'Bucket List' Scratch off

The past month I was able to knock 2 things off my bucket list!!  One I did and didn't realize until a week later and the other was planned.  

The school took two trips that I was very thankful to go on.  I love getting out of the city!!

One of the trips was to Poas Volcano, an active stratovolcano.  Here, I checked off "seeing an active volcano". (This was the item I checked off without realization.)

We left early to arrive with time to see the volcano before the clouds covered.  The view was quite spectacular!! 

The view to the left of the volcano.  The clouds were just starting to move in.

The view to the right.

Last weekend's trip took us into the mountains.  It rained the majority of the day.  It didn't dampen my spirits one bit.  The rain smelled wonderful!!  Where one of my activities was zip lining. 

I've never gone zip lining before. Unless you count the 10ft line that us neighborhood kids attached to trees in someone yard 'back in the day'.  It's amazing none of us hurt ourselves on it - climbing a pallet to get to the rope and flinging ourselves down the line into a tree.  Yeah, I don't think that counts at all as zip lining.

When I knew that I was coming to Costa Rica for language school, I added 'zip lining in Costa Rica' to my list.  

The zip lining adventure took us on 9 lines (it would have been 12, but I was also horse-back riding that day....a tale for another day) through the jungle canopy.....in the aforementioned rain.....which we were told makes you go faster on the lines.  I wasn't really scared, perhaps a bit nervous, but I was ready to go. 

Once I landed on the first platform after the first line, I admit I was a bit shaky, but smiling!  I can't quite put this whole experience into words.  There's nothing quite like soaring over the jungle canopy.  I do admit, on one of the lines I did some praying....out loud. 

You see, I was sent off a little too early and was headed for a platform that my friend, Krista, just arrived on and she wasn't even unhooked yet....and I was nearly there.  So, I did what seemed rational, slowed down to stop just at the platform and not hit her.  Well, the thing is, I stopped too short.....like 4 or 5 feet short.  A second of panic rushed over me, "What do I do?" So, I had to pull myself to the platform, praying....because I am afraid of heights.  (I know can you believe it? I'm zip lining in the canopy and am afraid of heights.  Something doesn't seem right with that.  *shrug shoulders* But I wasn't afraid while flying down the lines.)     

The final line was the longest and THE BEST of them all!!  It was incredible zipping over a raging river below, coming out of the jungle into the 'wide open world', while feeling rain beating down on you. 

About half-way through the line. 

  getting closer towards the end

So, would I go again if I had the chance?  Absolutely!!!  

A Bit of My Heart

Life lately has been overwhelming.  I attribute most of that do my brain rejecting the language I really want to love.  I want to learn and speak Spanish well, but oh, how I struggle.  

I've been in Costa Rica for 6 months and 6 days.  I can hardly wrap my mind around that.  What blows my mind even more is knowing that in less than 5 1/2 months I will be done with language school.  And in 6 months I'll be in Ecuador.  

Ecuador.  Although I pray for the ministry in Ecuador every day, I have a hard time picturing myself there.  It's kind of painful for me to admit this, but I haven't been excited about living in Guayaquil.  Not exactly sure why, but that's the truth.  Please don't understand that to mean I haven't wanted to go.  I have.  I've been content in knowing I am going to Guayaquil because it is apart of God's plan.  Content.  Not necessarily excited......

Until this week.

My dear friends and fellow missionaries to Guayaquil, arrived on the field this past Monday evening.  On one of their days searching for housing, they were taken to the new community where we're going to help plant a church and saw lots of children running around.  

Seeing children running around can bring a smile to anyone's face.  But me just hearing about this through email, brought a huge smile to my heart and instant joy. The image of kids running around this community has been cemented in my mind for days.  

And today I can honestly say, I can't wait to get to Ecuador to see the faces of those children.  To see their smiles and bright brown eyes.  To hear them laugh and yes, even cry.  I can't wait to hug and love on them.  To sit with them and tell them stories.   

It makes my heart ache a bit knowing that I have to wait to see these kids.  But it's a good kind of ache.  It's one that reminds me of God's purpose for my life.  It'll definitely be a drive on the hard Spanish days, because it's important they these kids hear about Jesus' love in their heart language.   They are why I need to learn Spanish.  

Jesus loves those children so much.  And He's placing within me a love for them as well.  Children I don't even know.  But I think that's what makes God so beautifully mysterious.  

In Matthew 19:14 Jesus said, "Let the children come to me.  Don't stop them!  For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these."  

Those very words echo in my heart.  

God, let the children come to me.  I want to share Your love with them.