Friendship Day

Today is DÍA DEL AMIGO. Friend's day or Friendship Day. In Paraguay, July 30 is one of the biggest and happiest days of the year...made especially to congratulate and encourage friends.
This morning on our way to school at 6:15 am, there were people already out with fresh flowers selling for a $1. The stores last night were FILLED with people buying last minute trinckets for todays festivities. You may be included in about 3 or 4 gift exchanges and are expected to bring a small gift. "Friends" show up from just about everywhere with cute little dollar bargains. I have learned to carry a bag of gifts around...for all my friends. Sometimes you become embarrased when "your friend" hands you a gift and you did not prepare one for them! Last night I made 34 little chocolates with handwritten notes of thanks and appreciation to our whole staff at school. I also prepared special baggies of goodies for my "friends" that need/expect a gift also.
Friendship Day, Gift Day, Appreciation Day...something similar to Valentine's Day, maybe, in the States. So....to all my FRIENDS...HAPPY DAY!
We appreciate your love and prayers, your gifts and encouragement. God Bless you, my friend!

Iguazu Falls

Iguazu Falls...Always beautiful! Two weeks ago my kids went with a group from Canada and this past week I went with my friends from Tremont, IL and my niece...Laurel. My boys told us that it was a waste of time...there were only trickles of water. Hmmm, some trickles! I don't think that these falls could ever be "just trickles".

I have, maybe, thousands of pictures of these falls, but every time I go, I find another beautiful sight that makes one more beautiful picture.

VEGETABLE SOUP!

One of our family favorites, and a soup many Paraguayan families eat...

It's really called Squash Soup here.

It's easy. You put all the vegetables in a pot and boil it down. Add salt. When the vegetables are tender, puré them in the blender. Add milk and "farmer's cheese". It's great!

We had it today with empanadas!

Cutie Pie!

Turn Back the Clock

There's a song I've been thinking of...the song is in Spanish. It talks about this guy's life and how he wishes he could turn back the hands of the clock and start all over again. He got messed up in alcohol and everything else and just wishes he could turn back the clock. In the end he is saved and looks back on his wasted life and wishes that he would have listened...way back then.
I stayed up late last night because one of our visitors needed clean clothes. I told him I would wash them and dry them in our dryer...the kitchen table with a ceiling fan over it on high to dry. While I was waiting for the washer to get done, I was messing around on Facebook. Somehow I deleted my original account and LOST EVERYTHING! Ohhhhh...how I was wishing I could turn back the hands of the clock! I fiddled around a little more to try to retrieve it and I couldn't. I was helpless! I couldn't find the way to get back what I lost! How sad!
But, you know, it was only FACEBOOK! It was only something...could I say...silly?
What happens when we make bigger mistakes? Mistakes that leave scars on our hearts... Memories that we cannot erase... Reactions or attitudes that ruin REAL friendships... Decisions that destroy... Then, we REALLY want to turn back the hands of the clock, but it's too late. The moment is gone, and what's done is done.
I'm starting over. I checked my clock. I can't go back in time. I've gotta keep on going.
And, well, I'm starting over with Facebook today...hahaha...do you want to be my friend?

Interesting!

Two paragraphs from John Bevere's book (The Bait of Satan)...

Jesus likened the condition of our hearts to that of soil. We are admonished to be rooted and grounded in the love of God. The seed of God's Word will then take root in our hearts, will grow, and will eventually produce the fruit of righteousness - love, joy, long-suffering, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (See Galatians 5:22-23).

However, ground will produce only what is planted in it. If we plant seeds of debt, unforgiveness, and offense, another root will spring up in place of the love of God. It is called the root of bitterness (Heb. 12:14-15). Bitterness is a root. If roots are nursed, watered, protected, fed, and given attention, they increase in depth and strength. If not dealt with quickly, roots are hard to pull up. The strength of the offense will continue to grow. Soon, instead of the fruit of righteousness being produced, we will see a harvest of anger, resentment, jealousy, hatred, strife and discord. Jesus called these evil fruits worthless. (See Matthew 7:19-20.)

Hmmm...I better get out to my heart's garden...fast!

(P.S. The picture is one Nancy Pauser took while she was here.)

Sunsets on the Paraguay River

Down by the Paraguay River

(pictures by Kaylie Endress)

Winter beauties...

Rejoice with Me!

We had visitors today! We got ready for our Fourth of July picnic with Jason and Steve...hamburgers, potato salad, pop, etc.
But, since it wasn't a holiday here in Paraguay, we also had other visitors...a guy who came to fix the washer, and later on, Steve...looked at my "broken" computer.
On Monday, both the washer AND the computer stopped working. I called, skyped, and messaged my technical dad and brother-in-laws about the computer...all of them were stumped. I talked to Jason who couldn't figure this out and then we decided to wait for Steve (who was coming on Wednesday) on that one.
Well the washer worked one day. So, I was happy...thinking that I am getting my visitors this coming week and what am I going to do without a working washer. Well, the next day it stopped working again. We went on like this every day and all week and finally, yesterday Oscar called our friend to come check it out.
He came today and...EVERYTHING WAS FINE. Can you believe it? He did clean out some hoses and work on some other things...but everything was working correctly and PERFECTLY. Great! Now the computer.
After lunch Steve and I went to check out the computer and he looked at it, confused because there WAS NO PROBLEM.
YES THERE WAS! None of my USB drives worked...all week long! We checked and re-checked...everything was fine!
Hmmmmm.
So what DID happen this week? Something was going MAJORLY WRONG with two of my very important electrical/technical appliances and now EVERYTHING IS FIXED...magically???
Thanks God! Rejoice with me! My God is a God of MIRACLES!

Paraguay

I came across some interesting sites lately…you might enjoy them as well.
Facts and stuff about Paraguay.
http://www.paraguay.com,
http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/samerica/py.htm
The kids are doing some projects on different departments (states) of Paraguay and we found out some interesting things as well as different typical foods prepared in different areas of the country.

A New Printer...Old Memories

We just recently got a new printer. The other eight-year old one had been fixed several times, and the copies just started coming out blacker and blacker and with splotches everywhere. The boys complained. I complained. Finally, we decided to get a new one. Yeah! The new one came with a scanner! (Also, something I have always dreamed of.) And, this was my first project! Check it out! Hahaha…