Tell me a story

 Martha and Ian love reading books!  We are slowing but surely building our library!  This summer, we have been borrowing books from the Efata Library.  Most of the books are in Spanish, but it doesn't matter to them!  And it's been good for me, as I read them in Spanish, or translate them into English while I read them to the kids!

Martha has been asking me lately to "Tell me a story, Mommy."  So, I've been telling her stories of "A Little Girl I Used To Know."  Sometimes I'll tell her that the little girl was me, and sometimes I don't (but all those stories are from my childhood).  Recently I told her about the "Little Girl" who used to ride on her Daddy's shoulders, but she would put her hands over her Daddy's eyes as they walked!  Martha thought that was pretty funny!  Last night, she wanted to sit on Daddy's shoulders, so when I walked into the living room - this is what I saw!  She had to be reminded not to put her hands over Daddy's eyes - like that "Little Girl"!
 Last night I spent some time "rejuvenating" books!
  The kids have a couple of books that they love, but were starting to come apart.  The Lord gave me the wonderful idea of "Rejuvenating"!  I carefully took the pages out of both of the books and put the pages into plastic page protectors.  Then I put all the pages into a
notebook (3/2 ring binder).  Now the books will last them twice as long!  Before we moved to Peru, I had taken my Dad's old National Geographic magazines and made picture books for each of the kids from the pictures of animals and places that were in the magazines.  I used the same method with those books and they loved them!  Those books kept the kids occupied for hours!
Ian especially loves these books, and since he is still learning to be careful and gentle with books - these are much sturdier for him!  I am thinking I will try to do this with other books in the future - as
they wear out - that way we'll get the most use out of them!  And I can just add to the binder I already have until it gets full, then get another binder!  Praise the Lord for God-given inspiration!
Quite some time ago, I mentioned that I was working on translating Evidence Not Seen into Spanish.  I am still working on it.  Yesterday I finished Chapter 3 and today I am hoping to find time to finish Chapter 4 (it's a short chapter).  I am so thankful for all the help and wisdom the Lord has given me as I work on this project.  This is one of my favorite books, and to read it again as I translate it - word by word, line by line, paragraph by paragraph, the Lord has taught me so much!  Praise the Lord for the Godly examples who have gone before us!

My Cup Runneth Over!!

   I have been thinking this week how appropriate the name the Lord gave me for my blog is - "My Cup Runneth Over..."  This week, my cup runneth over - with all kinds of things!  Let me explain....
   Do you ever have one of those weeks where everything seems to go right, and everything seems to go wrong - all at once?  It has been my experience that the going wrong side usually happens because the devil is unhappy about the going right side of things!
   As some of you may know, we go to an area of Lima every Sunday called Callao.  We are helping with a Deaf Mission Church there.  The Lord has been opening all kinds of doors for us, and this past Sunday, "Our cups ran over"!  Including our family and Frank, the Deaf man who goes with us to Callao, we had 13 in church this past Sunday!  And the blessings keep coming!  I have written down the whole story on our Family Website Blog: www.perudeafmissions.com/blog if you would like to read it.
   Well, you know the devil isn't very happy right now - HA! HA! and I'm glad.  Glad?!?!  Yes, glad.  Because when the devil is mad (even though it means problems), it means the Lord is pleased, and that's what I want - to please the Lord!  I have learned that the devil's anger shows itself in many different ways, and never in the way you expect it.  This time, he chose to try one of his favorite weapons - discouragement.  And I had pretty much given in - sad to say!  My cup was running over, but I wasn't letting it run over with my "Whatsoever List" from Philippians 4:8-9!
   The Lord has laid a burden on my heart for quite some time about the need for good books - missionary biographies in particular - translated into Spanish.  One of my favorite books is Evidence Not Seen.  I had asked several people, including the Pastor who is the "caretaker" of her book, and everyone told me the same thing - "There is no Evidence Not Seen in Spanish."  How my heart was saddened at the thought of the Spanish-speaking world missing out on so great a treasure!  Even as I felt the Lord nudging me to translate Darlene's book, the doubts came flooding in.  It doesn't matter what the Enemy said, suffice it to say he said it, and I listened.  But I was excited and I started in with this project!  Yesterday was a particularly difficult day with our language studies, and I was in despair!  But our Lord is so faithful to bring encouragement along at the right moment!  Yesterday was no exception, and He used our language teacher to give me the "Pep Talk" I needed.  My cup was running over again - this time WITH my "Whatsoever List."
   Yesterday I was ready to give up on my God-given project, believing the Enemy's lies of being unqualified, how full of arrogance and pride I must be to take on a project like this, and all the other reasons he laid at my feet for why I should not continue.  But today, I take up my pen and persevere - knowing 100% that this project is from the Lord, and He will enable me to do the task He has given me!  Please pray with me and for me concerning this project!  I don't know how it is all going to come out in the end, but I know the Lord's hand is in it, and the end will be wonderful!
Truly, MY CUP RUNNETH OVER.....!!!