Thank Heavens I Learned English as a Child

This was given to us by one of our professors a couple of weeks ago after our class complained about how difficult Spanish is. Our class was sufficiently humbled! : )

Reasons why the English language is so hard to learn:
1. The bandage was wound around the wound.
2. The farm was used to produce produce.
3. The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4. We must polish the Polish furniture.
5. He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6. The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7. Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.
8. A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
9. When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10. I did not object to the object.
11. The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
12. There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
13. They were too close to the door to close it.
14. The buck does funny things when the does are present.
15. A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
16. To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
17. The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
18. Upon seeing the tear in the painting, I shed a tear.
19. I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
20. How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

Let's face it--English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins weren't invented in England nor French fries in France. Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat.

We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea, nor is it a pig. And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth beeth?

One goose, two geese. So one moose, 2 meese? One index, 2 indices? Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend? If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of it all but one of them, what do you call it?

If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? Sometimes I think all the English speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane. In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital?

Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell? How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out and in which an alarm goes off by going on.

English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race (which of course isn't a race at all). That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.

How about when you want to shut down your computer you have to hit start?

---By Sermon Fodder and Joke a Day Ministries

Guilt

Guilt, guilt, guilt. Did I mention guilt. You know the heavy, oppressive, taking a breath requires effort, guilt. The kind of guilt that weighs you down like wearing a hundred pounds of wet clothes. Guilt in the morning, guilt in the afternoon, guilt in the evening and especially guilt when you lay down to go to sleep at night. ...Black... dark... guilt. The kind of guilt that comes from doing something wrong or as in my case of not doing something right that you should have done. Some of you probably can relate to what I am talking about and some of you fortunately have no idea of what I am talking about.

Guilt is what I have been feeling for the last 3 weeks since my oldest son Trey injured his left knee on a water slide at the Arenal Volcano. You see, I had sensed that the water was too shallow for him to go down that particular water slide. That slide was for smaller or lighter weight kids like my 5 and 8 year old boys. But he went down the slide and everything was OK so I did not say anything. That I should warn him was not at the front of my mind but like a little whisper in the back of my mind and I ignored it. Later, as teenagers are apt to do, Trey did something different and went down on his stomach, feet first. He knifed through the water and landed with his weight on his left knee tearing the medial meniscus (cartilage).

As the man of the family I have a God given responsibility to be the leader and protector of my family. But, ... I did not protect Trey. I did not speak up and because of that he has been limping for three weeks and probably will need surgery over our Christmas break back home in South Carolina. Because of my guilt, living with me has caused Dawn a fair amount of anguish. I know that God has forgiven me because I asked Him to and He is faithful to forgive our sins when we ask Him to. Trey has forgiven me and really he did not hold me responsible but said it really was his fault. The reason I feel guilty is that I have not been able to forgive myself for my lack of action.

I thank God for a godly wife who can set me straight. Dawn reminded me that God is sovereign and nothing will happen outside of His will. That is not to say that God caused Trey's injury but He allowed it. Who knows what other injuries were prevented by this injury. I thank God Trey did not go down the slide head first and break his neck. Trey may also have had a worse injury by going scuba diving this weekend which he now cannot do. We are thankful that none of the kids have been hit by a car and hopefully/prayerfully will not be. We also have been praying as a family for Trey and learning to trust the Lord for Trey's protection. It is a sin for me not to forgive myself but it is still a hard thing for me to do. With Dawn's help I have managed to forgive ME and my guilt is vanishing poco a poco or little by little. It really is just a matter of making a decision to trust God!

To God be the glory!!!

Pura Vida. . .

There is a saying here in Costa Rica, "Pura Vida." It means "pure life." We've been told it's really only said in Costa Rica, it's sort of a national motto. We've heard it everywhere here--from taxi drivers, locals on the street, venders, and some of our teachers say it. It's usually in a harried moment, when you are asking directions, or feel a little stressed about something, or are thanking someone for something, or you're apologizing for something. You see this huge smile light up their faces and then they say, "Pura Vida." Like all is well, no problem, no worries.

This morning, it hit me that this is what I have. My life in Christ is pura vida. Being a wife to Tully and a mom to seven precious children is pura vida. Our life here and this opportunity to study and learn to share with others the good news of Christ is pura vida. The hilariousness that God would call a couple who are all set with their children and life in America to a foreign country for His Name's sake is pura vida. It's good stuff. I love it!

We need to start our walk to school between 7:00 and 7:15 am.

This morning, 6:35 am--I'm showered, dressed, have done the girls' hair, and am helping Luke, Timothy, and Trey review their espanol for a huge test today and tomorrow (today is oral, tomorrow written). They only have two exams in their Spanish classes, these at midterm, and the final in December.

As they are eating breakfast, I'm picking up dirty clothes and taking them to the laundry room, straightening up, answering questions, taking lunches to the stroller--this is a job because the girls tend to want to go and get stuff out if we put them in the stroller one second too soon. Then we have to go around and look for wherever they left it or replace what got eaten.

Dawn: "Okay, Luke, what is "to sing?" Elijah, did you get your blanket and put it in your backpack?"

Trey: "Cantar."

Dawn to Trey: "Are you Luke? I asked Luke. Luke, what is "to go down?"

Elijah: "Yes, ma'am." (from somewhere way off--it occurs to me that I haven't seen him in the last few minutes to make sure he's dressed and has shoes.)

Dawn: "Elijah, have you dressed and brushed your teeth?"

Luke: "Bejar."

Timothy: "No, that's something else, it's subrir."

Dawn to Timothy: "Are you Luke? Subrir is to go up, BAjar is to go down."

Luke: "Okay, ask me another one."

Dawn: "Okay, count by 10s to 60 for me. Did everyone get their water bottles and umbrellas?

Skip to 6:55--

Dawn: "Tully, should I call for a taxi?" (for Trey to get to school with his hurt knee.) Meanwhile, the girls come in, one with shirt and no pants, the other with pants and no shirt, one with shoes, the other without, but they've had breakfast already. Yay!

I called for the taxi--it was pouring rain, so everyone else in San Jose was ALSO calling for a taxi--no answer there. A few minutes later, thank you, Lord, the rain let up, and Tully started off with Trey, Elijah, and Luke, walking towards school to get a taxi. (One of the boys' friend's mom picked them up before they got very far.)

I got the girls completely dressed and loaded into the stroller, with the rain cover on it, and . . .

7:15 a.m. off we went for another day of language school.

Pura Vida!

Dia de Cultura--Oct. 10, 2008

Yesterday was Culture Day at Sojourn Academy, the children's school that is affiliated with our school. Various age groups had special presentations of countries they had studied. It was a lot of fun!

Prayers

When we were at Volcan Arenal weekend before last, Trey hurt his knee in a pool. We learned yesterday that he has a small tear in the cartilage. Please pray for Trey, that his knee will heal on its own without surgery. Please pray for us, as well, specifically for the logistics of getting him to and from school (a ten minute walk) with no car. Fellow missionaries with BMDMI, Lori and Dwyndl Nelms, have had access to a car this past month and have graciously picked Trey up each morning for the last week and driven him to school. We've taken taxis back home most days. Believe me when I say that although Trey has had some pain, he is enjoying milking it--he assured me tonight that pizza would made his knee heal faster. I told him, "Manana." Tomorrow. Friday night is pizza night for our family.

On another note, Courtenay Folk (who is a member of my brother and sister-in-law's church--Mt. Moriah Baptist Church in Powdersville) and I learned yesterday that we are being moved to a higher level group of classes beginning Monday. Please pray for us as we make this transition. I absolutely love my current teachers and our current classes, and feel very sad about leaving them, but am also excited about the new opportunity. After so much time together, our classes have bonded, as I'm sure the classes are that we will be entering. We also leave behind a fellow student who wants to be moved up but is not going to be able to and several others who are moving down, all of which are stressful situations.

Please pray for grace in the transition, and for God's peace for all of us as we continue on in our learning.

Fonetica and Psalm 1

Last week, we were tested on the pronunciation and intonation of our reading of Psalm 1. Believe it or not, it took days to get it even close to sounding like accurate espanol! I scanned a copy of my notes so that you can see what we've been doing. We were also tested on a list of words that are difficult to pronounce (for English speakers). The way they run their words together is very much like English, but the accents in words are almost musical in their rhythm--very unlike English. This is what we learn in fonetica--pronunciation, intonation, the rise and fall of one's voice in asking questions and in making statements, which words are accented--verbs, not titles, not the masculine or feminine identifiers, which syllables get 1 1/2 beats as opposed to 1 beat, how to tell which words get a tilde (the little accent mark). At test-time in this class, we are called in individually with only our professor to demonstrate what we have learned. It's a little unnerving. : )

Anyway, I am so thankful that we are able to study and learn in a Christian institution. Although we speak two different languages, we are united there in our passion for the words of the Bible. And I love Psalm 1. And I made a 99!

Various thoughts and pictures

Dawn wrote about our visit to the church at Los Guido and I wanted to add some pictures that I took.











These pictures are from the fence around the little church. One is outside looking in and the second is inside looking out. Staying behind fences and razor wire is pretty much just a way of life here. You get used to it pretty quickly.





This room is where about 20 kids of all ages had Sunday School.







Pastor Gabriel is originally from Chile and is a missionary to Costa Rica.



One thing that seems strange is the way the streets get quiet after dark. It gets dark at 6pm. The streets are bustling with activity during the day but due to the crime, just 30-45 minutes after dark they are deserted like a ghost town. It is an erie feeling. The other night I had to walk to a grocery store after dark because we had to have some food for the next day. It is really weird to have to ask your 13 year old to walk with you because there is "safety in numbers."


Today in my quiet time I was reading from the Gospel of John ch5. In verse 22 it says "For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son,." It really struck me that Jesus will judge everyone. I would not want to put my trust in other faiths if I knew that one day Jesus will judge me. There is only one Judge and only one Savior--Jesus Christ!!! And only one way to heaven---through Jesus.

Volcan Arenal

An evening glimpse of lava--


Timothy on the zip line




Things we enjoyed last weekend:

Not peering at the world from behind bars and fences for a couple of days

Hot AND hard showers--our widowmakers run either hot and soft, or cold and hard, but mostly vascillate between the two, and never hot and hard at the same time.

The scenery--God's creation in a whole new way. He could have stopped at mountains, but He made volcanoes, too! For His glory!

An alligator farm

Turning on the hot water faucet and having two wonderful things happen: water came out and it was hot!

A butterfly garden

Ziplining through the treetops of a tropical rainforest. There were 12 lines, one 500 meters long! Even got to see a honey beehive up close and personal! WOW!

Seeing the lava flow at night

Grass just a few feet outside our door

Waking to a beautiful view of the volcano in the morning

Geckos and lizards, and even a few lazy sunbathing snakes--our boys were loving it!

Hot pools--fed from springs near the volcano

Awesome slides going into the pools!

Cheeseburgers and fries--Hmmm. . .not like Fuddrucker's, but not too bad after six weeks without them!

Realizing that our standards are evolving here. We shared our restaurant floor with a few ants, and it was okay. Critters are a huge problem here, enough said.

All in all it was a phenomenal weekend, just what we needed!

The Church at Los Guido

A street festival going on as we left the neighborhood


Dwyndl and Lori Nelms and boys--fellow BMDMI missionaries with us. Dwyndl is working closely with Pastor Gabriel to coordinate the baptism of 30 people in the church.


Pastor Gabriel--he and his family have served in missions in Argentina and Chile as well.



Looking out from the front of the store where the church meets


Precious 6 week old baby, with mom (15 years old) looking on.




Elijah and Molly at the store where the church meets. The children meet for a children's church in one room.



There are sights here that are very difficult for me to give an accurate description of in words. One of those is the neighborhood of Los Guido. As you wind your way into the neighborhood, the trash begins to get thicker on the street, more and more grafitti appears on the buildings you pass, the paint appears duller, dirtier, the buildings dilapidated. The people look sadder, more fearful, and dirtier. And then, just beyond the trees and bushes, an enormous hole opens up as you drive along. You catch a peek of the rooftops of shacks and shanties upon more shacks and shanties. The poverty makes a knot form in your throat. People dump trash in the hole, and others, thousands of souls, live at the bottom of that hole amongst the trash, living their day-to-day lives.
A large concentration of Nicaraguans live in Los Guido. They have come to Costa Rica for a better life, and some have found the greatest thing of all: Jesus Christ. The only thing is that, in Costa Rica, generally speaking of course, Nicaraguans are the minority. Some churches have not welcomed these new believers in and discipled them, because of their nationality. It is to this area that Pastor Gabriel and his family have been called. They have started a church in Los Guido, and my family had the immense pleasure of worshipping with them two Sundays ago. Pastor Gabriel is renting space currently for his church in a storefront in Los Guido, but would like to have a permanent location, of course. Currently, around 30 people are awaiting baptism. A fellow missionary with our sending agency has preached at Los Guido and is arranging transportation and lunch for the ones who will be baptized to a pool nearby for the occasion.
An organization had contacted Pastor Gabriel the week before we were there and told him that they would give him 75% of the money and labor to build the church if he and his church could provide the other 25%. Praise God! There is one small problem, however, well, small for God. . .Pastor Gabriel and his church don't have any land nor the money to pay for a permanent location. As a church, we prayed about that with him. His enthusiasm is contagious, and we left with excitement to watch and wait to see what the Lord is going to do!