it's a wonderful life!

Rain on a metal roof, bagpipes, Derek's laugh; these are a few of my favorite sounds.  (Don't worry, that'll be my one and only Sound of Music reference!)  This week a wonderful, new sound was added to that list: the wild, galloping of our baby's heartbeat!  Never would I have pictured myself as the one counting down, in eager anticipation, to the next doctor appointment.  But, alas, I'm already giddy about the next time my ears and eyes will have proof of the incredible life God is forming within me.  Although, the evidence of my growing belly is fairly convincing, too!
Before I formed you in the womb I KNEW you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." Jeremiah 1:5
This past week brought several uncomfortable days of feeling tight as a balloon and becoming quite familiar with those 'growing ligament pains' they warned me about.  Now I realize the reason for all that stretching, though, Peanut is needing more leg room!  I'm in my 17th week and this turnip sized baby is making his/her presence known!  (Yes, I know... pictures are a must and I'm hoping to have at least one of 'the bump' by my next post.)
'For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.'  Psalm 139:13-14
The really exciting news is that I haven't left any car doors open lately!  The worst case of 'pregnancy brain' this week was a simple attempt to cram our extra-fluffy comforter, that we only wash at the laundromat, into our washing machine.  I realized I was being a bit over-zealous, but not until half the comforter was already drenched.  Smooth.

[speaking of being a mother, here's my wonderful Mom!]

I had an unusually, amazing amount of time at home this week and I LOVED it!  I definitely wouldn't consider myself an introvert, but a day of checking things off my 'home list', experimenting in the kitchen and reading a good book is certainly a well spent day, in my opinion!  My family made such a significant dent in our to-do list that we're actually able to do non-farm-related things, now.  -Insert happy dance!-  I tried my hand at homemade granola (definite success!) and Derek's finally finishing the surfboard he started from scratch.  With coffee on the back burner I'm able to take on cleaning jobs again and Derek is looking for more landscaping work.  We know God's plan is beyond anything we can imagine and we're looking forward to all He has for us these next few months.
'Show me the way I should go, for to You I entrust my life... Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.' Psalm 143:8,10
This week was full of 'little' things that are actually a pretty big deal.  At the beach I was wishing that I could spot a whale and literally, within seconds of thinking so, saw the tell-tale spout of water shooting into the air.  Thanks God!  Our Poha (gooseberry) bush produced a nice little crop of berries which I thoroughly enjoyed eating.  A friend from church brought me two huge bags of clothes that she's no longer using.  It was like second-Christmas; trying on clothes all morning, modeling for Derek!  Also, it was time for a phone upgrade and I spent a whopping 99 cents for the iPhone 4.  My kind of purchase :)  I decided to treat myself to a haircut, for the first time in a year, and the result of a simple trim has me feeling like a super model!  Derek picked me flowers, I baked him cookies.  It's a wonderful life we live.

Without my daily dose of branch dragging and jungle clearing I knew I needed to lace up my running shoes again.  Driving the truck while Derek sprays RoundUp doesn't exactly qualify as a work out.  So, with new motivation and the discovery of a new running place, other than the highway, I was off!  It amazes me that the more active you are, the more you want to BE active.  Running/walking this week has me inspired and also taking advantage of any opportunity to walk to the store, post office, etc.  Don't worry, I'm not out to break any records and I'm staying plenty hydrated!
My favorite part of getting outside is how tangibly God is with me.  He's always by my side, but it seems like I sense His presence in a whole different way when I'm surrounded by His creation.  I breathe in the smell of tropical flowers and feel the rain heavy in the air and I'm inspired.  The breeze caresses my skin and I'm refreshed.  Just like anything else, if I'm in a hurry, with a thousand things on my mind, I'll miss this.  I have to choose to be in the moment.  I must choose to grab hold of the hand Jesus is offering me, that we might explore together.  He has so much to teach me, and He extends invitations to me daily- but I must accept.  I tend to pray 'God, I want to know you more..' and then go about my day at 100mph, never stopping to realize all the ways He's saying, 'Then come, Daughter, know me!!'
'You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.' Jeremiah 29:13
It truly is a wonderful life, the question is whether or not I will take the time to realize it.

two cents

'Calling His disciples to Him, Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.  They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything- all she had to live on." Mark 12:43-44
I came across this story last week and found it absolutely breath taking.  Jesus was observing the people  at the temple as they gave their offerings.  He saw right through the showy display of the rich, the clank and clatter of their extravagant givings cascading into the treasury.  He zeroes in on a widow, humble and quiet, as she steps forward, quietly slipping her two coins in trying not to draw any attention to her meager offering. She watches her bread money slide away and turns to fade back into the crowd.  Jesus sees her heart and LOVES what she has done; calls attention to her actions!  The offerings of the rich may be funding missions all over the world, but the HEART is what God looks at and in this case, the poor widow out gave them all.
I'm inspired and humbled by this story.  May I learn to give from the heart.  May I be sincere and courageous even when it requires 'all I have to live on'.  And may I learn to see as Jesus sees.. the beauty and surrender in an act that seems trivial to the world.  I have a lot to learn when it comes to these things, matters of the heart.  But the more I learn, the more simple life becomes!  And as I allow Jesus to have His way with my heart, the world becomes more and more beautiful!
I'm looking up synonyms for the word 'blessed' because after a week like this last one I know my overuse of that term may become slightly excessive!!  My family's last week in Kona was a blur, a fantastic blur.  Between dinner with friends, a beach BBQ with more friends, visiting an incredible parrot sanctuary and time spent with MORE friends; suffice it to say our wonderful 'family' here completely enveloped Dad, Mom and Abe.  The love we have discovered in this church is unlike anything we've ever known and my family was quick to discover this.

['practicing up' with one of our favorite little men!]

After working so hard at the coffee farm it was nice to have a few days with not much on the schedule.  We went snorkeling, played board games and introduced my family to the best shaved ice on the island.  Mom and I decided it was high time for a pedicure; the last time I'd had one was during our time together in August and the only remaining proof was a few specks of leftover polish on my big toes!!  Dad wanted one last bowl of clam chowder.  Now I know he'll be back to Hawaii, even if it's just for his fix of the creamy goodness we introduced him to!
Derek and Abe can only take so many lazy days (and beatings in Sorry :)  It wasn't long before they were tackling a new project, homemade longboards (basically a longer, funner version of the skateboard)!  Their ingenuity and creativity amazes me.  One minute they're looking up YouTube videos and the next thing I know they've bought supplies and are working away.  Their boards turned out great and they spent some quality time cruising and scheming on improvements for the next ones!
On Wednesday we said goodbye to the gorgeous house we'd been calling 'home' for two weeks.  Thankfully it's close by, because it took two truck loads to transport everything back to the apartment!  What I love about a 'vacation' or time spent in a more luxurious setting is when it still feels wonderful to come 'home'.  We may not have an outdoor shower or an amazing lanai, but the familiarity and comfort that comes with your own space is hard to beat!  Plus, we had work to do.  Project: repaint the church basement was about to commence and that's much easier to accomplish when you're living AT the church!  Once again we were amazed by the progress that five people can make and the transformation was complete after only two days!
With things like painting and cleaning on the agenda I've had quite the list of pregnancy related questions.  Thankfully, I have my very own OB/GYN at church!  Being able to pick her brain 24/7 is a tremendous blessing.  We just have to remember not to discuss things like water breaking or lack of bladder control in mixed company, lest we scar any unsuspecting men within hearing range!   Speaking of 'Peanut', our latest name for Baby Pearl, he/she is the size of an avocado right now!  I have an appointment this coming week and can't wait!  I realize that being in the womb is probably the safest this kid will ever be, BUT a month is a really long time to go between seeing that speedy little heart beat!

[sweet present from my love!]

My stomach is not the only thing starting to expand; as the weeks progress our excitement continues to grow as well!  This last week had me feeling incredibly BLESSED as unexpected cards or letters arrived in the mail and then, best of all, a surprise package from my sister-in-law in Colorado!!  Unbeknownst to me, she put together the sweetest box; my very first maternity clothes and all the best ingredients for pampering: tea, nail polish, oil for my skin and a brand new tube of Burt's Bees chap stick.  I realize my hormones aren't what they used to be, but I almost started crying right there in front of the post office!!
The newest 'side-effect' in this pregnant journey is forgetfulness, like 108-years-old kind of forgetfulness.  I can't figure out how I flipped my eggs with no spatula and then Derek reminds me that HE flipped them kind of forgetfulness!  Here's the worst episode:: We parked downtown on a busy, Kona day and I hopped out and went straight to the back of the truck so I wouldn't forget to fill Kai's water bowl.  Then I circled around Derek's side and off we went.  I don't know why but, thankfully, Derek glanced back at the truck and lo and behold my door was still WIDE OPEN!  Lovely little pregnancy faux pas!!  (For some reason my husband didn't find this quite as funny as me, though...)
We saw my parents and Abe off on Saturday and now life returns to 'normal', although that may actually mean something completely new!  Thanks to all their help at the fields, we're to the point now where we just need to maintain.  There's always work to be done on a farm, and 'maintaining' still means weed wacking, mowing, fertilizing and spraying (Peanut's not a fan of pesticides, though, so that job is all Derek!) but we will be able to start taking on other work, as well.  We're excited to see what God has in store for us!

[sunset shenanigans captured by: Abe Riddering]

As I anticipate a brand new week I'm still thinking about the poor widow and what God wants me to take from her story.  No matter what the next few days, weeks or months require of us, I want to be focused on the fact that Jesus sees my heart.  If I'm giving my all, He knows.  The widow gave just two cents but Jesus made an example of her for the disciples saying 'she, out of her poverty, put in everything'.  That's what I long for Him to say about me, about my life, 'She gave it her all!'  I'm aware that I have a long way to go, surrender is not an overnight accomplishment, but I can also see how far I've come, by His grace!  May I learn to live in such a way that brings joy to my King, regardless of what I amount to by the standards of this world. 

moments to memories.

'Sometimes you will never know the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory.'  This past week can be described as nothing but a genuine conglomeration of moments.  Moments that may disappear as quick as our next breath yet have already infused our hearts and minds, single brush strokes in a collage of memories.  Basically, that's my poetic way of warning you that there may not be any rhyme or reason to what you read next.

[a pondering pooch!]

Believe it or not, we worked extremely hard this week!  Pictures fail to do justice to the massive improvements in those coffee fields.  It's one of those 'you have to be here to appreciate it' scenarios.  Here's the low down:  there's approximately 700 trees per acre and we are working six acres.  That's 4,200 trees!  Our task, these past few weeks, has been to prune said trees.  Now some can be skipped over, but the really gnarly ones may have up to ten different branches (that are 10-12 feet tall!) needing to be sawed off and dragged to the piles.  My family is supposed to be on vacation but have continually insisted on working and staying busy and we said 'Okay, if you insist!'
Even though my husband could take first place in a sawing competition, this daunting task would have taken the two of us months to accomplish.  And, as my Dad always loves to remind us, 'many hands make little work'!  With their help we have made enormous progress.  I can't even begin to describe what a blessing and relief it is when I look across the fields, realizing I won't have to be out there pruning away at seven months pregnant like I had been...how do I put this, not exactly 'looking forward' to!?  (I'm sure we'll still be in the fields, come May and June, but I'm envisioning riding lawn mower duty?!)  I must admit, I definitely had a few 'moments' this week where I didn't think my legs could take one more trip up that hill.  But then I just reminded myself that I could be picking and I practically sprinted up that slope!!!  Joking aside, the moments may not always be lovely but what I will take from it is the memory of all that we accomplished!
It hasn't been ALL work and no play, though!  Snorkeling and body surfing are some of my family's favorite pass times.  And we discovered that one of our least favorite fruits, papaya, is actually very tasty when drizzled with fresh lemon juice!!  Usually we're too tired to stay awake for a whole movie at night, or maybe my pregnant habits are just rubbing off on everyone.  "Oh, look at the time, 8:05!  No wonder I can't keep my eyes open!!"  But even our tired, sore bodies can usually manage a few hands of cards before hitting the hay!  You can't play cards without snacks, though, and with a whole stock of bananas ripening at once it was perfect timing for Derek to come down with a hankering for homemade Banana's Foster!   We also realized that after three o'clock our favorite bakery sells all their pastries and cookies for half off.  It blows my mind that for $5, which is how much they charge for one slice of pie or fancy dessert, we can walk away with a whole box full of goodies!
The guys witnessed a spectacular site while at the beach this week:: WHALES!  Apparently they were slapping the water with their tails and jumping straight into the air, spinning full circles!  Mom and I, unfortunately, missed out on this; we were making the Costco run.  At least we had free samples to console us!

[photo cred, once again, goes to Abe Riddering!]

No new developments with pregnancy symptoms, except for a minor episode in the fields where the whole world started spinning.  Oh, and I did run into the screen door once.  We're just chalking that up to a blonde moment, though!  I'm getting very excited for our next appointment.  A whole month between baby viewings seems like an eternity!!  My back is sore almost all the time, but I don't know if that has to do with the baby or just dragging loads of branches uphill all day.  Derek actually bought me a massage chair for Christmas; leave it to him to reason 'I can either buy her a massage or buy the chair insert and she can have a massage every day!'  But it never arrived and I think someone in the postal service is taking full advantage of my present right about now.  Thankfully, the money was refunded and we're going to try again.  Can't WAIT!!
One afternoon Derek, Abe and I were sitting on the porch and witnessed a kamikaze gecko drop from the roof of the lanai onto the cement with an unbelievable 'SPLAT'!  He then proceded to look from side to side, evaluating who all had seen his crazy stunt, and then scampered off the porch!  Needless to say, this had us laughing hysterically and imagining every possible scenario for the next twenty minutes... his buddy pushed him, he was showing off for his girlfriend, etc.  Just one moment out of the whole week, but it's become a memory.  A hysterical one!
My walk with God is made up of moments as well.  Talking to Him at night while gazing up at the stars.  Reading the Bible and discovering things for the first time.  Being overwhelmed with life but being able to rest in His incredible peace.  These moments won't necessarily become life long memories, but they are woven together as part of my journey; the legacy I will leave behind.  My life is a collection of moments, the day-to-day decisions and how I choose to respond.  The memories I cherish are built from moment upon moment of seeing God's faithfulness and coming to new realizations of His love and grace.
It's citrus season here in Hawaii which means we're up to our eyeballs in oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, lemons and every possible combination in between.  Because we can't eat them all, my Dad's been juicing them and the results are extremely.. tangy!  It might be a strange way to make my point, but earlier Derek said 'When life hands you lemons and grapefruits.. make orange juice!' and, of course, I thought that was hilarious.  But then I started thinking about it, realizing how true it is.  Life will hand you all sorts of tricky situations, unknowns and daunting tasks and you can either say 'There's no way we can eat all this fruit!' or you can start squeezing those fruits; you can embrace each moment, choosing to follow God even when you have no idea where He's leading!  When we look back at our time in Hawaii there's no way we'll remember every single moment, good or bad, but those moments are leading up to memories which are priceless and life changing!

[my favorite surfer, Derek Pearl!]

porch time!

I love porches, or rather porch time!  Derek's family taught me to love porch time.  Whether it's coffee in the mornings or a nap on the porch swing, eating watermelon or telling stories; the porch is just the place to be at the Pearl house!  This week has been wonderful for so many reasons but, in my opinion, many of them have to do with a porch..

[at 'End of the World']

When we moved into the apartment at church, we knew that there were two weeks in January where we would need to find alternate accommodations.  We weren't too worried about it, after all, we have a whole six months at the greenhouse under our belt, what's two weeks?!  Only problem is that once we'd lived in 'civilization' for several months, heading back to the jungle started seeming slightly more overwhelming.  Add to that the fact that there would be five of us, six counting Baby Pearl, under that lovely piece of plastic (and without a toilet!) and the result is an extremely, anxious prego!  This was the first of those two weeks, however and God has, once again, blown my mind!  Long story short, my parents got in touch with some family friends who have a house on this side of the island but don't live here year round.  They're returning to Hawaii in a few weeks, but their gorgeous house is empty right now and they graciously agreed to our strange request to invade!  What had literally been cause for nightmares turned into the best possible outcome!
"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts, says the LORD, and my ways are FAR beyond anything you could imagine!'  Isaiah 55:8 (NLT)
Even in my wildest dreams I would never have been able to conjure up this scenario!  From greenhouse to vacation house!  There are the perfect amount of bedrooms here, although I think Abe was fairly attached to his blow up mattress in the living room!  We're all completely hooked on the outdoor shower which, I realize, sounds a lot like jungle life but this one actually comes out of a shower head and is hot and clean!  Every evening has been spent on the porch; meals just taste better outside, especially with the sound of the waves crashing in the background!  We watch the sunset, we tell stories and play 'Chinese Checkers' and 'Sorry'.  Mornings find us on the porch again, watching the light dance it's way onto the horizon as we sip coffee, or tea for those of us who still can't stomach the Kona brew.  Okay, I'll admit, I'm not always present for the break of dawn but when I do arise the porch is usually calling my name.  This house also allows for everyone to have their own space which became very important with the arrival of sore throats and sneezing!
There's a first time for everything and this week it was being pregnant and sick at the same time!  Nothing too serious, thankfully, but it's no fun being achy all over and trying to swallow around what feels like a golf ball in your throat!  I couldn't take extra vitamins, apparently my prenatal has all its bases covered!  So, I battled this sickness with about 300 oranges, chicken noodle soup and some R&R..on the porch!  Thankfully, Derek almost always has a hankering to go surfing so it wasn't too hard to talk him into a day off.  Speaking of surfing, my husband is getting good!  Last weekend had us at the beach as much as possible so he could take full advantage of the biggest swell we've seen yet.

[photo cred. goes to my little brother, Abe Riddering]

Other than loving our housing upgrade and battling sickness, this week also included pruning.  We're still waiting on the last bit of coffee cherries to ripen for the picking, but in the mean time there's plenty of other projects to tackle.  We should have pruned a lot heavier than we did last year but we were hesitant to chop down all the trees.  The reality is that so many of them were too tall and overgrown to even pick this time around.  So, now we start fresh in a lot of the rows... sawing off all the unhealthy, giant branches and allowing the new starts a fighting chance.  All the branches that are sawed off then need to be dragged out of the rows and to brush piles throughout the property.  I don't even have the words to describe how GRATEFUL I am to have my Dad, Mom and Abe here for this project.  Between the five of us we've already worked our way through three acres and it looks amazing!! 

Derek and Abe fluctuate between harassing me for overusing the 'I'm pregnant!' excuse to defending my less than impressive stack of branches because 'She's making a baby, too!'  The truth is, I feel amazing (in an exhausted way!) and sleep SO good after a day in the fields!  Any other boss would fire me for taking a water break every 15 minutes, but Derek kinda likes me :)  As enticing as it sounds to lounge, read a book and eat truffles all day, dragging branches through the fields is exactly what I need.  Staying active and being outside is vital.  Plus, I have the weekend for good books, kayaking adventures and all the Christmas chocolate we acquired.  The crazy part is that I've almost completely lost my sweet tooth!  I still enjoy the occasional cookie or chocolate sent all the way from Germany!!  But, more often than not, even thinking about rich desserts makes my stomach twist up in knots!  Blessings in disguise, I suppose! 

There's not exactly a 'moral to the story' this week.  2013 is off to a great start.  The little peanut and I have started our second trimester.. woohoo!!!  Derek is the best husband in the world!  My parents LOVE this beautiful, island we live on.. no surprise there!!  And Abe and Derek took 'Grilloha Friday' to a whole new level of deliciousness this week with their top-secret, grilled chicken recipe!  We are finally starting to get paid from the coffee mill and that brings massive relief!!  I've learned enough about patience to fill an entire post, but I'll spare you.  Jesus is teaching us so much; at the top of this week's list:: we should never underestimate Him!!  As I sit here (on the porch!!) listening to the palm trees sway, I considering how to end this random collection of thoughts and happenings.  I'm overwhelmed with how blessed I truly am and I'm humbled by the magnificence of God!!  I mess up, I fall down, I become discouraged... but He is faithful!  He's using me and loving me and guiding me.  He has provided for us, above and beyond anything we could imagine!  AND He threw in a porch, because that's who He is.. my God is generous and intimate and He cares about the 'little things'.  I can't even imagine how amazing the porch time in Heaven will be!!  

[the THREE of us, on the last day of the year!]

superhero alert::

What do these things have in common:: a newly developed talent for identifying odors within a 5mile radius- a.k.a 'the super smeller', an unquenchable desire for sleep and a curious disgust with my old friend, coffee?  I know, I know.. you're thinking 'super powers, zombie-like exhaustion and a weakness of kryptonite proportions.. she must have turned into superwoman!'  Although some may consider it even more impressive than invisibility or mind reading, the truth is that I am simply growing another human being.  Yes, it's true!!  I've been waiting to spill those beans for two months but Christmas was the perfect time to tell our families.

family picture #1

#2 - after Derek said 'on three everyone say Bethel's pregnant!'

I am 13 weeks along which means Baby Pearl is 3in long and the size of a peach.  He/she is due to make their grand appearance on July 10!  Derek and I are very excited!  As far as sickness goes, I've been incredibly blessed.  Nauseous, yes.  But actually throwing up, no.  That means Derek hasn't lost his best farm hand!  Even my extreme dislike for coffee picking pales in light of the terrible sickness I know has accompanied many of my friends and family members through pregnancy.  I'd much rather be picking or pruning, our newest task, then the alternate option.  As long as I'm allowed a significant amount of pee breaks and have plenty of snacks on hand, I'm good to go!
Although this Christmas will always be remembered as the one in which we divulged our exciting news, there were many other memorable moments.  Being 'Vanna White' in our church's Christmas version of Family Feud has given my parade wave quite the reputation!  I was able to enjoy the first fig grown on our very own tree!  Card games, coffee (for everyone but the prego!) and cracking jokes resulted in much laughter and even a little coffee spewing!  Christmas Eve was a perfect beach day, concluded with the island's best clam chowder and a candle light service on the beach!  We had fun weaving together different family traditions; my family's cheesy bean dip for movie night, the Pearl family's 'Christmas breakfast'.  A pool party with church family and Derek's excitement at finally getting everything he needs to finish his surf board also rank high on the list!   It was, indeed, a Merry Christmas!

[candle light service!]

Thanks to Skype, we were actually able to see the reactions of many family members as we showed off our brand new ultrasound picture!  The expressions were priceless.  As we talked to close friends throughout the next few days, the giddiness grew.  It's starting to seem real!  Announcing it to church family was very exciting; our baby has about 30 'aunties' and 'uncles' that can't wait to begin the spoiling!  And, now that the cat's out of the bag I don't have to take as much grief for tucking into bed at ridiculously, early hours of the evening.
Knowing we're adding to our family has been the underlying 'unknown' in our decision making the past few months.  Finding out we had a place to live and a possible job for seven months was enormously more significant to us, knowing that seven months was exactly how long we had until our sweet, baby's arrival!  Yes, we'll need to line up other jobs and find a place to live after the seven months.  We're not sure of all the when's, what's or how long we'll end up living here but we can clearly see that God is making a way and, as always, He is an incredible provider.
The best present I got this year was having several family members go along with my wish for them to give my Christmas money to someone that truly needed it.  This came in the form of donations to World Vision, help for sexually exploited girls and a goat sent to a family in India!  Thinking about the difference these gifts could make in the lives of those that desperately needed it is the BEST kind of gift and exactly what I wanted!  This wasn't about me suddenly developing saint-like qualities, far from it!  I love getting presents, just like anyone else, but I really felt God speaking to me about being a blessing to others.  There was nothing I truly 'needed' this year and Christmas was the perfect chance to GIVE!  After all, that's what it's all about... the gift of Jesus Christ!!

[Light of the world, You came down into darkness]

As we draw to the close of this year, I don't want to make a giant list of resolutions that will be thrown to the wayside by mid-March!  I do, however, want to reflect on all the incredible opportunities and adventures of 2012!  I stand in awe at my God and the countless ways He has loved us, provided for us, taught us and walked with us.  I'm married to my best friend and we learn more about 'love' every day.  There's no one else I'd want to be on this journey with.  As I look forward to 2013 I am absolutely ecstatic!  We are beginning a new chapter and I can't wait to see where God will lead us and all that He will teach us.  Derek and I have been abundantly blessed and I'm excited to BE a blessing in this new year, allowing Jesus to live through us!  Plus, we can't WAIT to meet the little munchkin growing inside of me!
That's all I've got, for this year...

God with us!

Christmas is my favorite time of year for countless reasons; the songs, the secrecy of presents, lavish decorations, family coming together and the once-a-year kind of foods!  But, as the Grinch learned, even when you take away all the trappings and feasting, Christmas is about oh-so-much more!
The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Emmanuel [which means 'God with us'] Matthew 1:23
God. With. Us.  How do we even begin to comprehend this?  Every single human being is sinful and wretched from the moment they are born into this fallen world.  We deserve Hell.  The only way we could be redeemed was if God Himself came to earth and paid the price for our sins.  And God so loved the world that HE DID!  God with us!  He sent His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life! [John 3:16!]  He knew exactly what it would take to save us and He said we were worth it!

We've been 'on vacation' this week.  Coffee picking came to a screeching halt after two days when we reached the point where all the remaining cherries had either gone bad or weren't ready to be picked!  I did my best to mask my sheer giddiness at this realization, but I don't think I fooled anyone!  It was perfect timing.  We were able to help set up for the Christmas play at church, get some last minute shopping done and spend an afternoon at the beach!  After putting my family straight to work, relaxing was absolutely lovely and strolling around downtown led to the discovery of an amazing pizza place!  Our cultural experience of the week was a Celtic concert that Dad read about on a poster.  Not quite what we were hoping for; it definitely provided some laughing material.  It also cost Dad his entertainment choosing privileges for awhile!
When we were picking this last week, I couldn't get enough of David Crowder's version of the old hymn, "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing".  The words are incredible!  'Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God; He, to rescue me from danger, interposed His precious blood.  He sought me!  He rescued me, by sacrificing Himself!!  O to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be!  And it all started with the birth of a baby, Emmanuel.  God WITH us!
Christmas is a great excuse for parties; a chance to give gifts and wear ugly sweaters.  Beyond that, however, is the celebration of God coming to earth!  Do I truly understand what that means; what He sacrificed for me??  The Author of Life entered this world through a birth canal, just like me!  The Word of God learned how to walk and talk and eat mashed up bananas!  Thinking in those terms is mind boggling.  The King of Kings became a servant, washing the feet of His followers.  Jesus Christ went against every social and religious 'norm'.  His ways seemed backwards and confusing to those waiting for a victorious ruler.  But to those with childlike faith, He was the epitome of love.  He was exactly what the world needed and NEEDS!  And in the end, He WAS that victorious ruler!  Jesus crushed death and the Devil and set me FREE!  That's why I love Christmas!

[our Christmas tree quilt, thanks to Mom!!]

This year's celebrations have been unlike anything else we've known.  It's still a balmy 72 degrees and instead of fur boots or a new ski coat we put a swimming suit or new surf board (wait, Derek.. what!?) on our wish list!  Not wanting to slave away in the kitchen all day, our Christmas menu consists of delicious, yet significantly simpler meals.  We're excited about our tropical celebration plans, but there is something special about turkey, mashed potatoes, and the works.  Last night, however, we had dinner with a couple from church and imagine our surprise upon finding that they had cooked the full, holiday meal for us.. complete with green bean casserole!! YES!  God provides, even the simplest of needs or desires.  He is an amazing God who gave EVERYTHING, His Son, that we might be with Him and know His LOVE.  I'm so excited to celebrate Jesus, today, tomorrow and every day of the year!  Because of His birth, because of the freedom He gives, I have everything to be thankful for- everything to celebrate!!  God is WITH us!  

constant in the chaos

Setting up a 9ft Christmas tree in the church, sipping egg nog and sneaking away to wrap presents has us all in a festive spirit this week.  We also did a little volcano exploring and managed to pull off a camping trip in the rain!  But before all this excitement came a few lessons in coffee picking.  Dad and Mom are starting to catch on to the best techniques and Abe is certainly a trooper, going on four weeks in the fields!  It is nice to have more hands out there; the bags fill up a lot quicker!  Sometimes we pick in silence, everyone in their own zone; other times you can hear our bantering for miles as we reminisce and go back and forth with 'would you rather' questions!

Our evenings consist of card games, 'The Grinch' and a random quiz site that can entertain for hours!!  We've inhaled a fair amount of ice cream and our late night bowls of cereal have taught us that one gallon of milk will not last longer than four days!  Having more people in the house means extra laughter, more available dish washers and, thanks to Dad, an endless supply of fruit.  Unfortunately, we're not talking juicy mangos, just all the avocados and guavas he finds on the ground.  We have been blessed with bags full of oranges the last few weeks and it's nice to have more muscle around for some extensive juicing parties.  

[baby banana!!]

We're almost to the point where the remaining cherries are one extreme or the other.  They've either gone bad because we didn't get to them in time or they have yet to ripen.  Translation: our work is far from done, but we can afford to take a day or two off for adventuring reasons.  So, on Thursday we headed for the volcano..

Let me tell you, this trip was wacky from start to finish!  Not a 'bad' wacky, just a significant lack of anything going as planned.  First of all, we've been cramming five people into a truck that barely holds four.  Although this is manageable for the seven minutes it takes to drive to the fields, we knew our cramped positions wouldn't hold up for a two hour road trip.  Thankfully, Abe volunteered to ride in the back with Kai.  Problem solved, except for having to pack all the camping stuff in the back, too!  Let's just say, Abe and the pooch had to get pretty cozy for that trek!!  We arrived at our favorite campsite and it immediately started raining.  Not a downpour, rather an alternating mist/drizzle for the next few hours.  Not easily discouraged, we rigged up a make shift canopy to play cards under!  We soon realized, however, that one of our tarps was a leaky tarp.  And, as we unpacked the truck, it dawned on us that the pump for my parents air mattress had gone AWAL; the extreme, southern winds of the island had snatched it right out of the truck.  Things were looking pretty bleary!  

The rain finally let up and the guys started a fire.  We skewered our cheese brats which, in my opinion, are the only kind of brats worth eating!  Second course had us roasting jumbo marshmallows for s'mores!  The ranger tried to rain on our parade, not too much of a pun intended, by notifying us of the $20,000 fee if Kai wasn't on a leash at all times.  But it takes a lot to phase us!  By the time darkness had taken over we were ready to hike to the lookout point.  The carbon dioxide levels keep anyone from getting too close to the volcano, so the guide books are a little misleading with all the pictures of lava flowing right by you.  We do love to look over the caldera at night, though, with the smoke billowing out in shades of red.   The horizon takes on an ethereal glow, tinting the night sky.  

[Kilauea Caldera]

Heading back to the campsite we were feeling better about the camping situation.  We purchased a new tarp and Dad found a fellow camper with a pump, improving my parents sleeping arrangements significantly!  After some star gazing and story telling, Abe folded his 6 feet 3 inches and a full head of hair into a kid-sized tent and Derek, Kai and I settled into the back of the truck.  All was well until the rain started back up.

We slept in peaceful oblivion for most of the night.  Water leaked in on the sides of our blankets and massive puddles formed on top of the tarps, but we were in dream land.  Dad and Mom were snug as a bug, unaware of the fact that the bottom half of their blanket was soaked and the water had run a nice little zig zag pattern on the mattress, right around their heads!  They say that what you don't know can't hurt you and I suppose it was true in this case!  Poor little brother, on the other hand, became extremely aware of his miniature tent being, in fact, NOT water proof.  He came staggering out the next morning, ringing water from his blanket and cracking his neck.  Oh, and did I mention it was still raining?!  

At this point, the only option was laughter.  Nothing was really funny, but we had to laugh as we packed up the soggy mess and heated water for our oatmeal.  Next stop: COFFEE!!  I can only imagine how we looked, running into this little store sopping wet and rubbing sleep out of our eyes.  But they had what we were after: hot coffee, tea and the most delicious hot chocolate I've ever tasted!!  These beverages enabled us to venture into the volcano park where, although it was still raining, we had a great time!  The caldera takes on a whole different look by day and the steam vents felt even better than usual because of the state we were in, mostly 'wet to the bone'.  A rainforest walk and giant lava tube completed our soggy trip.  Thank goodness for laughter and dry clothes for the ride home.  Abe couldn't ride in the back, so quarters were cramped.  But we broke up the trip with a stop at the Punalu'u Bakery, which had been on our list for quite awhile!!  We were certainly not disappointed and with fresh, lilikoi frosted malasadas in our tummy we returned home in high spirits. 

The truth that accompanied me throughout this week was that God is the same no matter what may be going on in my life.  No matter if things are mundane or chaotic; rain or sunshine.  Whether we're -picking our 9000th pound of coffee or sending presents to those we won't spend Christmas with.  Jesus is the constant in a world of variables.  He is laughter when things don't go according to plan and He is peace amidst all the unknown.  'Jesus Christ is the SAME yesterday and today and forever.' Hebrews 13:89