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Happy Birthday, Mom!

Posted by Stacy on September 2nd, 2011 @ 9:13 am under Parenting, Spiritual Thoughts, The Newest News

Today is my Mom’s birthday! Mom, you can be sure that today I am celebrating you from all the way over here in Peru.

Sometime after writing that last post about chick flicks and mine and Wes’ anniversary I had some memories from my childhood resurface. I am so thankful for my parents! In many ways it is because of the values they instilled in me that I have a healthy perspective of marriage and relationships.

Here’s one of those memories from when I was about 14 or 15. A value that my Mom shared with me and one that I would eagerly share with any girl in need of some encouragement when it comes to boys.

I think we were riding in the car somewhere and I was telling my Mom about my guy frustrations. I was probably complaining about how I liked this boy but he didn’t like me, or how there was this other boy who liked me but I didn’t like him, and what is a girl supposed to do about that?! I honestly don’t remember much about that conversation…except this one thing that my Mom said to me. After listening to me worry about my future and how it was all going to work out, she spoke these words of wisdom to me and it felt like time stood still. The world stopped revolving around me and for a moment all my problems were solved. She said,

“Stacy, you don’t need to worry about finding that right guy. What you need to be concerned about is being that right girl, for that right guy.”

And for some reason that only God knows, I not only believed her, but made that my mantra over the next several years. I stopped worrying about boyfriends and going out on dates and started paying more attention to the kind of person I wanted to be. Over time I began to dream about my future and trusted that God was preparing someone out there just for me. Looking back I can see how I unconsciously decided that if I was going to work hard at being who God wanted me to be, then I wasn’t going to settle for anyone who wasn’t focusing on the same thing.

Thanks for that, Mom.

Another value my Mom help instill deep within me is, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Psalm 139:14. It was the first scripture I memorized, and I’ve known it since I was five years old. Psalm 139 is still one of my favorite Psalms. What girl doesn’t struggle with an identity crisis along the way? Or lacks confidence and has moments of weakness when it’s hard not to believe lies of worthlessness. I know that I can always go back to Psalm 139, the truth that tells me who I am and Who’s I am.

Thanks for that, Mom.

Approachable, Available, and a Listener. In my teenage years, especially in high school, that is how I saw my Mom. Maybe it was because she took me seriously and talked to me like I was mature (even though I wasn’t in so many ways). I knew that I could talk to her about anything. And I really appreciated that she let me do most of the talking. She listened so well, with few things to say in response to me. But when she did respond I could tell it was well thought out and reflecting wisdom from the Lord.

Thanks for that, Mom.

Bible Class Teacher. Teaching God’s Word to little ones was always a priority for her when we were growing up. I remember one time when I was in college and had gone home for a holiday or something and she and I went to a class at church where we were handed a Bible trivia questionnaire that was relevant to the lesson we were about to hear. I think my Mom was the only one who knew all the right answers. I remember her being surprised by that. But when you have spent 20 plus years in the Word, teaching it, then of course it is going to be written on your heart! Because of her example, I want to be the primary Bible teacher for my own kids.

Thanks for that, Mom.

Hospitality. Another value instilled by my Mom. Having people over was always a joyous thing. The presentation and how nice everything looked wasn’t ever the focus when we would be getting ready for company. I learned that it’s more important for your guests to be comfortable and feel like your home is a safe and welcoming place. My Mom truly finds pleasure in cooking for guests in her home. So much so, that I think it is a form of worship for her! She taught me a lot in the kitchen when I was growing up. It was like pulling teeth for me to be in there, though. (Sorry about that, Mom!) But now that I am 32 years old and have a family of my own, does it surprise you that I love to cook for people and desire for our house to be a place of peace?

Thanks for that, Mom.

Okay, one more thing. This one is just for fun. When I am my Mom’s age, I have hope that I will look as good as she does! She taught me the importance of taking care of your skin! Without even realizing her influence on me, I began to do the same thing in my early twenties and started taking skin care seriously. You can be sure that when I am her age you’ll be hearing me say,

Thanks for that, Mom.

I love you. Happy Birthday!

Mom and me with baby Jakob on my first Mother’s Day, 2006.

Mom and me. June 2011, our first furlough trip back to Texas.

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August 24, 2011-Our 9th Anniversary!

Posted by Stacy on August 24th, 2011 @ 6:00 am under Mission South America, Peru, Spiritual Thoughts, The Newest News

Chick flicks.

The wikipedia definition–Chick flick is a slang term for a film mainly dealing with love and romance designed to appeal to a female target audience. Although many types of films may be directed toward the female gender, “chick flick” is typically used only in reference to films that are heavy with emotion or contain themes that are relationship-based.

Yes, it’s true. I can almost always go for a good chick flick. I saw one recently and it got me thinking. What is it about these movies that draw us to them? “Us,” being girls, typically, as the definition says. Love, romance, relationship. Words that either make you sigh and bat your eyelashes, or sigh and make you crinkle up your nose.

This particular film that I saw stuck with me for a couple of days, so I couldn’t help but ask why. And I couldn’t help but write about it.

To me, this is one way a good chick flick can go: Boy likes girl. But girl initially rejects boy. Their paths continue to cross and eventually the girl decides to be friends with the boy. Despite her rejections and hardness of heart, the boy accepts the girl as she is, and he enjoys her company. He decides she is worth pursuing even if she does put up a fight. He believes in her, values her, adores her. All the while she is blind to this, because it is too hard for her to accept him for who he is, and also too hard for her to accept that she is who he sees her to be. She fights against his love for her. She fights against the love she feels for him. But the boy is patient, kind, forgiving. He is up for the challenge and continues to give her grace that she doesn’t deserve, because he can’t deny his heart. She is worth fighting for. But he endures another rejection and has to let her go. He knows she has to decide on her own that she is who he saw her to be all along. He knows that she has to believe on her own that he is the one she loves and the one that she is meant to love forever. When the veil is finally lifted from her heart then she goes to him and makes herself vulnerable like he had been with her all along. He could say many things in response to her, but he says the truth he can’t deny… “I love you. I never stopped loving you.”

Roll the credits. I take a great sigh, bat my eyelashes and imagine how they live happily ever after.

Then it’s back to reality, right? Well, I woke up the next morning after watching that movie and read my devotional thought for the day. From Sarah Young’s, Jesus Calling:

Come to Me. Come to Me. Come to Me. This is My continual invitation to you, proclaimed in holy whispers. When your heart and mind are quiet, you can hear Me inviting you to draw near. Coming close to Me requires no great effort on your part; it is more like ceasing to resist the magnetic pull of My Love. Open yourself to My loving Presence, so that I may fill you with My fullness. I want you to experience how wide and long and high and deep is My Love for you, so that you can know My Love that surpasses knowledge. This vast ocean of Love cannot be measured or explained, but it can be experienced. Rev. 22:17, John 6:37, Eph. 3:16-19.

Wow. So this is why I love chick-flicks so much! It’s true! It is the reality of how God pursues a love relationship with mankind! Girls, next time your man rolls his eyes at the mention of you wanting to go see another chick-flick, just reassure him that it’s the Godly thing to do!

Just kidding. Sort of.

No, really, though. The other reason why this particular chick-flick stuck with me is because it was all too familiar. You can substitute “boy” in that description above with “Wes,” and “girl” with “Stacy.”

Wes and I are celebrating 9 years of marriage! On August 24, 2002 I married the most amazing man. I married my best friend. I married the one I was waiting for–someone who would love God more than he would ever love me. I married Wes, took a great sigh, batted my eyelashes, and dreamed of how we would live happily ever after.

The Lord knows the kinds of trials we have been through over these last 9 years. And the kinds of trials that we went through before we even got married! Who ever said being in a committed relationship was easy? If you have been told that, then you have been straight up lied to. Happily ever after doesn’t mean perfectly easy. It means that even when times are tough you hold on tight to the promise that God will see you through that fire. And then you rejoice together, because you endured the flames and came out stronger, together. Closer, with a greater dependence on your Lord.

It was about 10 years ago when that veil was lifted from my eyes and I could finally see what was before me clearly. I began to realize that Wes has taught me more about God’s grace and unconditional love than anyone I’ve ever known. And since that day I am constantly given a picture, in the flesh, of what my relationship with God is like. What it was like. What it is supposed to be like. What it can be like. What it will be like with time. Who ever said being in a committed relationship with God was easy? If you have been told that, then you have been straight up lied to.

But maybe there is something you haven’t been told. Here it is again. What God says to you,

Coming close to Me requires no great effort on your part; it is more like ceasing to resist the magnetic pull of My Love. Open yourself to My loving Presence, so that I may fill you with My fullness. I want you to experience how wide and long and high and deep is My Love for you, so that you can know My Love that surpasses knowledge. This vast ocean of Love cannot be measured or explained, but it can be experienced.

It’s true. It can be experienced. God desires intimacy with us. A kind of intimacy that is even greater and stronger than the kind of intimacy between husband and wife. It can’t be explained. But it can be experienced.

Thank you, my Lord, and my God for pursing me even when I fight against the magnetic pull of Your love. Thank you for not giving up on me. And thank you, sweet Lord, for giving me Wes. I don’t deserve him, as I don’t deserve You. But I will praise You and thank You all the more!

Happy Anniversary, Wesley. I love you more and more each day. It is such a privilege to live this adventure with you. Thank you for loving our God even more than you’ll ever love me.

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Thoughts on reverse culture shock.

Posted by Stacy on August 23rd, 2011 @ 8:35 pm under Everything Derek, Lessons Learned, Mission South America, The Newest News

Our first couple of weeks back in Texas we were noticing some of the ways in which our thinking and experiences have changed since living in Lima, Peru for two years now. These are kind of random and in no particular order, but I thought it would be fun to share them.

When we walked out of the terminal after getting off the airplane in Houston we were asking, “Why is this hall space so BIG? They are actually driving large carts around inside the airport! There is SO MUCH space.”

“I can understand EVERYTHING that everyone around me is saying! And I can read what ALL the signs say!” ~ Stacy

When Wes got back from setting up our temporary phones he said, “I am an English speaking SUPERSTAR! I can do anything!”

At 8:30 PM (when our kids are normally in bed) it was still bright outside.

Again, there’s so much empty/extra space. Wes said, “What’s that over there? A park?” I answered, “No, actually it’s just land not being used for anything.”

After eating a meal using those blue and red hard plastic plates and cups I saw everyone start to throw them away. I thought, “What?! Why are we throwing these away? We can totally reuse these like at least 50 more times!” But I threw them away anyway, and strangely felt kind of guilty about it.

Derek was one year old when we arrived in Lima, so this was his first time in Texas where he was old enough to really differentiate his surroundings. Our second day in we were sitting at little restaurant and I saw him turn around in his chair and look around the room pensively. Then he said curiously, “Mommy. Everybody in here is speakin‘ Engwish.” It was really cute and I explained it was because we were in the U.S. and not Peru.

Everywhere we went seemed extra clean and extra fancy–the roads, the sides of the roads, the buildings, the houses, the insides of the houses, the stores, the restaurants, etc. The wealth of our country was so “in your face” and obvious.

In Texas, if you have 4 or 5 blocks distance to get somewhere, then you drive there. Walking there doesn’t even cross your mind. And there are no taxis or buses.

Beef. Lots and lots of yummy beef. This was not a shock, but it was still so amazingly good. At the end of our time there Wes said that he thinks Whataburger is still his first option if he wants a good burger (if you are on facebook, then you saw how that was his profile pic for most of our trip).

Hours and hours of driving on nearly perfectly paved and clean roads and highways.

Drivers that stay in their own lane, don’t honk all the time, stop at stop signs, and don’t turn left from the far right lane (or visa versa).

Rain! Even though Texas has been in its worst drought in like 40 years, we still saw more rain there than we have in our 2 years here in Lima…combined! We live in a desert region, people! Dew, we know. Mist we know. But rain–not here. The climate in Lima is like nothing you have ever experienced.

Mrs. Baird’s bread is soooooo soft.

Doing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen was a privilege. Love those dishwashers!

Sun. Sun, sun, and MORE sun! (It is cloudy and overcast in Lima for about 8 to 9 months out of the year.)

So, those were the things that stood out to us the most. It is really interesting how we learn to adapt to the different cultures that we experience. It has been such a wonderful, exhausting, fun, stressful, emotional, joyous, difficult, and amazing adventure that we have been on! We have so many things to be thankful for and we are so often reminded of how important it is to have a loving friendship with our Jesus. When everything around you is changing, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

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What happened on July 3rd? Derek’s 3rd Birthday!

Posted by Stacy on August 22nd, 2011 @ 9:09 pm under Everything Derek, Parenting, The Newest News

Pretty much off and on since March when we had Jake’s Batman Birthday Party, Derek was sure to remind me that he he wanted a Superman party for his birthday. Well, that is what we had and it was really special, because we got to have it in Texas with our families!

Since we drove into College Station from Levelland the day before the party (a mere 9 hour drive), Grammy was a lifesaver and made the cake ahead of time for me. All I had to do was the most fun part and decorate the cake to be the Superman cake Derek has been dreaming of for the past four months!

The look on his face when we sang “Happy Birthday” was priceless. He was so cute and proud of himself for turning 3!

We had pizza, cake and ice cream. Then we played with his new presents for a while and to get a break from the 4th of July weekend heat, we went over to Grand Station to play glow in the dark mini golf and video games. Fun times! Such a special day for a special little boy! We love you so much, Derek!