I could complain

Today as I wandered around my vegetable garden I noticed that my zucchini stems were starting to rot, the green beans were extremely scarce and the tomatoes weren't growing. I started complaining in my heart about how I really wanted the vegetables to fill my freezer and save us money this winter. Then I was reminded of all the zucchini, green beans and green peppers I had just this morning vacuum sealed and tucked away for just such an occasion, and this occurred to me.

I could complain about my garden not producing like I'd like,

Or I could be grateful that it's produced at all.

I could complain about the heat index in July,

Or I could be grateful for my air conditioned escape.

I could complain about my 5 year old's second ear infection this summer,

Or I could be grateful we live in 2011 where there are medicines and she can keep her hearing.

I could complain about my husband's new shift,

Or I could be grateful he has a job.

I could complain that my grass is all brown,

Or I could be grateful I have a yard.

I could complain that we have no money in the bank,

Or I could be grateful for ways God has provided.

I could complain that my house is a mess after I cleaned it yesterday,

Or I could be grateful that God has given me two little mess makers.

I could complain that my body does not want to let go of fat cells,

Or I could be grateful that I have food in my fridge and dinner on the table.

I could complain that I'm tired all the time,

Or I could be grateful God has given me a life to experience and the capability to experience.

I could complain about the amount of laundry there is to do,

Or I could be grateful that God has blessed us with plenty.

I've learned, it's all a matter of perspective.

What about you, are you complaining or grateful today?

1 Thessalonians 5:18 No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

My 5 year old and the gospel

This morning, as I was finishing my hair, Lilla came in the bathroom as she had to "go". She was silent for a moment and then this conversation took place:

Lilla: Mom, God hates sin.

Me: He does. How do we know that?

Lilla: The Bible says it. He hates sin every little bit.

Me: That's true.

Lilla: And he loves us so much. He loves us so much he died on the cross. He died a lot on the cross for us.

Me: He did die on the cross, but we have hope. Do you know why we have hope?

Lilla: Because He rose again. He told everybody that He would and He did. The bad guys didn't want Him to and didn't believe Him when He said He would, but He did.

Me: Now that's the truth!

Think your 5 year old can't "get it"? Yes they can!

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. Matthew 19:14

A Little About Haiti

Heading off to missions, you never fully know what to expect. You have to be willing to go with an open heart and mind, just being willing to let God work through you and in you. If that is your attitude, you can't help but be changed as your world view starts to open up.

I saw that again last month as I travelled to a completely new world to me, Haiti.

The people wore much the same clothes, as they had mostly been sent from America as donations over the years. Their shoes, when they wore them, were often what we would wear as well, only very often too small for their feet and worn down. Often times people go barefoot though, playing soccer, walking down the road, making their way through the market. Many cannot afford a pair of shoes so they just go without. Just a way of life.

The food is all cooked over charcoal. Most is fried and there is very little meat in any of the dishes. If there is meat it is usually goat. The main substances are corn maize (mush), rice and beans. People eat twice a day, breakfast and an early dinner. It usually is a pile of rice or corn maize with a few beans on the top. Many only eat once a day and they are grateful for even that. They often work long hours trying to sell anything they can find on the street just to be able to buy that plate of food.

Most do not have electricity or running water, which is why the cholera outbreak spread so fast and furious. People go to rivers to wash their clothes, wash their bodies, use the bathroom and get water for cooking, drinking and cleaning. Yes, all the same water. Thankfully, there are some community wells being put in place so people are able to get clean water.

In Port au Prince, everywhere you look there are tent cities. It literally looks like people are camping, and camping right on top of the next tent, as far as you can see. It's not like our camping where you have a lot, a hook up, a place to park your vehicle, trees all around. Nothing like that at all. Just huge parking lots covered in tents, end to end.

In the towns away from Port au Prince many live on top of each other in brick one room homes. They are probably about 8 x 8 size rooms where there is enough room for a bed and a dresser. The bathroom and the kitchen are outside. Both loosely used terms as the bathroom is a hole in the ground and the kitchen is a charcoal "grill" of sorts. There is no fridge, no sink, no 6 burner stove. Just a grill in the outdoors where women literally stand for hours every day cooking whatever they can find to cook.

The people gather everywhere you look. Outside on itty bitty porches, on streets where they are trying to sell things like used clothes, used cookware and beat up cans of food. There are also markets where you can go to buy and sell things, live animals are slaughtered in front of perspective buyers and voodoo doctors roam around trying to drum up business.

To be continued...

Childhood Dream

Growing up, I attended a CMA church in a Western Suburb of Chicago. There was a constant flow of missionaries from all over the world coming in and out the door. They would talk about places in South America or Asia or Europe and I remember just looking at them in wonder thinking, I'm going to do that someday.

Oddly I had this strange vision of being in some type of ski lift, riding around to the places I would go. I have no idea why I envisioned this. There was no snow involved, I was just riding around on it. I have no idea either why I remembered this and it has nothing to do with the story, but there you have it. Missions, me, a ski lift. Um, ok.

Ever since that time missions has had a special place in my heart and anytime I hear about a trip I am the first one to raise my hand (often in my heart) to say, "Send me Lord!"

I have been blessed in so many ways to go to France, Hungary twice and last month, Haiti, to share the gospel and God's love. I believe all those years ago, God was building a desire in my heart and mind to go and reach the nations. He knew what He was doing in the mind of that little girl.

Thank you God, for making my childhood dream come true!

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a HOPE and a FUTURE!"

This Just In...

I was on the radio recently talking about Haiti, you can take a listen here:

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/15423957

It starts at about the 30 minute mark. I had a horrible cough and sore throat that day, but forgive that and just enjoy hearing about what God is doing in Haiti!

Where I'm from

I am from the Warp family Polish nose and Larsen family clear blue eyes.

I am from building forts with friends and little blue dirt bikes.

I am from summers spent in swimming suits and deep dark tan lines.

I am from sticky fingers from cupcake icing and cherry kool-aid mustaches.

I am from ding dong ditch games during late night sleepovers.

I am from party shoes and orange ice cream truck push ups.

I am from grandparents we called Bossy and Papa.

I am from Florida vacations and water skiing at my dad's.

I am from life long friends made in 3rd grade.

I am from strawberry wallpaper that I was convinced smelled like strawberries and trundle beds in tiny rooms.

I am from June picked mulberries and October apple dunking.

I am from the small blue house on Lalonde with the ginormous pool in the backyard.

I am from Kmart brand clothes and buffet lunches after church on Sundays.

I am from the rhubarb sticks covered in sugary goodness and flower beds covered in red lava rock.

I am from uncles dressing up as Santa and a grandpa who called kids peanut.

I am from Lemonade stands and climbing cranberry trees.

From grandparents who called me "the little one" and "missy".

I am from missionary visits and Sunday school lessons about Jesus.

I'm from Chicago's western suburbs and Indiana's far Eastern back roads.

I am from Pepsi in glass bottles and Ragu smothered Spaghetti.

From the day my sister and I grabbed some friends and pulled all of my mom's plants out of the backyard while she was at work so she would buy us a swimming pool.

I am from rows of family photos, carefully labeled with each event, lovingly looked at with each visit to my mom's house.

Based on the original poem- Where I'm From by George Ella Lyons, found the template here if you want to make one, too.

In Haiti

Every morning a rooster would stand outside my window and Cock a doodle do at 4 o'clock in the morning. Invariably waking me up and making me begin to have the rather paranoid thought he was actually giggling at me, quite unabashedly.

But it's hard to complain, when I'm in Haiti.

The water coming out of the shower head feels like ice down my spine and I jump every time it hits my skin.

But it's hard to complain, when I'm in Haiti.

The electricity goes out for long hours every day. Sometimes lasting the whole day and even the night too.

But it's hard to complain, when I'm in Haiti.

It is the rainy season and my hair appears to be playing some kind of cosmic joke on me.

But it's hard to complain, when I'm in Haiti.

There are no popsicles, no air conditioning, no swimming pool.

But it's hard to complain, when I'm in Haiti.

It's Sunday and I'm standing in an itty bitty tent with no circulation, the sun beating town and tarps covering every surface.

But it's hard to complain, when I'm in Haiti.

I have to be careful not to stick my toothbrush under the faucet every time I brush my teeth. I have to have a clean cup, with special water from a system our church put in a jug whenever I even want a sip.

But it's hard to complain, when I'm in Haiti.

My body is constantly covered in sticky, smelly bug spray and sunblock.

But it's hard to complain, when I'm in Haiti.

The main staple is goat and everything is fried. (Neither of which I'm used to)

But it's hard to complain, when I'm in Haiti.

All cooking is done in a teeny tiny cookhouse over hot charcoal with no circulation to be found.

But it's hard to complain, when I'm in Haiti.

The internet is down in the whole country, my phone doesn't work and I have no idea how my family is doing.

But it's hard to complain, when I'm in Haiti.

My feet are constantly covered in a thick mud that is impossible to avoid as there are no sidewalks to walk on or grass them clean.

But it's hard to complain, when I'm in Haiti.

There are no Wal-Marts or Targets or CVS's to make quick runs into.

But it's hard to complain, when I'm in Haiti.

We visit a pastor's house and there is only an open air, outdoor bathroom.

But it's hard to complain, when I'm in Haiti.

Almost no one spoke but a few words of English.

But it's hard to complain, when I'm in Haiti.

Answers to Big Questions

Joplin, Missouri. In case you live under a rock, you know they had a terrible tornado rip through the town on Sunday. The death toll is rising past 100 now. Horrible.

As we watched in horror at CNN Lilla began to ask what happened. I started to explain it to her. Our conversation when something like this:

Lilla: Why is that lady on TV crying?

Me: Her house was actually picked up and moved off the ground in a tornado.

Lilla: Did God know that would happen?

Me: He did.

Lilla: Why would God let that lady's house get picked up?

Me: I don't know. I don't know, but God does. You see, we don't see the big picture, but God does. What we do know is that God's word tells us that through all things God is working to bring us all into a saving knowledge of Him. Like when somebody dies. It's very sad, but God can even use that to bring others to know Him.

Lilla: So maybe where that lady's house is they can build a church instead?

Me: Maybe. :)

Have I told you how much I love this child?

1 Corinthians 13:12 Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

"Look, no bangs!"

This morning, as I cleaned, Lilla was jumping up and down on my bed. As she jumped she held back her bangs with one hand and said, "Look at me mom! Does it look like I don't have bangs?"

Of course I played along and said, "Yes, I don't see any bangs at all."

She then replied, "Ah hah, I fooled you! I still have bangs, I was just holding them back."

I then giggled and told her she got me.

As I went on cleaning my mirror though I began thinking about that. How of course I wasn't fooled, I knew it and Lilla probably did too but we pretended and it was all in good fun.

Then I thought about the way we do that with God. We hide things, manipulate words and actions and think we have fooled God. We say, "Ah hah, gotcha!" in our hearts. But really, He is not fooled at all.

The Bible says, in 1 John 3:20 "If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything."

God knows our hearts, our minds and our actions. He knows why I do the things I do and the tricks I play in my mind to justify. He does love me, this I know, but He also wants full obedience from me. he wants me not to only be obedient to Him in my actions but in my heart too.

Something I'm pondering today.

Disney Land for Adults

Last week I went to Hawaii. It was a top performer's trip my husband earned last year for work. We were spoiled silly and it was awesome! Beautiful resort, awesome food, cool people. The list goes on and on. Here are some highlights...

Sunset at the resort. This was taken with my point and shoot camera, which tells you it was a pretty amazing sunset. They all were.

Breakfast of copious amounts of fruit. At one point I thought I might become a papaya with lime. Thankfully I didn't, but, I brought my love for the stuff back to my girls and now they are happily munching away at it too!

New friends! This is my new friend Kara, who edits a blog called Simple Kids. If you are not familiar with it, you should be. It has a lot of current and useful information. Go check it out. She lives not too far from me, loved that it took going to Hawaii to meet her!

(Fake) Relaxing. It rained a lot in Hawaii, which, all told that is better than Midwest Rain so I'm kind of OK with it. In this picture it was raining over Hawaii and beautiful as soon as the ocean started. This happened a lot. Bizarre. Another point and shoot picture which is why the coloring is so funny.

I got to take lots of pictures with my husband. Crazy, this has not happened in 5 years!

I got to be goofy with my husband.

I got to dress up with my husband.

I went ziplining! I even purposely hung upside down hundreds of feet above a waterfall. It felt awesome!

We found this Petroglyph Park. It was really cool. Love history!

We remembered anew why we got married!

And yes, for those wondering, they do give you a lei when you get off the plane!

We went to a black sand beach.

We understood why people would live here!

We went to a Luau.

I wore ridiculous amounts of sunblock, a big hat and sunglasses and did not get burned. It was a small miracle!

I wore a fresh flower in my hair. Which I'd never done before but was quite lovely!

We went up to the mountains where the temperature dropped a whopping 40 degrees!

We saw a lot of hilarious signs.

We went snorkeling off this boat.

And swam with these sea turtles!

Yeah. It was pretty great!

Grounded for Life

So you may have noticed I've been a little absent from blogging lately. Or, maybe you haven't. Ha! Anyway, I do have a pretty good reason this time. Last week I decided to get some yard work done while my husband was at work. One of the discs in his back has broken apart, and the piece has been lodged in a part of his spine that is pretty painful so he just wasn't able to do a lot. Praise God though, he has been bathed in prayer lately and yesterday had no pain at all. His doctor thought he would need surgery and when we said we would try prayer first he was kind of like, "Uh, ok. That really doesn't explain it scientifically." God is bigger than science though, isn't he?

Anyway, one of the things I did was trim the hedges in the front yard. With the electric hedgeclippers. I've never used them before and I thought, this should be easy. My girls were out with me and we live on a state road so I will say I was a bit distracted making sure they didn't run onto it. Um, to say the least, that is not a good idea with an electric tool that makes thick branches seem like butter, it cuts so easily.

Yeah, you can probably see where I'm going with this.

My youngest came up to me, I looked over at her, didn't turn it off and got my hand pretty good with it. 7 stitches later, I'm just thankful to God I didn't cut my hand off. Like I said, I wasn't looking and that thing cuts things like they are butter. It's nothing short of God's grace that my two fingers are still here and I can actually feel them. No nerve damage.

Funny side note. When I came home my husband said, "Man, you did a great job with the hedges you did get cut. When your hand heals you should definitely finish it."

You have no idea how hard I laughed.

I'm thinking I'm grounded for life from power tools.