And a lot of what has been going on has been going on in my stomach. After taking a round of antibiotics to deal with the things discovered in my stomach when I got back from the missions trip in February, I brushed aside wise advise from my mother and didn't get retested, figuring the meds had done their job. But as time went on my suspicion that the medicine had not eradicated everything grew, and last week I went back to the lab to be retested. And it turns out that I still have a bacteria (proteus morganni) and some amoebas. So I have embarked on another course of antibiotics to kill said creatures. Please join me in praying that the medicine will do what it's supposed to do and that no squatters will be left in my stomach.
For those who may be concerned, be assured that I feel fine in general, just have some minor discomforts.
I still get to enjoy things like my first Mexican wedding, which I experienced on May 17, when my pastor's son got married. 
The church was decorated beautifully, the ceremony was lovely, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. And it was all very typical of my church, with the ceremony starting at 8pm instead of 7, the dinner getting brought out around 10, cake at 11, and I didn't leave until one in the morning! The wedding has been the talk of the town, or at least the church, for the past several months, so it was a pretty big deal. I especially had fun seeing the different rituals: the padrinos, the lasso, no father-daughter dance (throwing that one in for you, dad). I feel that I ought to mention that despite my distinct height advantage (as seen next to bride), I did not catch the bouquet.
The church was decorated beautifully, the ceremony was lovely, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. And it was all very typical of my church, with the ceremony starting at 8pm instead of 7, the dinner getting brought out around 10, cake at 11, and I didn't leave until one in the morning! The wedding has been the talk of the town, or at least the church, for the past several months, so it was a pretty big deal. I especially had fun seeing the different rituals: the padrinos, the lasso, no father-daughter dance (throwing that one in for you, dad). I feel that I ought to mention that despite my distinct height advantage (as seen next to bride), I did not catch the bouquet. A few days before the wedding I had some excitement of a different kind back at the rancho. I was out jogging in the evening on a HOT day, running directly towards the setting sun (such that I couldn't see much of what was in front of me) when I sensed a movement near my feet and heard a noise. 
I jumped a bit in the opposite direction of the noise and looked down over my shoulder to see a rattlesnake, rattling like crazy and coiling up in self-defense. I can say without a doubt that that marked the first time in my life I made a rattlesnake rattle. Unfortunately, Manuel wasn't around with his machete at the time to behead it. I do hear, however, that two days ago he spotted a mountain lion on a hillside on the edge of the rancho and took off in that direction, machete in hand. I wish you could see his machete more clearly in the picture, but trust me, it's there, doing away with plant life and reclaiming brown spaces at Agua Viva.
I jumped a bit in the opposite direction of the noise and looked down over my shoulder to see a rattlesnake, rattling like crazy and coiling up in self-defense. I can say without a doubt that that marked the first time in my life I made a rattlesnake rattle. Unfortunately, Manuel wasn't around with his machete at the time to behead it. I do hear, however, that two days ago he spotted a mountain lion on a hillside on the edge of the rancho and took off in that direction, machete in hand. I wish you could see his machete more clearly in the picture, but trust me, it's there, doing away with plant life and reclaiming brown spaces at Agua Viva. Needless to say, life has been keeping me on my toes. And that's not even getting into the ministry aspect. I am currently living out a personal milestone. You see we are going through a book now for our weekly staff devotionals, but the book is in English, so only English speakers can lead the devotional. Brent asked me to take a chapter, which I gladly accepted. And I decided to present all in Spanish (so I translate the key points and figure out how I want to share them in Spanish). I gave the first part last Friday and it went pretty well. I took the time to write everything out in advance so I wouldn't be stuck searching for words. And miraculously, everyone seemed to understand me. It's a joy to think that God has brought me to a point where I can lead a devotional to a roomful of Spanish-speakers and have them get something out of it!
God is at work in and through me, and I ask you to join me in prayer that He would continue, unhindered.
1 comment:
from Mom: yikes! rattlesnake! and to think you climbed the mountain for Dad's birthday. You are certainly having adventures. Hmmm, think I'll pray for more spiritual adventures and less physical ones!
from Dad: He wants your wedding to be at a Mexican church where there's no dancing.
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