Sunday - A Great Lord's Day

Sorry to everyone who anxiously awaits my blog updates....Saturday was long and tiring and we have not been around Villa Gracia today. I will try to update you quickly on the last two days....It is 11:30 now and I should be in bed.

Saturday we built 4 houses. Three of them were within shouting distance and you could see them. Most of our group was building and a few others were on a wood moving crew. Two of the three houses were up a steep hill so they wood had to be hand carried up. After they finished that daunting backbreaking task, they went back to Villa Gracia to load up bags of food and delivered them to people in another village. God is merciful and good because even though the three houses were started at different times, we all finished within about 30 minutes of each other. The house site I was at was for a young couple. He is 20, she is 16. They are expecting their first child in August. They were very grateful (as all the recipients are) for their new house! Our very own Margaret Rickard was co-foreman on one of the houses "up top" and I hear she did a fabulous job! Way to go Margaret!

On every work site I have been on, our kids are working so hard and there is no whining! I continue to be so proud of them. We had a little meeting tonight and they are all healthy, having fun and glad they are here. For that, I thank God. My biggest prayer request is that you continue to pray for their health. Last year was so hard on them and I just want everyone to stay healthy.

Today we left Villa Gracia around 8:30 to go to Los Pinos to church. It was a wonderful experience. We outnumbered them by a ton and the preacher apologized for the size of his crowd. They had had a revival last night and it didn't end until 4 a.m.! Ryan Connell Hernandez' husband, JC, acted as translator today and he did a great job. We were told that our contribution to the church today was around $1,200 - their contribution is usually around $10! Wow! What a joy to be such a part of a blessing for them!

After church we went to a large mall called Cascades. We ate lunch and had a small amount of time to shop - mainly at the new Walmart there. That was very interesting! A lot of things you would normally buy in a large package, you can actually buy in small packaging such as cookies, candy and granola bars. We left the mall and went to shop at Mi Esperanza - personally my favorite part of the extracurricular activities here ! Lori just finished moving the storefront into a larger area and the things the ladies have made to sell are amazing! Honey - don't look at the credit card bill! Ha! Lori always gets a kick of how much I buy - I just can't help myself :)

We came back to Villa Gracia for a short time and then headed back down the mountain to town to a friend of Mark & Lori's house who has his own ministry here. His name is David Lowe and he is the nicest guy - I mean how many people would invite 130 people over to their house for dinner? Taco Loco came and catered it and the food was incredible! Amy Castleman and myself sat on a little table out on the patio and watched everyone go by getting their food. We were making sure there was enough guacamole left for us! It was soooooo good and the portions were huge. Then a short devo there - that is why we were not on ustream tonight - and back to Villa Gracia. It was very hot today and even though we did not work, we are tired.

it is late, very late and tomorrow will be another long, hard, rewarding day of the Lord's work, so i must sleep so that i can keep....

running on faith,

lee

Friday - An Interview with Amy Castleman

I am not a very clever blogger so I am going to interview my dear friend, sister in Christ and roomie in Honduras - Amy Castleman.

What did you do today? I tore down a house, built a new one, bought shortbreadand banana bread from a Honduran lady with Margaret, ate watermelon and mangos.

What was your favorite part of the day? I really enjoyed that there were some children at the site today. It was fun to watch them, play with them and watch the people.

Name something that you saw today that you had never seen before? the outhouse behind the lady's house. It was so unsanitary. Also the level of poverty.

Name something funny you saw? It must have been dress up day for the children who actually have the opportunity to go to school. They were so sweet and cute. We saw a leopard, lion, dinosaur and a princess in a tutu with Mickey Mouse ears!

All of the kids and adults are doing great! They are working hard, having fun, not really getting sunburned - it was hot today and some of them had some red cheeks and necks (and Kelli Stewart has one red ear - not sure how that happened!). They are eating as well as they can. I try to walk through at breakfast and dinner to make sure I see them eating. If they are eating, it probably means they aren't sick! Tonight, one house crew did not get back until 7 p.m. Not sure how that happened - maybe too much watermelon and mangos (just kidding) They did an awesome job today! Those kids were stuffing it in! BBQ chicken, salad, tri color pasta and roll.

Thank you for your prayers - we feel them! Specifically pray that our hearts will be pricked to really have a deeper relationship with God, that we will be an example to each other and those we come in contact with and that we ALL STAY HEALTHY!!!!!!!

it is late, Mama Lee is tired, but she is still

running on faith

P90H and other musings

Day 2 -

We awoke to some beautiful weather this a.m. Went for a short run at 6 with some great people including Lori Connell. Running buddies.....I promise it was in the 60's! It was awesome but the altitude will kill you.

Most of our group went to build houses. Several went with David Koski - not sure who all....Lori, Margaret and Pam I know. Several of our kids including maybe all the boys went with my buddy from Oklahoma, Stan Berry, to build another house. Amy, Elyse, Kelli and Lizzie were with two great guys from Louisville, KY. Alex, Kristian, Liza, Margaret Alice, Erin, Savannah and Catherine A. went with me and two other super youth ministers, Bobby and Clint, to level sites for houses. The building crews had good days. Our leveling opportunity took us to two sites. One has a lot of work still to be done. We worked on it for about 2 and a 1/2 hours and then left to go to another site that we thought we could complete today. The ground at both sites was really muddy and hard to get the shovels into. Alex came up with a great new way. She got to the top of what we were digging out and with her feet and legs began pushing the dirt down. Kristian soon joined her and we got pretty silly. Clint said we were not doing P90X but P90H (P90 Honduras). Alex then began doing "ballet" feet to move the mud and we called it P90H Ballet Style! Guess you had to be there but it was pretty funny. Bobby and Clint were the only guys and they kept saying how impressed they were by how hard we were working. I told him we "don't bring no sissies to Honduras"!

Dinner was meatloaf, potato salad, green beans and carrots and a roll. Iam not a fan of the meatloaf but the rest was good. Some people loved it though so I guess it was just me.

Tomorrow we will build 3 more houses, pack some food and do a VBS, have another day of leveling (Mark wants it done so we can build a house there.....I'm thinking it is a long term project!) and perhaps have a small group go to the hospital.

The singing in devo tonight was beautiful as usual and we sang my favorite song...Do Not Fear. I remember hearing it for the first time last year on my first or second night and I just cried because I was afraid...Tonight I sang it in worship and praise to the God who has redeemed me and called me by name. Can't wait to see what tomorrow holds.

time for much needed sleep so I can keep

running on faith,

Lee

Welcome to Honduras!

Literally, because I just typed the entire day and the internet went down and I lost it all and am now starting over. Ok - let's try again!

The day was great and God answered all of my prayers from no security glitches to safe travel to no lost passports to MOST IMPORTANTLY no lost children! We were reunited in Atlanta with our Indiana and Kentucky friends as well as the group from DF in Birmingham.

We arrived around lunchtime and were greeted outside the airport by our friends from Oklahoma! What a sight for sore eyes they were! We were off to a reputable restaurant for a Honduran lunch consisting of your choice of soft drink in a bottle, beans with goat cheese & chips, corn tortillas with a platter of chicken, some other kind of meat and a fried cheese. We were then back on the buses for our ride up the mountain about 5,000 feet to Villa Gracia. A few of our kids went with Mark to the warehouse to pick up tools and such. Once at Villa Gracia, Lori gave us our room assignments and we spent the rest of the afternoon getting settled, visiting with old friends and making new ones. Another small group of our kids went with Mark to pick up lumber for our first build.

Dinner was a lettuce salad with a vinegar/onion dressing, baked chicken, yummy rice and a roll. We also put our money in the "bank" and got limps in exchange to spend, got our tshirts and nametags. Afterwards Mark led our devo/orientation. DO NOT DRINK THE WATER! If you cannot take a shower without opening your mouth - we can put some tape on it!

Everyone was very tired and after showers (some had them earlier) were already telling Mama Lee goodnight and heading to bed. We have been up a really long time. They have all been great and I am so proud of the way they are being responsible and showing respect thus far. God has great things in store for us.

Please continue to pray for our trip - for health, for hearts to be moved and changed and that at the end of each day we can say we showed Jesus to somebody and gave God the glory.

until next time I am ...

running on faith

Lee

Honduras Round Two - 2011

As I sit at the computer and try to focus my thoughts, my stomach is churning and my heart is racing. So much left to do, so little time. Updating my blog was on the list though - so here goes...
I look back and realize that I have not posted since Clay's birthday. Wow, what a slacker I am. This year has flown by so fast and so much has happened. I finished my 7th year at the elementary school, Ellen is now an official Junior in high school and driving herself around and somehow I volunteered to lead our group to Honduras! I knew when I got home last June that I would go back. It seemed so far away and now we are approaching the 36 hour countdown! The year has been extremely challenging in many ways and Satan has been trying his best to have his way with me. I will not let him win! I am blessed to have an amazing husband and incredible daughter that love and support me. Also, a lot of people who lift me up every day in prayer...you know who you are! I could not make it without you so thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Now - on to the trip......We have an amazing group going this year and I am so excited! Several newbies ( that was me last year! ) and lots of oldies. We have 6 adults and 16 teens. David Koski is our "token adult male" and I am thankful that he finished his son-in-law's new dental practice building on time so he could go with us. He has been at least 10 times and has so much talent and a servant's hear like no other. Thank you also to the "mamas" going! I was pretty scared last year being the only one :) but the kids made it so easy and I love them all.

This time last year I was so apprehensive and this year I am just so stinking excited! I felt so vulnerable not knowing what to expect. God had a plan and it was to show me that I had to depend completely on Him. I cried the first 12 hours last year until I submitted to Him. Once I did, I had the time of my life. I know He has new lessons for me to learn this year and I ask that you pray that I am open to learning.

I will try to update as much as possible while we are in Honduras. Sometimes we do not have the luxury of internet service - or power for that matter - until my next post, I am

running on faith.....

Beautiful Blue Skies and Bittersweet Fall Days

Eighteen years ago, my life forever changed for the better. I gave birth to my firstborn, Clayton Roy Taylor. God blessed Jeff and I with that precious boy and allowed us to be his parents for one short year. In some ways, it seems like yesterday and in some ways it seems like an eternity ago. When the sky magically gets true blue when September hits it brings back those terrifying first days but also the love I felt that I had never felt before. I will always miss him but never wish him back. Clay is with our amazing Abba Father and living the eternal life I hope and dream for. Every year at this time God teaches me something new. I do wonder what it would have been like had he lived a full earthly life....would he be playing football against Hoover tonight, playing in the band, painting his body and running with the OMHS flags down the field, or just being a great fan? But in my heart of hearts, I know that if he had lived he would not be doing any of those things because his body was broken. I am grateful to God for his mercy and grace to take him and let him be whole in heaven rather than broken on earth. This year's lesson is that God needed Clay and because he loves me so, he heard my prayer for one healthy child to raise to love him. He blessed our lives with Ellen and she does love God so much. She can't take her brother's place but she has such a special place of her own. Even as I write this I ache with love for her. To think that our Abba Father loves her more than I ache with love for her. Wow - how overwhelming and uncomprehendible (is that a word??) So on this day, September 10, 2010 - Happy 18th Birthday Sweet Baby Clay. Mama loves and misses you.

I just read my sweet daughter's blog update and thought I would steal her latest blog post because what better way to thank God for all He does for me every day.

things i love....
diet dr pepper
sweet tea
running with my sista chicks
listening to ellen tell me about her day
hugs from my husband
chilling out and shopping with ellen
pep rallies and football (go OM)
watching/listening to cheerleaders eat and have fun together
Honduras
praising God in song
reading
sunshine
fall breezes
having my head rubbed
chocolate cobbler
coffee and the bookstore

these are the ones that top my list. i am so blessed to live the life i live. God makes all that possible. through great times, bad times, happy times, sad times, frustrating times and incredible times...He alone is the only thing that is unchanging. He loves us more than we could ever dream and imagine and is in total control of our lives whether we understand it or like it. nothing that happens is coincidence, He planned it long before time began. I praise you Lord of Lords and King of Kings.

running on faith,
lee