. I started a 7th grade boys Bible study two weeks ago. It is a small group but we are praying for more students next year. I want to use this to try to develop a couple of students. The retreat is coming up tomorrow and I am praying that it will be a time to draw the students closer to God and that they will reaffirm their committment to make a difference for Him in the school.

Prayer Requests:
-7th&8th grade retreat
-7th Grade Bible Study-growth of the students involved
-Leaders in the 7th Grade- Andrea, Florencia, Josue, Bryan and Kevin
-Good finish to the school year
-Preperation for coming back for the summer
-Gods continued provision for our daily needs
-Good Health

Reflections

I wipe crumbs from the counter on my way to grab the juice and return it to the fridge…the mound of laundry flows over the basket and puddles onto the floor into the kitchen door. Today I will do what I did yesterday and tomorrow it will need to be done again. Another meal, another load, sweep, mop, hug, read this book a hundredth time… “If you wanted to come as a servant Lord, you should have been a mother”…I can hear it with a Yiddish accent like a quote from Fiddler on the Roof.

And as I sit for my quiet time, I reread old sermon notes and look up some of the verses. “The difference between being burned out and being poured out is whether my focus is on my energy or God’s supply.” There it is Lord. Too often my focus is the American, ”I’ve got a right!” rather than the Servant’s approach. In His Kingdom there is no line between the sacred and the secular. Dirty dishes and diapers become a sacred act when my life is lived as His servant. If my focus is on the job itself, I begin to expect some kind of reward. I feel taken advantage of. “Haven’t I told you a hundred times to….?” I remember my Dad years ago calling me up short when I fussed, “Isn’t that the problem with servanthood? Everyone treats you like a servant.” Umm….yes….. that IS kind of the point.

As the days fall into their pattern let my focus be on Your endless supply Lord, seeing every act as one of sacred service to You….through all the repeated tasks of loving and serving this family. Then what is poured out will be the fragrance of Praise….

“and the whole house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume…” John 12:3