Gaby's baptism

Gaby along with four other friends, all kids who grew up in church, were baptized on Sunday. A couple and their daughter were also baptized. José had some problems with his health and the Lord healed him! He lives in front of Pastor Pedro's house and Pr. Pedro visited him often. The whole family talks about this new person in Christ! José's wife was raised in a Christian home, but as a young girl stopped going to church until now, when she saw the huge miracle in her husband and the change that the Lord made in his life.

Flowers!!

God Makes Me Laugh

After we went on our little "outing" (to Hotel Excelsior) the other day, we bought the kids some sandwich stuff and a bag of nachos (that I can only find in big supermarkets in town). I paid for the small amount of groceries with a debit card. The next morning I remembered that I didn't take it out of my jeans pocket and reached into the washer and found my card, some change, but I couldn't find my paraguayan identification card, the card I always have to show along with my debit card.
I prayed, I searched, I prayed, I cleaned, I prayed, I took the washer apart, I prayed, I went back to the supermarket...all the way in town, I prayed, I took the seats out of the car...I prayed, but couldn't find it!
We realized last week that we wouldn't be able to leave Paraguay for our Argentina trip if I didn't have that ID card.
So...we started the LONG process of getting a new one. I went to the police station for one paper, Identifications, for another, here and there for this and that, one paper had to be notarized, one stamped, one in 48 hours...
Finally, I went to the police station again and they gave me a special paper giving me permission to travel while I round up the rest of the paperwork.
It worked! We got to Argentina and back!
I washed two loads of clothes last night, and stuck in one more this morning before the kids went to school. I opened the lid and my ID card was on top smiling at me!
I started laughing and thanking God! Where did this ID card come from? The clothes I was washing were the kids' clothes, there was NOTHING in there of mine!
I still think its so funny. I must have washed 20 loads since I lost that card...how could this be???
I got half of the paperwork done already! I'll stash it way for the next scare!
So, anyway, I have my paraguayan ID card...and I'm still laughing at the mystery.

Como Papá...Just Like Dad

Edson has been picking clothes that closely resemble his dad's styles. He even stands to pose and show us that he actually DOES look like his dad. He wants a belt, shoes and all. I try to tell him that he doesn't have to LOOK just like "papá", but he keeps insisting.

It all got me thinking...do I want to look like my (Heavenly Father) Dad just as much as he wants to look like his (earthly) dad? Does it really matter to me THAT much...insisting on dressing like my Father? Am I trying THAT hard to be just like Him?

...are you?

Our Latest Activities

Some of our activities...Spring-Youth. We had a party for our youth group on September 25th. The pastor was remembering past years when they would have a parade of flowers on September 21st downtown Asuncion, and people would make huge floats of flowers, busses would be decked out with balloons, supermarkets and stores would have cut out flowers, streamers, and balloons...times have changed. We celebrated at church with finger foods, a special program, sports, and a cake.
September 29th was a holiday here in Paraguay. Oscar and I were invited to a conference at Hotel Excelsior on the 28th and 29th. We got to see Adolfo Torres a national, Christian singer who wrote a beautiful song about Paraguay. We also got to meet author, Norma Pantojas, from Puerto Rico. It was a nice get-away for both of us (completely free, thanks to a good friend of ours) as we were reminded to be faithful to God's calling in our lives.
Finally, our yard is full of flowers. I just love this time of year!

A Mobile "WalMart"

Cheesies, vegtables, sugar, shampoo,
flipflops, napkins, fruits, matches, socks, floor cleaner, clothes, toilet paper, and just about anything else...

...all on one little motocycle with a trailer cart behind!

Mixed Messages by Sharon Jaynes

"With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters [and girlfriends] this should not be" (James 3:9 TNIV and girlfriends added).
Friend To Friend
Catherine and I set out for a lazy summer stroll through the neighborhood just before the fireflies emerged to celebrate the setting of the sun. We chatted about raising boys, working husbands, and decorating dilemmas. When we arrived back at her house, she invited me to come in and look at some fabric swatches for a new sofa. Before I knew it, a few minutes turned into a couple of hours. "Oh, my!" I exclaimed. "It's ten o'clock. I've been gone for over two hours! I bet Steve's worried sick. He doesn't even know where I am. I'd better give him a call before I start back home." When I dialed the number, the answering machine picked up. After I listened to my sweet Southern greeting, I left a bitter message. "Steve, I was calling to let you know I'm at Catherine's. I thought you'd be worried, but apparently you don't even care because you won't even pick up the phone!" Click. I said my goodbyes to Catherine and left feeling somewhat dejected. I'm wandering around in the dark all alone and he doesn't even care, I mumbled to no one in particular. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I noticed someone coming toward me. It was Sir Galahad riding on his steed...his bicycle! "Where have you been?" Steve desperately asked. "I've been riding all over the neighborhood looking for you! Do you know what time it is?" "Oh, you do care," I said with a grin, giving him a big hug. "What are you talking about?" he asked. "Nothing. Let's go home." I answered. When we got back home, I quickly erased the message on the machine before Steve could hear my reprimanding words. "Whew," I thought, "That was close." A few days later, Steve called me from work. "Sharon, have you listened to the answering machine lately?" "No. Why?" "Well, I think there's something on there you need to hear." We hung up and I reached for my cell phone to call my home phone. The message on the answering machine went something like this. (The voice of a Sweet Southern Belle) "Hello, you've reached the Jaynes' residence. We're unable to answer the phone right now... (Enter the voice of Corella Deville) "I was calling to let you know I'm at Catherine's. I thought you'd be worried, but apparently you don't even care because you won't pick up the phone! (Return of Sweet Southern Bell) At the sound of the beep, leave your number and we'll get back with you as soon as possible." Beep. "Oh, my goodness!" I screamed. "How did this happen! How many people have heard this over the past three days?" I called the phone company and they explained that sometimes during a thunderstorm (which had occurred three days prior), lightening strikes the wires and answering machine messages get scrambled. The old message somehow got attached to the greeting. I was mortified. It sounded like Dr. Jekyll and Mrs. Hyde reincarnate. "Lord," I prayed. "This is so embarrassing." "Yes, it is," He replied. Well, He didn't really say that in so many words. It was more like this. "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water" James 3:9-12 TNIV). "OK Lord, I get the message." I prayed. But unfortunately, so did a lot of other people.
Let's Pray
Dear Heavenly Father, oh how I have a difficult time controlling my tongue! I pray that you will put a guard over my mouth. Help me to think before I speak. I pray the Holy Spirit will take control of my words and use me as an instrument of encouragement. In Jesus' Name, Amen

I thought this was too good not to share...