a heart full of [eternity!]

While deeply immersed in a jungle of coffee trees it's not unusual to have 'things' drop on me.  Pulling branches down to my level makes the coffee cherries much more accessible, but can cause them to pop off as branches rub against each other.  Add to this the lovely insect population AND the fact that it's raining, and I no longer take notice of strange objects bouncing off my head and shoulders.  That is, at least, until it happens consistently.. for several minutes!!  I let go of the branch I was currently inspecting for any remaining red cherries, let it fling back up to it's original position, and slowly turned around.  Derek couldn't contain his laughter! He was almost doubled over and not even the hand over his mouth could muffle the sound of his guffaw!  Apparently he had been bouncing cherries off my unsuspecting self for quite some time, finding it just hilarious!!
I love Derek for a lot of reasons; one of them being his cheeky sense of humor!  Leave it to him to find bizarre ways to make me laugh :)  There is no conceivable way I could do this without him, muscle mass aside, although that does come in handy when we're moving 100 pound bags of cherry!  I'm also a big fan of his making an executive decision to stop for milkshakes and fries on the way home after a particularly long day!

[mango time!]

Making the most of coffee picking will be essential these next few months.  It's not especially difficult work, but the days are long, the trees have a tendency to blur together and shoulders do start to ache.  The potential is massive in either direction; as I heard in a sermon not too long ago, I must choose whether it will make me better or bitter.  So far we're just thankful to see a bit of 'fruit' from our labor.  Plus, the undertaking of a project other than weed wacking is quite refreshing!  And I always love an excuse to soak in good music for hours on end.
750 pounds later, round three of picking at the 'other' farm is complete and we were able to enjoy the remaining days with our visiting friend from Germany!  Delicious cheeseburgers, boogie boarding and a boar hunting expedition for the guys made for an awesome weekend!  His final night was celebrated with the inhaling of a significant amount of exotic fruits :)

[evidence of our fruit party!!]

I've known for almost a month that I was on the schedule to give a mini message at our weekly worship practice this past week.  My personality likes to scheme on these things for quite some time, brainstorming and writing out ideas, incorporating a funny story or convincing visual aid.  All this to say that I had a first rate idea of what to talk about on Friday evening, until God interfered on Thursday.  I was happily picking away when I 'felt' it.. This isn't about you, it's about me!  Not necessarily audible words but a strong feeling; the realization that I was so caught up in all my great ideas I had lost sight of the real reason for giving a message!  Surrender comes in many different shapes and sizes, that day it was in the middle of a coffee field; scrapping all my ideas, I told God it was up to Him to give me words to say! 

Long story short, He came through!  It wasn't immediate, but eventually He led me to a verse that reminded me of the two audio books keeping me company in the field all week.  The verse was Ecclesiastes 3:11 'He has made everything beautiful in its time.  He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.'  John Eldredge's book 'Beautiful Outlaw' says "Setting eternity in our hearts was cunning, so that every last one of us would be haunted all our days with unmet longings that would cause us to seek the only Fountain that can quench our thirst.'  Another of my favorite quotes comes from C.S. Lewis' book 'Mere Christianity', "If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world."   I hadn't appreciated what Jesus had been subtly weaving together in my mind all week, but the verse triggered the realization!

I'm not sure if the last minute lesson made any sense to the worship team, but it certainly brought clarity to my own life!  Being sensitive to the Spirit and allowing Him to lead me was an incredible experience, one I definitely want to make a habit of!  Eternity is in my heart, explaining the unexplainable cravings I so often find within me!  This world is temporary and I'm reminded of that in little 'glimpses of eternity' throughout this life.  As the Creator, God's incredible personality and life is reflected everywhere I look!  He knows me intimately and can speak to me in a myriad of ways, calling me to Him, expressing His love and inspiring me to seek Him!  

The awesome colors, textures and sizes of underwater creatures is mind-boggling!  I'm filled with wonder by simply sipping a perfect cup of coffee and watching a brand new day begin!  The antics of Kai echo the playfulness of God.  He is all around me; perceiving more and more of His goodness simply causes my heart to long, all the more, for Eternity with Him!  It also renews my desire to live abundantly, right now, to grasp the beauty in the world around me and the fields ready to be harvested!  I'm thankful for God's provision, His guidance and LOVE and for the incredible man I get to live this life with.  What an amazing journey this is..

                                          

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!!

introspection.. whether I like it or not!

In this high-tech, supersonic, fast food world I find that there's not a lot of time for introspection; 'looking within oneself'.  However, when you find yourself gripping the toilet bowl for dear life, throwing up through the wee hours of the night and on into the next day... life slows down a LOT.  All of a sudden pondering life (and sipping Sprite) is your only option!  As unfortunate as it was to get sick while we had visitors, I was unbelievably thankful for the use of their hotel room, or rather their bathroom!  Jungle woman or not, no one likes to throw up in the front yard!  I had the very best of nurses, although at the time I was certainly not impressed with Derek's insistence on me sipping 'just three more spoonfuls' of chicken noodle.  While lounging on the couch bed, feeling as though I would spontaneously combust at any moment, I began to realize something.  I, of course, had repeatedly asked God to heal me, but He gave me the strength to keep throwing up.  The presence of my Father was so tangible that night and although it took me four days to finally recover, I know He allowed it for my good.

Sometimes I ask God for what I think is the best outcome, an immediate solution- no more throwing up.  But He answers with what's best in the long run- completely ridding my system of the junk in it and ultimately restoring my health!  Story of my life; thinking I've got it figured out and trying to fill God in on MY plan when He's got designs on a whole different level!  Plans I can't begin to comprehend.  He sees the big picture!  And THAT is why He is God and I am not!  "My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine." Isaiah 55:8 NLT

This week flew by, probably because I was comatose for half of it, and Derek's parents have already returned home.  We loved having them here and are very hopeful that they'll experience withdrawals and start planning another trip!!  I hear that Hawaii has a way of getting under your skin; once you get a taste of this paradise (and a few apple bananas!) you won't be able to forget it anytime soon! 

[snorkeling adventures!]

In other news; we're experiencing a bit of reverse culture-shock, learning how to live indoors again!  Our weekend was slam packed and 'moving' basically consisted of filling the back of our truck with suitcases, food and the few things we've acquired in the past six months.  Today is our first day of settling in at the apartment or 'nesting' as my friend called it!  Our initial excitement about this opportunity was the use of a shower, toilet and washing machine.  Now that we're turning this into a home, however, I'm realizing how excited I am about hanging curtains, putting pictures on the walls and doing some re-painting!  Greenhouse walls aren't nearly as fun to decorate as real ones.  

God was, once again, several steps ahead of us with this move.  We thought we knew what 'a lot of rain' meant until this past week.  The rain has become a regular occurrence, sometimes multiple times a day!  And it has been intense; downpours of extreme proportions!  The rain flowed right through our greenhouse for the first time last week.  We were away when it happened and returned to evidence of a small river having ran it's course under the bed where all of our suitcases are stored.  Not good.  Thankfully, there was no harm done and the suitcases could be moved.  What could have turned into a major headache isn't even a concern anymore because our suitcases now reside in a dry closet!  

We're excited for a new week and adjusting to our new digs.  The blessing of this apartment is still so mind boggling and humbling.  We serve an amazing God and are honored to be a part of His church, this church, a body of incredible people allowing Him to live through them.  These people have affected our lives in unimaginable ways and we thank God for each and every one of them!  This week we had several cleaning jobs and a painting job and this coming week we'll be picking coffee cherries again.  Our request for work has definitely been fulfilled and we are so grateful!  We're almost completely caught up on the work in the fields, too- thanks to Derek's Dad and our brand new investment: a RIDING lawnmower!!!  We've talked, dreamed, searched and continually weed wacked for six months and now relief is finally a reality!  The first round of mowing is a bit tedious; we have to clear the rocks out of each row, but it's 100% worth it!  Not to mention the look on Derek's face as he cruises in the field :)  Talk about a week packed chock-full of amazing!  

For you, LORD, 

have delivered me from death,

my eyes from tears,

my feet from stumbling,

that I may walk before the LORD

in the land of the living.

Psalm 116:8-9

[a lesson from the birds]

This week has been unlike any other week.  With harvest rapidly approaching, our learning curve is about to explode, once again.  We got a little taste of it when a couple from church asked if we could come work on their acre of coffee.  They're a bit lower in elevation than us and already have a significant number of cherries turning red.  So, we officially became coffee pickers and got a glimpse of our life for the next four months!  It's definitely different, and aside from sore shoulders after toting around the tub of cherries all day, I liked it!  We picked 75 pounds of cherry, and that is 'round one' for that farm.  In a few weeks there will be a whole new round to be picked.  I'm thankful that it's in sections; giving us time to keep up with other things on our list, like weed wacking and spraying!  AND time for having wild adventures with visiting family!!

[red cherries ready to be picked!]

Derek's parents flew in on Wednesday evening and we've had a fantastic week with them!!  We've explored Kona; showed them all our favorites spots and stops.  We trekked down South to visit the amazing Green Sands beach and then on to the Volcano!  It's fun playing tour guide, and some things are new to us, too.  During a morning of 'restaurant hopping' we discovered a great sushi place.  It actually has a conveyor belt that they're constantly loading with fresh rolls and you grab off whichever ones suit your fancy!!  We were like little kids in a candy shop :)  Derek and I have been in Hawaii for almost six months and don't always remember to smell the flowers or appreciate the beauty of the ocean.  Having visitors and hearing them exclaim about the smells and sights reminds us to appreciate this paradise we are living in!!

[at Green Sands!!]

The best adventures this week have definitely happened at the greenhouse.  We have had friends over the past few months and we give the tour of our 'home' and show off a few coffee trees.  But it's been different with Derek's parents.  They want to see everything.  They want to walk everywhere we've walked and picture the battle that we faced from day one.  They want to know every detail!  They were up for touring all six acres- multiple times!  And we've taught them almost all we know about being coffee farmers!  They've seen Derek in action, machete in hand, and decided this truly is the perfect place for our adventuring selves.  We've supplied them with as many avocados and bananas as they could possibly eat and we sat cross legged in the 'yard' smashing open macadamia nuts to our heart's content!  For the full effect, they even traded a night at their hotel for a night at our greenhouse and LOVED it!  It was basically a week of show-and-tell for us and realizing just how far we've come and how amazing this jungle life is!  Plus, they can go back home and reassure all of our Colorado family that we are not only surviving, but thriving!

[Aloha!!]

Speaking of greenhouses, there is an exciting new development in our housing situation!  We've been offered the apartment above our church building and the role of 'church care takers' for as long as it's available.  We are completely blown away by this and haven't really even had time to process it all!  A shower, a flushing toilet, a sink to wash dishes in... these things just became a very, real possibility and we are giddy about it!  We were never unhappy in the greenhouses and we know we'll even start missing the jungle lifestyle after awhile.  But this opportunity is a massive blessing and even more proof of God's providence.  The wonderful people at our church are continually going above and beyond for Derek and I.  We are humbled by their kindness and love.  It was so exciting to be able to introduce our church family to Derek's parents this last Sunday!

[shaved ice on a toasty day!]

A few mornings ago I was out on the porch of the hotel where we're staying with Derek's parents.  I'd been praying and just really seeking God's will for our lives.  There I was, surrendering once again and attempting to quiet myself and listen, when I saw the birds.  Just your average birds, but they were hopping around on the wires above the hotel, very animated and entertaining.  I kept trying to ignore them and get back to 'being still' but they were so stinkin' distracting!!  Finally I gave up and just watched them, hop and chirp and bump each other down the wire.  That's when I realized that God WAS speaking to me!  In Matthew 6 Jesus talks about worrying and how overrated it is!  He says 'Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not MUCH more valuable than they?  Can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?'  We still have several months of harvesting before we can even begin to think about 'what's next'.  And even then, if we don't have our entire life mapped out, it's okay!  If the past few months of relying on God and watching His plan for us unfold hasn't been enough to convince me that He is in control, I don't know if I'll ever figure it out!  I have to let go!  Turns out, worrying is not even 'for the birds'!