Blessings Beyond Measure

If there were a type of barometer or thermometer to measure one's blessings, ours certainly would have blown out its top!

• We know, love and serve a living God who has provided eternal salvation through the death and resurrection of His One and Only Son Jesus Christ and who has stamped our lives with GRACE!
• Not a day goes by that our Heavenly Father does not provide for all of our needs!
• God has called us to serve Him not because we are capable but because He is, well, God! ("Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God." 2 Corinthians 3:5)
• He has given us family (our marriage, 18 incredibly beautiful and marvelous children, extended family), a wonderful local church, faithful friends and....YOU!
• He has showered upon us the amazing opportunity to see lives transformed on a daily basis (albeit a slow transformation at times:-) and individuals come into the light of knowing Jesus Christ

 However, there are times that those blessings become more tangible than others.  The last two weeks for our family was one of those "tangible blessing" times because we had the opportunity to hug, play with and talk to some of those blessings!  Huh?!  Let me explain!

This year my parents (Julie's parents) will be celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary!  There are not words enough, even if you combine the English and Spanish languages, to express my gratitude to God, and to them, for those years!  The older I become (my kids would say that I am old already, I continue to believe I am young!) the more I realize the impact on my life of the solid foundation that my parents provided for my brother and I, not only in our faith in God, but by providing a home where that faith was lived out in a real way everyday.  I cannot describe the richness of the gift for my own children now of having not only parents, but grandparents committed to life-long marriage and, not just marriage, but life-long love, after every single one of them (other than our three biological children) have come from broken homes.  (Broken is not a strong enough adjective to describe their past family situations!)  Dad and Mom/Grandpa and Grandma, through their marriage, their love and the incredible way they love all of their grandchildren (adopted and biological) has enriched and strengthened our family and ministry in ways, once again, beyond measure!

As any mother knows, she is never happier than when all of her children are together!  In our family, that only includes my brother and I, but even with only two of us in the mix times together have been few and far between!  In fact, the last time that our entire family was together was 5 years ago!  God, in His incredible mercy and love, gave the good gifts (Matthew 7:11; James 1:17) to make it possible for my parents to provide our family (the Zaragoza family) and my brother's family with an all-expense-paid vacation to Zihuatanejo, Guerrero so that we could all be together to celebrate their anniversary!

We returned this past Saturday from an incredible time together - the 20 Zaragozas, my parents and my brother with his wife and two kids!  Therefore, we got to hug, play with and talk to some of the richest blessings in our life....family!  ("God sets the lonely in families."  Psalm 68:6)


I could write and write and write about all we experienced, the ways in which God met us, and the renewed spirit with which we have returned to Refuge Ranch and the ministry at hand, but my prayer is that the following pictures would serve as conduits straight to your heart of the love, mercy, joy, and Living Water that was poured into our hearts during these days.  To God be the glory!

 The ENTIRE family!  Praise God!

 Cozy Cousin Time!

 

 Two of our boys basking in time with their uncle!  (They have never had an uncle before!)

  

Victor and I and nine of the kids (9 of the youngest) on an early morning crab hunt!

If you have ever been to Refuge Ranch you will know that one of your biggest challenges will be trying to get a picture of Fidel's face (he hates getting his picture taken)!  An even bigger challenge is trying to get a picture of Fidel's face smiling!  (Culturally people in Mexico are taught not to smile for pictures.)  But, praise the Lord, we have found a way to get a smiling picture of Fidel!  Take him Deep Sea Fishing!  My brother blessed Victor and several of our kids with a 1/2 day fishing trip!  Incredible!

Fun in the pool!

Cousins playing together!  It is the picture of the old Sandy Patti song:  "Love in Any Language".  My brother did a great job prepping his son with some basic Spanish, but, besides that, playing cars can be done in any language, any culture and any country.  It is not "culture specific", it's just a boy thing!

What a precious gift...time with my Dad (and, of course my Mom...who is taking the picture!)..and my kids!  (Oh, and don't forget the cup of Starbucks coffee!  Dad continues to put his best foot forward in getting me to stop drinking the "instant stuff" and switch to "true coffee." :-)

Victor and I with a few of the kids enjoying time building with the sand on the beach.

Thank you, Jesus, thank you Dad and Mom and thank you, Grandma Claassen!