Smile...by Lucy

Joanna finally convinced me I needed to join Facebook about a month ago. It has been great to reconnect with old friends, and finding out what is going on in their lives. When you get on the site, there is a space for you to write a comment. People share what is happening in their lives, a special song or quote, a Bible verse, a question, a request for prayer, or anything they want.

I have a calendar that lists daily 10 things to be happy about. Monday I chose a few of those to share on Facebook. A few I chose were potluck dinners, explosive laughter, and howling at the moon! I got responses from others who shared things that made them smile. A few were holding hands, planting a garden, spending time with family, and bubbles. Are you smiling yet?

Last night we had our weekly youth group with Aaron, Joanna, Martita, Angie, and Diana. We asked them to share something that made them smile yesterday. Diana said her new puppy (Did you know that she has a new puppy?). Aaron, Joanna, and I were all smiles when Mark and Victor brought home beds for us (We have been sleeping on mattresses on the floor since mid-March when my family came to visit, sharing our beds with the occasional cricket and spider!). Mark said he smiled when he saw our smiles. Martita smiled because she bought a gift for someone special, and Angie (and Martita and Diana) all laughed hysterically when Julie fell on the floor at lunch when her chair broke (I have refused to sit in that chair ever since we got here!)! Julie laughed too, so all is well. It's okay to laugh with someone!

So what made you smile today? There are a hundred plus things here at Refuge Ranch that would make you smile....
When it's Danny's turn to pray and he shouts "Amen!" at the end, or when he yells,"Mark!" when he wants to play
When Caleb gets his schoolwork done after wiggling all over his chair
When Ana asks one more time if we are going to have a pinata today, or serenades us at the dinner table
When Josiah works on his "house" and shows you his handywork that he is so proud of
When Joanna has a successful art lesson (They all finished their weavings yesterday!)
When Aaron changes Danny's diaper or works out with Josiah or teases the girls
When Rosa is busy cooking a huge meal for all of us and tries to get us to drink none (pronounced nonae) juice because it is good for us (It smells horrible and maybe tastes the same!)
When Magda is sorting through a hundred mismatched socks or sneaking me a piece of chocolate
When Joce successfully completes her cursive writing assignment with no help
When Martha gets 100% on a test
When Angie forgives her sister for washing her pretty white skirt with a blue dress
When Cirino brings me a kitten to hold
When Lolis smiles at me even though she has no idea what I just said
When Fidel teases Mark, saying "Feliz Navidad" or "Feliz Complianos" in the morning
When Ruth runs to the school for our class even though it doesn't start for another hour
When Martita jokes around with Aaron like a big brother
When Diana helps us by interpreting, or finds one more creature that needs her care
When Bernabe uses his English that he is learning in school or tries writing his name
When Julie plays the piano just for fun
When Victor shares a crusade story
When Erika shares a prayer concern for me or thanks me for being her teacher
When Berenice lifts her arms up to me to be held
When Mark uses 25 spoons he pulled from the trash to make a point in chapel, or when he holds me at night, and says, "Can you believe God called us to this? Can you believe we're really here doing his work in Mexico?"

All of these things make me smile. That is a pretty big list God has blessed me with. What is on your list? Believe me, once you start making one, you don't want to stop. So don't! Keep praising the One who blesses us beyond all we could ask or imagine!

Here are some pictures of things that make me smile...












"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurable more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen!" Ephesians 3:20-21