pictures worth a thousand words!!

They say a picture is supposed to be worth a thousand words and I'm taking them at their word for this post!  We've had a whirlwind of a week, venturing all over the island with our friend, Simon, from Germany!  We did our Discipleship Training School together in Australia and have had so much fun reminiscing all our adventures :)  Having a guest gives us a great excuse to explore new parts of this beautiful island we live on!  We also put our visitor to work for a few days, picking coffee adds to the authentic Hawaiian experience, right?!  Instead of attempting to describe all that we've seen the past few days I opted for giving you a glimpse of it all..

at 'Pine Trees'

We kayaked to the Captain Cook monument, basked in the sun and introduced Simon to the best clam chowder in town!  Exploring, snorkeling and consuming slightly excessive amounts of Kona coffee made for some amazing days!  

BIG fan of Derek being in charge of dinner ^^

Road-tripping with two boys makes for quite the adventure!  An unbelievable amount of questionable odors are dealt, smelled and promptly blamed on Kai!  There is a significant lack of appreciation for my incessant need to pee (or rather, the fact that it's not quite as simple in my case as theirs!)  Apparently, 11:30PM is a 'perfect time for second-dinner!'  and carrying the bulging, green beach bag is NOT manly! 

-on top of Mauna Kea-

We waited at the tippy top of Mauna Kea for the sunset and then watched the stars come out.  Everything is more incredible from 13,796 feet but along with the view comes an impressive cold!  I will admit to being bundled in four layers and a large blanket by the end of the evening!

We've mastered the art of 'red-neck' camping which allowed us to continue our adventures the next day.. on to waterfalls, jungles and beach time!

 [so blessed to be married to my best friend!]

Kai's set up in the truck :)

-gorgeous views around EVERY corner-

-The beautiful Akaka Falla-

All joking aside, I wouldn't have wanted our explorations any other way!  And for as much grief as I give these two, I secretly enjoy the shenanigans and non-stop hassling!  Plus, they helped me clean the church upon our return late Saturday night.  I don't even think they had ulterior motives, like.. say, homemade chocolate chip banana bread :)

Hapuna Beach <3

Witnessing so much beauty is simply another reason to stand in AWE of my Creator!  I read in Colossians 1:16-17 that 'in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible ... ALL things have been created through Him and for Him.  He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.'  

Drinking coffee right before bed doesn't usually keep me up, but one night this past week had me tossing and turning and I finally ended up on my knees, talking things out with my Papa.  Something about being on my knees before Him almost always brings me to tears.  Humbled by His grace and mercy, flooded by His love for me; being in the presence of my Savior and King is the most wonderful feeling!  More beautiful than any sunset or hidden beach is the knowledge that He created me, knows me and is holding me together!  In the words of Cory Asbury's song: 

I've finally found where I belong, in Your presence.

---> the nitty gritty

Here's the thing about blogging: in order to share the really good stuff with you readers I also have to share the nitty gritty.  The mountain tops will fail to be appreciated if I'm unable to successfully convey the valleys.  Simple enough.  Unfortunately, that requires the slightly, painful revealing of short comings, moments of impatience and doubts.  I wouldn't have truly appreciated running water without having to fill up/use five gallon containers for six months.  The sweet relief in a riding lawn mower wouldn't have been recognized unless I first elaborated on each agonizing moment of weed wacking!  In that same way, properly communicating the truths God is teaching me hinges on whether or not I'm willing to disclose my reasons for needing to be taught!

[flashlight art!]

Waking up to a negative number in the bank account is not the most pleasant way to start a day.  We were waiting on payment from a few different jobs and knew that funds would be low, but this caught us off guard.  I try really really hard to stay surrendered in this area of life.  I know it 'all burns in the end' and I'm simply a steward of whatever God gives me.  Stressing over money is not only pointless but can lead to arguments, bitterness and stomach pains!  Still a work in progress, however, I let my 'flesh' have the microphone this particular morning, immediately going on the defensive.  I started implying that if Derek hadn't spent so much on his surf board projects this week maybe we wouldn't be in this predicament!  (Looking back, I usually realize that my arguments aren't completely valid- we're in this together, for better or worse, and therefore, equally to blame.  But in the moment, it made perfect sense!)
We poured our coffees and opened up our Bibles; proven remedies for any situation.  I was 'reading' Proverbs 17 but my mind was going a million miles per hour, problem solving.  Then Derek piped up, 'Hey, go to Psalm 78 real quick..' So I flipped back the pages in one swoop and my Bible fell open to... you guessed it, Psalm 78!  Talk about spot on.. David is recounting the Israelites journey through the desert, the incredible provision of God and their redundant questioning of Him.  These people seem unbelievably dense, and yet their story is vaguely familiar.  (I'm starting to realize it's not just coincidence that I see my story mirrored time and time again in the stubborn people throughout the Bible!!)
Derek and I have seen God provide in miraculous ways, our whole lives, but specifically in these past few months.  We've been down to our last three dollars, literally, and then been offered a cleaning job, a construction job and a painting job!  Other times we don't see answers in the form of money or a chance to make money but rather in the realization that the number in our bank account doesn't define how 'rich' we truly are.  God always finds a way to accomplish His purpose, to teach us and mold us; sometimes we just choose to resist, making the lesson a bit more 'painful' than others.  How is it that we have such an amazing Father who promises His everlasting love and unfailing kindness [Jeremiah 31:3] and yet we regularly question His ability to 'make a way' or use a situation for good??

Embracing this truth, I flipped back to Proverbs and decided to start over on 17- actually focusing on the words, and guess what verse one says... 'Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.'  Uh..hello!  If I haven't figured out what 'wealth' truly is, it doesn't matter if I'm a billionaire- I'd still be poor!  My faith and my marriage and this incredible journey I'm on makes me the richest girl in town; I'll take joy, strength, hope and ramen noodles over a juicy steak with a side of bitterness.. any day!  (Note to our mothers:: we're not actually living on ramen, and our bank account is back on track!)  Then verse three says 'The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart.'  And I'm reminded of an email I got just TWO DAYS before from a good friend, talking about thanking God for the difficult times in life because it's then that you're growing.  It's easy to praise Him when everything is going well, but it's when we don't understand our circumstances that it becomes vital to trust Him and continue praising.  He is always good and true; He IS love!

[yogurt!!]

Now, what I intended to be the 'opening paragraph or two' has just exploded into a full post... which means I'll give you the miniature version of the rest of our week:: Three days of landscaping work for Derek.  Running errands, two cleaning jobs and a library card for me!  Shaking all the coffee that is currently on racks, ensuring that the beans dry equally.  And our fool-proof method of 'testing' the beans for dryness is to simply bite them!  Two surfboards from a man at church- one to borrow, one to KEEP, kept Derek busy learning about fiberglass vs. epoxy and setting up shop: sanding, fixing, painting, etc.  I successfully made yogurt and started re-teaching myself to read notes on piano music.  Life is good and we're very excited about this coming week- first round of picking at our land AND a visit from our long-lost, German friend!!  Until next time, I pray that you would have strength to embrace the times of 'molding', trusting that God IS at work and in charge!!
-B

(recklessly abandoned)

This week I made home made apple fritters and 'enrolled' in a self-instructed Geography course.  I started writing down all of God's promises and realized how little I know!  My taste buds fell in love with Japanese foods I can't even pronounce!  And for the first time in my life I put cheesecloths on the WalMart list.  The reason for all these shenanigans was some unexpected down time.  Unfortunately, this came as a result of Derek's allergic reaction to a multitude of red ant bites!  I guess God knew we wouldn't 'lay low' unless that was our only option!  Derek is almost back to 100% but he was in rough shape; completely maxed out in the 'swollen' department, I thought his skin was going to rip open!  He was definitely a trooper, and I did my best to keep him well fed and entertained.

Benadryl made Derek's week significantly more pleasant and I was giddy about all the time I had for quizzing myself on African countries and experimenting with dishes like stuffed zucchini!  I also had time to look back on my 'prayer journal', something my parents taught us to do while growing up.  Not only does it help me to stay faithful in praying about certain things or for specific people; it's a huge faith builder to cross things off as God answers or even to realize how thankful I am that He didn't answer how I had hoped!  Reading through the entries this last week, I was blown away by God's faithfulness and provision.  I know I've thanked Him for the blessing of our new living arrangements, but I don't think I've ever just stopped to realize what an answer to prayer this apartment is!  We started 'praying big' in July- knowing that nothing is impossible for God.  Our two 'big' requests were a house and a lawn mower, and just over a month later.. we have both!  Incredible!

Speaking of the mower, we were finally able to put it to use this week.  You haven't heard much about it because we kinda, sorta had to wait for replacement parts after a minor breakdown on day two!  Thankfully it's under warranty and Derek's expertise had it up and running again in no time!  Cruising through the fields is, hands down, my new favorite chore!  In just a few hours we were able to mow what would have taken a full day, if not two, of weed wacking!  

[yep, lovin' it!]

Don't fear, we have no intentions of becoming lazy.  Several hours of my Thursday morning were invested in trekking up and down the hill, carting backpacks full of fungus to the otherwise unreachable section of fields.  Five backpacks later I've, hopefully, made a significant dent in the Borer Beetle population and my shoulders have knots the size of grapefruits!  Thank goodness for chocolate chip cookies and Derek's massaging skills!

We're still getting tomatoes and green peppers from our garden, and this week we ate our first miniature crop of 'poha' (gooseberries!) and blueberries!  I've had a song stuck in my head for the better part of this week.  Don't get Derek started on the broken record that is my mind!  Once I get a tune in my brain I will commence to singing, humming and/or whistling it, almost always unknowingly, until my poor husband is on the brink of a freak out!  Thankfully, in the fields we both pop in our headphones and I can sing to my heart's content without risking having a ban placed on certain songs :)  Thankfully this weeks melody was not only catchy but thought provoking...

Sometimes I think

What will people say of me

When I'm only just a memory

When I'm home where my soul belongs

Was I love

When no one else would show up

Was I Jesus to the least of those

Was my worship more than just a song

I want to live like that

And give it all I have

So that everything I say and do

Points to You

If love is who I am

Then this is where I'll stand

Recklessly abandoned

Never holding back

...

I want to live like that!

....

Sidewalk Prophets

I'm just beginning to realize the massive amount of potential within.. ME!  I'm guessing that sentence is as strange for you to read as it was for me to write, but it's the truth.  I am the temple of the Spirit of the Living God!  I struggle with comprehending this, with digesting it, but I know it's crucial.  God lives IN me!  Actually grasping that knowledge, believing it and implementing it will be the difference between true, abundant life or death.  When Jesus returned to Heaven he told his disciples it was better that he leave and send the Spirit to them [John 16:7].  Imagine the life of the disciples; walking, talking, eating, laughing and learning WITH JESUS -everyday!  And he's telling them that what comes next will be BETTER??  I'm guessing they struggled with believing that anything could top the last three years of their lives.  And that makes me wonder if I believe it?  If I truly believe that having the Spirit within me is better than having Jesus, in the flesh, walking beside me?  

I've been making the most of coffee picking and fungus spraying by listening to audio books.  The latest one was "Forgotten God" by Francis Chan.  This is an incredibly challenging and inspiring look at the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit.  One example in the book really stuck with me; that of a caterpillar transformed into a butterfly.  We are 'a new creation' (2 Cor. 5:17) but our lives, so often, look the same as before.  I want to live fully, as Jesus intended, through the power of the Spirit within me.  In fact, I don't want my life to be explainable without the Spirit!!  In the words of Mr. Chan 'I don't want to keep crawling when I have the ability to fly.'

-B

-even coffee farmers need to breathe-

A few of my discoveries from this past week::

#1)  When you live in Hawaii you have to deal with gecko poop, whether you live in a greenhouse or not!  

#2)  Relocating to the apartment just happened to put us several miles closer to the best gelato on the Island!

#3)  Being a coffee farmer is not glamorous, but I can truly say I enjoy it! 

Life in the apartment is wonderful!  Derek loves having a toilet.. two toilets, actually!  I love doing laundry and washing dishes in a sink!  Our bodies are grateful for the paved road (versus the mile long, bouncy and jarring trek to the greenhouse).  The little homemaker in me is flourishing; cooking new recipes, compiling a list of DIY projects to accomplish in our spare time.  And Kai LOVES the dog door!  Driving home at night, exhausted from the day, dirty from head to toe and with a truck full of groceries, it's a massive sigh of relief to realize 'home' is a little closer and considerably more convenient.  

That said, we still love the greenhouse and our time out there: whether it's lunch break after spraying fungus or a quick stop to pick up bananas and vegetables from the garden.  Living there for six months instilled a great deal of appreciation in us both and for that reason alone I wouldn't change a thing!  Not to mention, we both have an unquenchable appetite for adventure and will probably find ourselves craving the jungle in no time.

Now, for a little peek into life during harvest..

Four walls and a (non-plastic) roof haven't changed the fact that we wake up with the sun.  Although a real drag on Saturday mornings, this does come in handy when you need to get all the way across town and have to deal with the snail paced morning traffic.  Our breakfast of choice these days includes two cups of coffee, (Kona, of course... I fear we've joined the ranks of 'coffee snobs') fried eggs and toast.  Getting dressed doesn't require much thought; jeans and a long sleeved shirt, unless you want to get sunburned, scratched and eaten by bugs, work shoes and a hat.  Lunches packed, coffee topped off and we join the endless line of cars making their way into Kailua, driving 5mph for several miles.  It's a different story when we're working at our fields... but that was not the case for most of this week.  We try to make the most of the drive.  I read my Bible, sometimes out loud (if I'm not in Exodus..), we crack jokes, I clip my toenails, whatever suits our fancy.  Once we're in the fields it's just me and the cherries and, hopefully, a good playlist or audio book.  Two and a half days of picking yielded about 400lbs of cherry.  The red ones are ideal, but you also pick the orangey & on-the-verge-of-being-red ones.  (And you can't help but ending up with some yellow/green ones in your basket..)  

Here's the conclusion I've come to:  Focusing on the heat, the rain or the feeling that I'll never be done is guaranteed to make my smile droop and the hours drag by.  I can think about my broken and bleeding toenail (the day I decided I didn't actually need to wear work shoes...).  Or I can dwell on the fact that we still have to go grocery shopping after nine hours in the field, and chances are pretty high that I'll want to sit down and cry.  OR I can crank up the volume on my headphones and sing my heart out!  I can talk with God and marvel at His creation!  I can laugh at Kai's antics.. and the day takes on a whole different feel.  'Choose your attitude' seems like a terribly cheesy thing to say, but I believe it's fairly accurate.
The 'Uncle' from church that we were picking for has his own de-pulper and we were able to try it out after we finished picking!  Inside each cherry is (usually) two coffee beans, and the de-pulper is what squeezes them out of the cherry skin.  It was very interesting; my favorite step so far!  After popping the beans out they are dumped in a tub of water so that the "bad ones" can float to the top and be scooped out.  These are the ones that the Borer Beetle ate away at, over-ripe ones, etc.  The rest of the beans are put in clean water and left to ferment over night.  The next day we rinsed them all thoroughly and spread them all out on racks to dry.  Gaining all this experience and knowledge is amazing and we're so thankful for this opportunity.  We'll have to go back every few days to turn the beans and depending on how sunny the days are, they'll be dry in a week or two.

It'll be interesting to see what will come next: taking the dried beans through the next few steps, round three of picking at that field or picking for the first time at our fields.  Or maybe it'll all need to be done at the same time and we'll be recruiting all you friends and family for the authentic Hawaiian experience!  You know you want to...

While it may be true that Derek and I are young and can 'sleep when we're dead' the fact remains, working seven days a week starts to wear on a person.  We're tremendously thankful for all the work we've had, but we've made an executive decision that today is our 'Sabbath day'.  God created the universe; sun, moon and stars, every living creature and breathed life into human beings and THEN He rested!!  Isaiah 40:28 makes it clear that God does not get tired; yet He clearly establishes this day in the very beginning and commands us, His children, to follow His example.  Exodus 31:17 says that 'on the seventh day He stopped working and was refreshed.'  I read that the word 'refreshed' in that verse literally means 'to breathe' and something deep within me resonates with that.  I need to breathe!  I need to be re-fueled and rejuvenated; my Heavenly Father knows that and actually created me that way!  He is my strength and my inspiration and He never intended for me to be invincible.  He gave me limitations SO THAT I would realize my desperate need for Him.
We started our day with cinnamon rolls, coffee and embracing the fact that we weren't in a hurry to get anywhere!  We'd been in withdrawals from our lack of ocean time and got a good fix in today- snorkeling, diving and being with friends.  And now, without further adieu, we're off to continue in our non-laboring, Labor day and possibly take advantage of that delicious gelato down the road!!