busy.

"How have you been lately?"

"Just busy.  Really, really busy."

Sound familiar?  It seems like I have this conversation at least once a day.  I've been on both ends of the conversation, either inquiring of my "busy" friend or being quick to boast in my busyness.  It's as if somehow, we have equated "busyness" to "productivity".  Busyness has become a good thing, a sought-after title for the middle-class American.  We've bought into the lie that the busier we are, the more value we have, the more necessary our existence is.  Most likely, you're guilty of this thought pattern and I certainly am too.

I find myself relating easily to Martha as she "was distracted with much serving" (Luke 10.38) while her sister, Mary, basked in the presence of Jesus, sitting at his feet and listening to his teaching (Luke 10.39).  Sometimes I find myself wanting to do more than I want to be.  But I think we can learn a lot from Mary's discernment.  She realized that there was a time to be Jesus' hands and feet and there was a time to be at Jesus' hands and feet...a time to be still, to listen and to learn.

God doesn't call us to be busy, he calls us to be productive.  And sometimes the most productive thing we can do is stop being busy for Jesus and start being with Jesus.

Gladness

Today...

Look, listen, feel, smell, taste.

Take time to smell the fresh air and enjoy the sunshine.

Savor the flavor of fresh summer produce.

Thank the Lord for giving you life.

Smile at the ones you love.

Better yet, tell those people that you love them.

Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger.

Thank the Lord for his goodness.

Praise others ten times more than you criticize.

Be joyful always...in the busyness and the calm.

Look for ways to be a blessing.

Thank the Lord for his timing.

Today is a day filled with laughter and tears,

noise and quiet, stopping and going.

Today is filled with moments and memories,

good and bad, teachable moments.

Today is filled to the brim with more than we can imagine.

But sometimes we forget the most important thing:

This is the day that the Lord has made...

take time to rejoice and be glad in it.

4 weeks in 15 minutes: watch :)

"To the end of the earth" 2012 from Morgann Green on Vimeo.

{cricket, cricket...cricket, cricket}

Yes, it has been a little quiet over here in the blog corner...  I apologize.  Things have been a little bit, well, messy around here the last few days  :)

My last post asked for quick healing and I am happy to say, I am fully healthy now!  I helped at the school all day and I am feeling great.  However, the weekend was challenging  ;)  I found myself in a Brazilian hospital bed on Friday afternoon getting re-hydrated and un-nauseated from a nasty virus that grabbed ahold of my stomach last Wednesday night.  Ick.  Praise the Lord, I am much better and my last couple days have been wonderful.

That said...

I'm leaving Brazil TOMORROW.  As in, my flight back to the states departs around 9pm.  I've never been more full of mixed emotions in my life than I am right now.  I am so excited to be home and see my family and yet I am dreading having to say goodbye to everyone here.  I adore my family in Brazil.  

This will most likely be my last post abroad.  Please pray for a sweet last day tomorrow, filled with friends, family and shared faith.  I pray that God is glorified and that I am satisfied in that.  

Thank you for following me on this journey.  Please keep following...God is still working!

A plea for praise and petition

Last night, by nearly anyone's standards was miserable.  I went to bed with a stomach ache around 10pm and woke up around 12am sprinting to the bathroom--I was both kinds of icky sick.  I couldn't keep anything down and I couldn't keep anything in.  I probably got somewhere around 45 minutes of sleep total between 12am and 8am.  Fun, right?  Not so much.

In situations like this, I am so tempted to get frustrated...I was not able to go stay in Sao Paulo like we had planned today, I didn't get to participate in any soccer ministry today and I simply don't feel well.  I...I...I.  That's the thing...it's not about me.  It's never about me!

"His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, but which he as granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire." 2 Peter 1:3-4

God, through his Holy Spirit has given me everything I need for life and godliness with NO conditions!  On the best days, on the worst days, on the healthy days and on the sick days, I have the ability to choose godliness.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, JOY, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." Galations 5:22-23

The gift of the Holy Spirit is that in these times, I get the privilege of having joy!  I get the privilege of showing patience to those around me, even when I'm tempted to snap at them.  I have the privilege of giving thanks always.  Because right now, I have a roof over my head, a bed to sleep in, running water, my own bathroom, clean water to drink, people who are praying, my Bible, clean clothes, time to pray, time to encourage, and for goodness sakes, I'm still breathing! I'd say it's time to praise our Most Holy God.  It's not very often that life slows down enough that I get to enjoy all of these things at one time.  But today, in my icky sickness, I do.

Man, our God is most gracious, isn't He?  Wow.  

I tell you this to encourage you that no matter what is going on in your life, with Christ, you have the opportunity to choose godliness, to go against the grain, to become a humble servant in the worst circumstances.  

I am asking you to pray for quick healing for me, but I'm also begging you to take time to praise God for his grace, that he would put me in the situation and give me no choice but to rely on him.  That right there, is life to my soul.

Wednesday update

Praise reports:

1. I got to sleep a whole 8 hours last night!  I really needed it.  I'm feeling awake and "with it" today.

2. Last night I got to go to a futsal tournament and it was so much fun!  I'm quickly becoming a huge fan of this sport.

3. Tonight is "family night" and we are all getting together to watch the Brasil vs. USA soccer game  :)  It will be a friendly rivalry (Juca's promise).  I'm excited to have some quality time with family because...

4. TOMORROW I head to Sao Paulo for the next 4 days!  I will be living with another couple families during my time there.

Prayer requests:

1. I am starting to feel a little sad about leaving.  I have grown to love this place and the people here.  I have less than a week left :( Please pray that my time left here will be well spent and full of life!

2. Pray that I will be a blessing to the families I will be staying with this weekend.  Please pray that somehow we will be able to communicate even though no one speaks English and I don't speak much Portuguese.

3. Pray that Monday and Tuesday are great days with the Cerpe family.  They will be my last two days in Brasil.

Continue to pray that I have opportunities to share the Gospel and to share my testimony.  Pray that the Lord will change hearts and lives.  Pray that God is glorified!  He must become great and I must become less.

Love you all...see you [soon].

Time to breathe!

Once again, life has been crazy here and this is the first time I've had a chance to update!

Praise reports:

1. Against all odds, Rose's mom has come out of the coma.  The doctor says that physiologically she is doing better, but mentally, she is still really out of it.  Nonetheless, it seems that the antibiotics are working and the outcome is looking a little bit more hopeful!

2. This weekend was filled with family time!  We played Xbox Kinect on Friday night and it was so much fun  :)  

3. I had the incredible opportunity of going into the city and seeing "downtown."  I got to ride the bus in (with Juca, of course) and then take a mototaxi back!  There were moments of nervousness, but overall, it was wonderful!

4. Tonight I got to play soccer with a bunch of girls close to my age from church.  I got to share my testimony and hopefully encourage some believers.

5. Tomorrow night I get to go to my first official soccer game!  Yayyyy!

6. I am thoroughly enjoying my time helping at the school.  The kids are so much fun and Julia has been so great at letting me participate, teach and be involved  :)

Prayer requests:

1. Continued to prayer for Rose's mom.  God is healing her as we speak, but she still has a long way to go before being "healthy".

2. Prayer for health for me...I am around little kids all day every day and they are walking germs!  Lots of sickness is going around right now (it's winter here).  So far, my immune system is holding up well!

3. Pray that I would be sleeping well at night.  The last few nights have not been very restful and it is making the days a lot harder to get through.

4. Pray for God to be glorified, for unbelievers to come to know Christ and for believers to be encouraged!

5. Please continue to pray for Juca and his family.  Their ministry here stretches far beyond the boarders of Atibaia.  God has anointed this man for this purpose and it is our call to pray for him.  

Sorry this is short...hopefully I'll have time to update again soon!  To see pictures of ministry sites and other happenings in Brasil, check my album on facebook  :)  It is much slower to upload them to the blog from Brasil :)