Happy New Year

2013: Odd to realize that when I think back over this year all I remember is how blessed I've been.  With gratitude I'd like to keep the holiday simple this year and just say how Great is our God!



Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

 

Wish you all a happy and prosperous New Year!

God's Blessings

Hasta!

Merry Christmas.

Little Drummer Boy

Come they told me
A new born King to see
Our finest gifts we bring
To lay before the king
So to honor Him
When we come

Little baby
I am a poor boy too
I have no gift to bring
That's fit to give our King
Shall I play for you
On my drum

Mary nodded
The ox and lamb kept time
I played my drum for Him
I played my best for Him
The He smiled at me
Me and my drum

Christmas is here.  Snuck up on me it did.  And now that it’s found me, I guess further attempts at hiding would be futile.  Up until now I had plenty to keep me distracted, but now there’s nothing between me and the cold fact that I come empty handed this year.  

I heard the statement the other day that anthropologically speaking, gifts are a way of asserting dominance in a group.   I would have disregarded that statement as pish-posh previously, as I would always have been able to amply participate in the giving end.  But what happens if you can’t give? What happens when on the right of you they give myrrh and on the left they give gold, and you, you hang your head in shame for you have nothing to give.  

This has been a common method of teaching that Jesus has been using with me this year, perhaps the past couple of years.  I’ve had the sometimes painful privilege of walking in a wide variety of shoes.  Shoes that I thought just weren’t my style in any way, shape or form. I realize now that subconsciously I had harbored stereotyped prejudices that made me dismiss some shoes as ones I would never wear myself.  People I thought I loved, said I could love as Jesus loves, was not an actual love but a condescending do-good fulfillment of my role as a “Christian.” 

There are many more miles I have yet to walk in these shoes, and perhaps many different shoe changes to come in the near future.  Only God knows. But to commit to continue walking is all I can do. For blisters heal.  And with that comes understanding, empathy, love and what I can only pray for, perhaps a bit of wisdom.

So the Little Drummer Boy.  I would venture to say all can relate when standing before the gift of Salvation in the form of the baby Jesus.  A gift no human being can repay.  God simply has me standing in a different pair of shoes this year which gives me a different perspective on just exactly what it means to be indebted and unable to repay.  But what did the Drummer Boy do? Did he hide his small drum ashamed when standing next to myrrh and gold? No. He brought all he had and offered it in its entirety.   

He played his drum for Him.   He played his best for Him.   Pa rum pa pum pum.

Rereading this I’m afraid it’s much more serious than I intended, especially for a Christmas posting.  I guess all that’s left to say is...

Merry Christmas from the bottom of my heart.

Hasta!

Estoy acurrucandome con mi sobrino.

Had the question to top all interview questions today.

"How much would you pay someone to wash all the windows in Montana?"

Apparently though it was a common question asked of the interviewees because throughout the day whenever meeting someone new they'd ask, "So, you cleaned the windows in Montana yet?"

Hasta!

Estoy sin pasadores.

I look like I've just changed in an airport bathroom stall for the second time in two days.  Doesn't help the look that Wichita TSA had me take the bobby pins out of my hair going through security.  eeeeh!  Feeling about as bad as I look.  Blah!

Got into Wichita late last night.  Had been a long day, and I was soooo thankful that I was almost to a bed.  Honestly 'sleep' was taking up the majority of what thought process I was still capable of making.  So between the transport options Wichita offers at 11:30pm of taxi, or rental or taxi...I went with the quickest option of taxi.

And now, less than 24 hours later, I'm back at the airport again.  One of the residents I interacted with today volunteered to drive me back to the airport.  God bless her!!  She took me on a detour on the way kind of showing off some of the Wichita highlights.  hehehe!  #Wichitawesome! (sorry, couldn't help it.  One of the residents I interviewed with dropped that fabulous nugget of cheese.  That kind of hometown pride just demands to be acknowledged! ;)

Hasta!

Estoy entrevistando con programas varios.

I guess I typically slack off blogging while I'm in Illinois.  But I wake up this morning in Miami.  For a few days at least I'm walking around barefoot and my toes aren't frozen.  I'm here for business...technically.  But, planned a few extra days in the trip to stay with some long time best friends Kristina and Sirish Mulpura.  I don't know if it's Sirish's South Indian culture or Kristina's sweet disposition, or really just the combo of the two that makes their heart for hospitality overwhelming.  They keep telling me "you're on vacation, relax, lay by the pool, etc..."  and to tell you the truth I hadn't exactly come here with that mindset, but...they're starting to convince me otherwise! ;)

 

Kristina & I

 

Once again in the shade so we could take the sunglasses off!

 

Kristina and Sirish

 

Through the palm trees in the center of the photo is the downtown Miami skyline.

 

A closer look at the downtown Miami skyline without the palm trees, pero con los abuelitos! :) (but with the grandparents! :)

Welcome to Miami! 

Hasta!