The Gift of a Day

Some days, it seems to me like the whole day was just a waste, you know? There are days that I am so bored, feel so useless, act grumpy, have no motivation to do anything.....ever been there?

God has been pricking my heart and reminding me that each day He gives me breath to live is a gift. An amazing gift. It doesn't matter if I accomplish anything worthwhile (in my eyes) or if I just spend the day picking up toys, washing clothes and correcting children. God has decided that He has a purpose for me to still be alive on this day and I should rejoice in it.

When I think of women who write books, save people's lives, speak in front of large crowds, teach college courses, translate the Bible into another language - things like these - I think of these women as successful. It is easy for me to see my life as having little success, because I don't do any of these things. I know this isn't true, because I know success looks very different to God than it does to me. How often I need to remind myself that if I am serving Him where He wants me and with a pure heart, I am successful!!

Being my husband's helper and my children's mother are my greatest and most important jobs and each day I should treasure these jobs. I am speaking mostly to myself when I say that each day is important and should be seen as an opportunity to love God more, love my family more and find joy in the ordinary.

I have absolutely nothing to complain about and absolutely everything to be thankful for. I hope I will continue to learn to see each day as a gift from my Heavenly Father, unwrap it and enjoy it - no matter what I'm doing or not doing - and offer it back to Him!

Miriam

Who let the dogs out??

I have never had a dog, nor have I ever wanted one. I am told by my parents that they had a Collie and a German Shepherd when I was little and I was afraid of both of them, so they got rid of them. The only pets we had growing up were some bunnies that my brother let starve.

We are living in my in-laws' house for a few months while they are in the U.S. and it is situated on a large seminary property. For safety reasons, they have always had dogs on the property. So, I'm learning a lot about dogs, how to care for them, how to talk to them and when to leave them alone.

The two dogs here now are a Boxer and a Labrador. They are both beautiful dogs and good guard dogs. They seem to be good with kids as well, as my kids have played with them, pulled on them, sat on them, etc. and they just wag their tails at it all.

Unfortunately, they are also both males. Well, I've learned that one has to be the leader...... apparently, they picked the other night at midnight to decide who it would be. They fought off and on all night, and I mean, really fought! We hardly slept at all that night. Brent had a really hard time breaking them up and he had two guys helping him. I was observing from inside the house, of course. In the morning, we saw that they were both bloodied and badly wounded. They also couldn't be together or they would immediately start growling and lunging for each other.

Well, it looks like this won't stop, so we are going to have to give one of the dogs away, which has broken my kids' hearts.

Moral of the story: there really isn't one. The way the dogs have treated each other and the fact that one MUST be the boss has really made me think about people and how I've seen people behave like this, as well! I've never really seen two people biting each other and clawing at each other, but they may as well, so destructive are their words and attitudes.

There always has to be a leader/ boss, right? I wonder what would happen if one of the dogs would just concede and decide to let the other one be the leader and live in peace. That's not going to happen with dogs, but shouldn't it be a little easier with people?? Just sayin'.

Miriam

Lucas Seth

Just when we thought we had the parenting of small children down and we were done with diapers, bibs, and high chairs.....you guessed it, God decided He needed to mix things up a bit! Olivia was 6 and Kyall was 4 when Lucas Seth arrived. He "turned our world upside down" is a serious understatement. Motherhood has never been more difficult or more rewarding as it has been trying to figure this little guy out!

Lucas is 4 and is growing so fast, I just want to put a halt to it! During every stage of his life, Lucas has been completely different from his brother and sister, but I love the stage he's in now. He makes us laugh out loud several times every day, and also makes us want to rip our hair out about once a day. Lucas has a strong will if I've ever seen one, and has challenged us from day one. He has a mind of his own, his own way of doing things and he will do everything all by himself, thank you very much.

Lucas adores his big brother and would follow him around all day if Kyall would let him. He is very affectionate and will still sit in my lap and let me cuddle him. He has an awesome sense of humor and is surprisingly smart and tuned in to what's going on, even if we think he hasn't been listening.

Lucas loves to sing, dance, play the air guitar and air drums, play his DS and loves dinosaurs. Since he started talking, he has sung with vibrato and it is so funny to listen to. He may just be my musical one.

God is so incredibly good to us and we thank Him daily for our precious children. Our family was given an extra dose of joy and adventure with the arrival of Lucas. He keeps me on my toes and I wouldn't have it any other way.....except on the days when I want to lock him up and throw away the key! Just kidding, he is a gem and we can't wait to see what God will do with his unique personality. We pray for much patience and wisdom, all the while giving thanks.

Miriam

Kyall Brent

Having grown up with only brothers and really thinking I had a handle on the male gender, I always wanted to have a son. I fully expected our firstborn to be a boy and was shocked when we found out she was a girl! I really thought I would be a better mother to boys. Well, thankfully, God knew what we needed and in what order. I treasure being a mom, and God did give me a son - two of them. Truth be told, the boys have been easier in many ways up until now. I love boys and can't imagine our family without them.

Kyall Brent is 8 1/2 yrs. old. My husband and I really felt that Olivia needed a playmate, so we prayed about giving her one, and still while in Cuba, I got pregnant for the second time. We were so excited and just knew we were going to give her a little sister who could wear all her hand-me-downs and play with her toys. We decided to not find out the gender of this baby until he/she was born, just to mix things up a bit. When I was almost 8 mos. pregnant, we moved to Peru, where Kyall was born. We were surprised he was a boy and ironically, I wondered what to do with a boy, now that I had figured out how to care for a girl! God does have a sense of humor. Kyall has grown up in Peru and is actually Peruvian because of being born here.

We chose the name Kyall because it was like one of two that we both liked and Brent is his dad's middle name. We figured there would be thousands of Kyle Williams's in the English speaking world, so we decided to spell his name a little funky. I will never forget my mom telling me "That's not how you spell Kyle!" Well, it's how we spell it!

Kyall is all boy and then some. His favorite thing to do is to play. He loves karate, light sabers, swords, guns, and any kind of fighting and is very good at it. He is a sensitive and sweet boy, with a unique and fun personality. We are learning that he is the class clown, which kind of surprises us as he is very mild and even a little shy. If only I could be a fly on the wall of his classrooms..... He is smart and has made straight A's up until now, which also surprises us, as his attention span is like 2 minutes long.

Kyall is a one-friend kind of guy. He has a best buddy and that's pretty much all he needs. He is loyal to the end and will stick with his one friend like glue. He has always loved girls, never had a "oooh, cooties" stage and they love him. (pray for us, please) He is such a great big brother to his little brother, and loves to teach him stuff. He'll pretend to not like hugs and kisses from Mom, but really, he's still my baby.

Kyall was saved this past year at the age of 7 and has yet to be baptized. His interest in spiritual things is slowly growing.

We are so thankful that God not only gave Olivia an awesome playmate, but that He gave us an awesome son. He is a precious and special boy and our lives would not be as full and rich without him. We pray God will grant us wisdom and discernment as he grows up in this world full of entrapments, evil and confusion. Our prayer for Kyall is that he will serve God with his whole heart and will be a man of integrity and character who knows how to love.

Miriam

Olivia Ruth

Every mom thinks her kids are the best, as she should. I definitely think I have the best kids in the world and am immensely thankful for each one. Being a mother is my greatest adventure and I am unable to word my thanks to God for blessing me in such a way. I'm going to give them each their own spot in the blog world. The hard part will be keeping it short! (the box of tissues is ready)

Olivia Ruth will be 11 in Oct. God blessed us with her at the perfect time in our lives. We had been in Cuba for only about 6 mos. when I got pregnant for the first time. I received excellent prenatal care in Cuba, although I had to buy vitamins outside of the country. She was born in DE and we returned to Cuba when she was about 7 wks. old and she spent her first two years there. She has grown up mostly in Peru, with 2 years in the U.S. thrown in there.

We picked the name Olivia, because her grandfather's and dad's first names are Oliver and we liked the feminine counterpart to it. Her middle name is Ruth, after my grandmother and it is also my middle name.

Olivia is a smart, compassionate and loving girl. She is very mature for her age, and because she's almost as tall as I am, people often think she is older than she is. She is a typical big sis, bossing her brothers around, but she loves them both and is a good example to them in many ways. Olivia's favorite pastime is reading. In 2009, she read well over 100 books, and easily. She loves school and has always gotten straight A's. Her favorite subjects are reading, science and history.

She is a faithful friend and has had some wonderful friends over the years. Sleepovers, makeovers, shopping, movies....all more fun for her if surrounded by girlfriends.

Olivia accepted Christ at the age of five, and has grown in the Lord since. Her father baptized her in the ocean in Peru a year ago. She reads her Bible on her own and definitely has an interest in spiritual things. She is very tenderhearted and open to what the Lord wants for her.

Since she was born, she has blessed our home indescribably. As our only daughter, she and I have a special relationship, which I pray only grows stronger with time. We love to have girls' days out together and I am enjoying her company more and more as she gets older.

I could write a book on how special Olivia is, but suffice it to say we are so grateful for the gift God placed in our lives when He gave us our little girl. When she was born we called her our "present girl" because she truly was a gift from God and just at the right time.

May God give us the wisdom to rear her to love Him passionately, love others more than herself and to glorify Him in all her ways.

Miriam

Politics

Am I really going to go there? Not really. Try as one might, the subject of politics cannot be avoided, unless you're in a cave somewhere, or like one person I know, just refuse to talk about it or learn about it at all.

I am interested in politics, in the U.S. and in Peru. After all, my family is directly affected by who is making the laws and enforcing them. On the other hand, there are days when I think ignorance is bliss and I really don't want to know the latest headline.

I have been amazed at how quickly political beliefs and opinions can tear friends and family apart. I think most groups of friends can disagree on sports teams, taste in food, how to spend money, and even important issues of the day and never have a problem discussing and even arguing about these things. Politics, on the other hand.....disagreeing with someone's views can be as harmful to a relationship as personally attacking that person's character.

I have wondered what makes people (including myself) take such offense to someone putting down the way I believe the government should be run. Whether we want it to be or not, how we view the political scene of the day and what we believe about it can be very personal and tied into who I am as a person. What I believe about the political world says a lot of what I believe about God and religion. This is where it gets sticky, I think.

Whether I am a democrat or a republican, a marxist or a socialist.....what will matter at the end of the day is what I believe about Christ and the life He offers me. May we remember this, even when we're arguing our point of view and sure we're right!

Miriam

Toilet Paper

Let's talk toilet paper. Yes, really. It is amazing how big of a deal toilet paper has been in our missionary experiences. I mean, is toilet paper not something that we take for granted in the U.S.? You would never expect to go to someone's house or to a restaurant and there be no tp, for goodness sake.

When we moved to Cuba 12 years ago, shopping was an adventure in itself, but finding certain items was like being on a scavenger hunt. Toilet paper was not to be found. We went to every little store we saw, but alas, no tp. Finally, walking around Havana aghast, we saw a store window with two rolls in it! We went in, only to be told we couldn't buy it without a ration card. In Cuba, food, clothing and personal items are rationed. Some months, the people would get a roll of toilet paper, some months they would not. Not to be defeated, we kept looking and finally found a store that had actual packages of tp, and bought several. Many weeks, we went from store to store until we found some!!

In Peru, very few public restrooms have tp....most do not. We learned right away to always, and I mean always, carry tp with us wherever we go. In many public places, in Cuba and Peru, you can buy a few squares of tp outside of the restroom. If I need to do this, I always want to laugh and say "are you kidding me?!" Instead, I just ask for more......and pay for it.

Another thing is, the tp used in places like this is more like crepe paper than anything - seriously, it's pitiful, and yes, if it were any color but white, you could decorate with it.

In some nicer stores and restaurants, there will be one big roll in the restroom, from which each person gets what they need from it, enters a stall, etc. but the stalls don't have any. In the really nice stores and restaurants, there will be tp in the stalls. I am always so happy and know I'm in a nice place when I see tp in the stalls!

Now, in the stores here, there is an endless supply of nice Kleenex 3-ply tissue, so we are never at a loss at home! Thank goodness. There's even tp with dogs on it, or you can use the kind with flowers on it, if you so choose.

Visiting people in their homes can also be tricky, as most may (or may not) have a roll in their restroom.

Needless to say, toilet paper is an integral part of planning any outing of any sort. We have totally gotten used to it and it's really no big deal, but something we still joke and laugh about.

So, if you ever come see us in Peru, just be prepared the minute you step off the plane, and have a roll handy!

Miriam

New beginnings

I LOVE new beginnings. A new day, a new year, a new start, a new outlook.....thank goodness for new beginnings. When I have a bad day, I am so happy when it's over and look forward to starting fresh the next day. When the new year rolls around, oh man, you should see my lists of resolutions!! I want to start over with everything, from habits to hair to how I parent.

Some of my favorite verses in the Bible are Lamentations 3:22-23 "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (NIV) In another version, it reads "His mercies begin afresh each morning". Isn't that so awesome? Yesterday is done, in the past, and this morning, not only do I get a fresh start, but God will start over with me!

I am so glad God knows we are but dust and relates to us as such. He knows how important it is to me to have new beginnings, so He gives them to me.

For me, one of the dangers of new starts being so cool to me, is that I'll wait until Monday to start the diet (even if it's only Wednesday), or I'll wait until the new year to start a reading regimen that I should be doing now, or I'll wait until next month to stay on budget!

I realize we can't just erase yesterday or last month, because our decisions affect the rest of our lives, but it sure is wonderful to know that there's always tomorrow to do better, love better, spend more time with God, learn, grow and start afresh.

My Redeemer is faithful and true.

Everything He has said He will do.

Every morning His mercies are new.

My Redeemer is faithful and true.

(one of my favorite songs)

Miriam

Back to school

Here in Peru, all the kids are back in school, in their cute little plaid uniforms. My kids are feeling a little left out, at the same time, feeling lucky that they have a few more weeks of break left. They will be homeschooling and their materials are somewhere over the Pacific right now.

Classes at the Baptist Seminary of Lima also started yesterday. Brent is "directing" the seminary right now, in the absence of his father, and teaches the Theology course twice a week. He loves this course, because the students' eyes are always opened to new aspects and characteristics of God that they haven't seen before.

We are looking forward to getting to know the seminary students more this semester, as we are living on campus for a few months. Some of them have already challenged my kiddos to a soccer match!

It is so awesome to see them learn and grow and especially to see them go out and put to practice in ministry what they've learned.

This seminary has sent out hundreds of ministers, who are now all over Peru. What an honor to be a part!

So, while the kids wait for their schooling to begin, Dad is back to school and loving it.

Miriam

Yay Lists!!

I love lists! Like, I really love them! I don't think I can function without them, seriously. I'm sure it's a left-brain, sanguine personality, somethin', somethin', - I don't know, I just know I NEED lists in my life. So, here are some of the lists I'm working on right now.....

1. Grocery list

2. Things I can blog about

3. People I'm praying for

4. Ideas for homeschool

5. What to buy for homeschool

6. Books I've read so far this year

7. Books I want to read

8. People I need to call or write

9. Jobs for my kids to do around the house

10. Things we may need to buy soon

11. Stuff Brent needs to do

12. Stuff I want Brent to do

13. How much money I owe each kid

14. Addresses and phone numbers

15. Dishes I want to cook

16. Things I didn't bring to Peru that I wish I had

17. Things I want someone to bring me next chance I get

18. Meals I'm going to make this week

19. Movies I'd like to see

20. People I need to send thank you notes to

I honestly could go on. Does anyone find this disturbing or am I more normal than I think? Don't answer that.

So glad I get to mark "blog" off my list for today! Sigh.

Miriam

Language of the Heart

During our year in the U.S., we very much enjoyed the music at Central Baptist Church in Sulphur Springs, TX. We loved learning new praise choruses and songs. The music chosen made it easy to create an atmosphere that was conducive to worship. How we will miss that!

We also love the music in many of the churches we've visited here in Peru. There are so many songs in Spanish that are much more expressive and poignant than the same song in English.

Before I learned to understand and speak Spanish, I would just listen to the melody and enjoy the music, but once I started understanding the words....wow, what a different experience altogether!

I am so glad that God doesn't speak English or Spanish, but the language of the heart. I don't think God even hears what language we're speaking when we sing or pray to Him. I think He's too busy looking at our heart and listening to what is really there.

One of my favorite songs in Spanish is called "Tu Estas Aqui". I have sung it as a solo, but enjoy it much more when singing it in a church service surrounded by my brothers and sisters in Christ. I think God might like this one as well, in any language. Here is just part of it, translated into English:

"Tu Estas Aqui" "You Are Here"

Aunque mis ojos no te pueden ver Although my eyes can't see You

Se que estas aqui, se que estas aqui I know You're here, I know You're here

Aunque mis manos no pueden tocar Although my hands can't touch

Tu rostro, Senor, se que estas aqui Your face, Lord, I know You're here

Mi corazon puede sentir tu presencia My heart can feel Your presence

Estas aqui, estas aqui You are here, You are here

Mi corazon puede mirar tu hermosura My heart can see Your beauty

Estas aqui, estas aqui. You are here, You are here.

Miriam

Sick Days

Although I hate being sick, sometimes I just need a sick day or two, you know? My husband waits on me, I get to sleep as much as I want, my kids are quiet and sweet.....not too bad of a deal.

I have been fighting my bi-anual sinus infection for days now and it finally got me. After a night of fever, chills and terrible aches, I just need a day or two of rest. Brent and the kids are out and I am enjoying a quiet house. Even feeling icky, I can still appreciate a quiet house!

I am thankful God made our bodies in a way that they kind of tell us when we need to slow down and take a rest. Sometimes, it's not the most pleasant experience, but it is a sure way to get our attention.

So, as I look at floors that need mopping, laundry that needs folding, etc., I'm just going to look away and pretend I didn't notice. It will all be here tomorrow and the day after. Today, I am going to listen to my body and give it a break!

Miriam

Kids Will Be Kids

It never ceases to amaze me how many kids' games and songs are transcultural. I have been watching out the window, as my two boys play with two little neighbor girls (Peruvian, of course) and guess what they've been playing......"hide and seek", "tag" and "riding the dogs like horses". I don't know where "hide and seek" originated, but it is just as well known to these kids as it is to ours.

Other games the Peruvian kids love to play that our kids jump right into are "rock, paper, scissors", "freeze tag", "hot potato", "duck, duck, goose", besides all sports (excluding American football). It's pretty cool that Lucas, our 4 yr. old, who really doesn't speak any Spanish can play and keep up with the bigger kids because the games are so well known to him.

Although our North American culture is so different from the Latin culture, one thing I've learned over the years, after being in several different South American countries, is that people are people - everywhere. Same emotions, same feelings, same desires, same dreams, same hurts, same struggles, same needs....of course this all varies person to person, but really, we are all created in God's image and are very similar to each other in our core.

I am so happy my boys have made friends so quickly with these two little girls and even more happy that, despite having different skin colors, speaking different languages and living very different lives, they can play and laugh have such fun together.

Kids will be kids - anywhere!

Miriam

Cooking from scratch

One of the things I enjoyed most during our year in the U.S. was NOT having to cook and bake from scratch. I was so happy to buy the ready made biscuits, rolls, pie crusts, pie filling, spaghetti sauce, brownie, cake and muffin mixes, etc. I vowed I would not make anything from scratch the whole year and I didn't!!

So, here we are back in Peru and I'm actually enjoying cooking and baking from scratch again. (Ask me about it in a few months and it may be a different story) Here, there are no canned soups, no ready-to-bake mixes or doughs, and definitely no cookie dough already cut into circles! But I'll tell you, my spaghetti sauce is tasting pretty good, as are my homemade biscuits, muffins and brownies. I also feel a little better about myself when the extra effort is put into preparing food for my family.

Aren't we, as Americans, always looking for the faster, easier way to do things?? I know I am. Let someone else do the work and we'll just enjoy the benefit, right? Well, I am learning that the things I put a little more effort into, I appreciate a bit more, even food.

May I never look for shortcuts and the easy way when it comes to the important things in life. It takes loads of effort and energy to be a mom, no news flash there. It also takes time, effort and a lot of thought to keep my relationships fresh and growing.

Yes, I'm happy when I can pop open a can of crescent rolls and bake.....but wow, I felt really good about myself when my family ooohed and aaahed over the cake I made from scratch!

I also love reading what other people have studied and written about relationships, but wow, how good it feels when I've actually done the work and see the results!

Miriam

Car Games

One thing we have in common with most of the other missionaries we know is that we spend hours and hours in the car. In the U.S., we have traveled thousands of miles as a family and boy, have we come up with some games to pass the time! Thankfully, our kids also watch DVD's, play their DS games, read, color, sleep, listen to music, etc. and really, the time does go by quickly.

Here in Peru, we are also in the car a lot together. It generally takes about an hour to go 25 miles on the Pan American Hwy., and getting anywhere just takes longer. We have only been back in the country for 2 weeks and the first weekend, we traveled 10 hrs. (only 300 mi.) on Fri. and 10 back on Mon. Last weekend, we drove 4.5 hrs. on Sat. and back 4.5 on Sun. Here are some of the games we play as we travel (just be open-minded and keep a sense of humor, please!).

"My Dog" - this is what we say any time we see a stray dog and whoever has the most at the end of the trip wins. On one 150 mi. trip, we had a total of 250 dogs we had seen on the street. Not kidding.

"My Flag" - same game, different object.

"My Cop Stopping People for No Good Reason"

"My Taxi" - in Lima, this is a good one!

"My Man Urinating on the Side of the Road" - Just kidding, we don't play this, but I do keep count in my mind and it's a LOT. Welcome to Peru.

"The Alphabet Game" - we each have to find every letter in the alphabet on signs, cars or whatever. (I rock at this one)

"Scramble for Change Before We Get to the Toll Booth" - lots of tolls

"Play Music As Loud As Mom Will Allow"

Traveling is one of our favorite things to do as a family and it is always a great time together. I have a feeling our kids will never forget some of the games we have played and they'll definitely remember the many wonderful car trips we've taken across the U.S. and across Peru.

Miriam