No regrets!!!

"I want to live a life that's worthy of Your calling.  Remove the things which hinder me from loving You because I don't want regret upon the day I stand before You.  May I be found a pure and spotless bride."

How does one live a life of no regrets?  In preparing to head to India, I was encouraged to make sure I can leave with no regrets which reminds me of this song.  I want to be found faithful when I stand before the Lord, but am guilty of "checking out" and simply coasting through life.  Sometimes it seems so much easier to bury my head in the sand, but then I kick myself for time wasted.  I want to live every day in such a way that I will have no regrets when I see the Lord.  Yet I so often give in to my weaknesses.  I'm praying for strength to live out my desire to please Him in each of my daily choices! 
"Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep;...put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts." Romans 13:11, 14

Day 8: Homeward bound

  

The good-byes on the dock were SO hard!!!  Several of the kids were there to see us off.  We missed the first plane out so didn't leave Guanaja until after 9am.  We had a bit of a layover in Roatan, but not long enough to get out and do anything by the time we got our bags checked in.  We ended up circling outside of Houston for a bit since the airport was shut down because of bad weather.  After we had dinner, it looked like our flight to Austin had been delayed about an hour, but as we settled into a game of UNO at our gate, we found out from some other passengers that it would still be on time.  We were a tad late boarding, but we made good time and was on the ground in Austin right around 9pm.  But we were a couple bags short and had to wait a little while for the next plane to get in.  By the time everyone got dropped off and I walked into my room it was almost midnight.  It was a great week and I look forward to returning to Honduras again!!!

Good-bye friends

Good-bye Honduras

  

Welcome home

       

Day 7: Last day in Honduras

Sunday arrived way too fast!  We had time first thing in the morning with the Xtreme Disciples group and took time to pray over each child individually before lining up for fire tunnels.  First the team stood in two lines while the children of Abundant Life walked through so we could lay hands on and pray for them.  Then they lined up to lay hands on and pray for us!!!  It was awesome!  After service, we went to Mangrove Bight for lunch at the Shade Tree Restaurant owned by our chef for the week!  He had quite a spread prepared for us!!!  It was wonderful and the ambiance of the place was perfect.  We got back in time to go "bathing" (their word for swimming) with the kids before it was time to say good night.  We had a team meeting to pray over Jim and Julie before packing to head home. 

Abundant Life Community Church

Fire Tunnels

Lunch

  

  

Bathing

Day 6: Blessing of some R&R

Woke up in the cool air conditioned room early enough to realize the sun was rising, but went right back to sleep for a couple more hours.  Was able to eat a little more at breakfast and then headed out to THE spot where I napped in a hammock with worship music on my iPod in one ear and the sound of the ocean waves in the other.  I spent the morning out there enjoying the peaceful beauty with friends coming and going from time to time.  We all ate lunch together and I enjoyed every bite of my fish fingers & fries!  After lunch, a young man from Savannah Bight that had been with us all week took me over to the next little island on a sea kayak where we walked around looking at/for sea shells, swimming in a beautiful spot and watching a couple of the guys heading out for some more fly fishing.  We decided to kayak out past the barriers to ride the waves a little bit so we went back to Graham's for another paddle for me to help row.  It was hard work but well worth it!  And it was just a reminder of God's goodness to me as the last time I was in Honduras, I would not have been able to do that with the pain in my shoulders!!!  Then several of us went swimming again off one of the docks and passed around a starfish found nearby.  While we were waiting for the fishermen to come back in, we congregated at THE spot and I enjoyed some time sitting in the waves!  We played UNO while we waited for our boat ride home and headed back to Savannah for movie night with some of the older boys.  What a fun day!!! 

Good food

Good fun

Good views

Day 5: From torture to paradise

Friday morning, the team got the chance to pray over Jim and Julie's "Burning Ones" group, the children they've been discipling for quite a while.  Chris and I left early Friday morning to catch the ferry to the Cay for my dentist appointment.  The dentist was late so we were able to go to Ms. Lily's for breakfast where we had "Pastelitos con huevos y queso" that Chris asked her to try making for us.  It was so good and I was very thankful for a good meal since I didn't get to eat again until late that night.  As soon as we got into the dentist's office, I took the muscle relaxer so that my jaw would not be so uncomfortable for all the work she was going to be doing.  She found some more teeth that needed attention so put off some of what she had planned to do until another time to deal with the ones that were most likely to cause problems.  The last thing she did was pull my wisdom tooth which she fought hard to get out without having to cut me.  It finally gave and amazingly enough, I did not swell or bruise from the battle!  The numbness lasted until after everyone else had finished lunch and ibuprofen/tylenol was enough to deal with the soreness that replaced the tingles.  After lunch, we packed up and headed to Graham's Place for the night!  Graham's is a resort on a little cay not far from Savannah that is absolutely beautiful.  After getting into our air conditioned rooms, I walked around with my friend until we found THE spot to be in!!!  Across a little wooden "bridge" they've put up a shaded area with two hammocks that are on the barrier rocks where the waves come crashing in.  Chilling in the breeze with the sound of the waves, I napped for about an hour.  I woke up pretty hungry and headed back to the room.  I laid on my bed in front of the air conditioner and ended up sleeping again for about an hour and a half.  I had a rough time trying to eat my wonderful fish fingers that night so didn't get much down.  We had a time of worship and sharing on the beach and then I went to bed where I slept great!  A great way to end a rough day!!!

Off to see the wizard

Breakfast before dentist

Time to relax

Beach side worship