Hey, yall! I'm trying to do too many things at once, (duh, anyone else do that/ LOL). Since I have been asked by several to post a video of Bible Journaling I decided to try my hand at YouTubing it. Of course, it took many tries and the last one cut off before I was finished (Me: TALK TOO MUCH). So, for the next few posts I'll be posting some videos (hopefully better) and some "how to's" for those who have asked me. Some peeps that have asked about it , live out of town so this is the only way I can show it! Bear with me as I work on the videos. Besides the grands getting out of school, there have been recitals/ end of year awards, etc that I've been attending (had to miss a couple but made most of them!) as well as dealing with a dead air conditioner. THANKFULLY, a new unit installing right now!!!! (if you live in the South, I don't need to say more, right?). Anyway, PTL the upstairs unit provided a bit of relief but
looking forward to sleeping tonight in a cool house!!!!! The temps in the 'Ham are supposed to be triple digits next week, so we were very thankful to find an awesome Air Conditioning Company to install our new one! PTL for honest and trustworthy business owners! And SUPER fast ones, too!
For those who also asked, I am FINALLY well! three weeks it took for this old granny to get back on her feet again. Needless to say, no mission trips for awhile! Instead, I think I'll do CAMP GRANJAN! hahah
Thanks for your interest and for contacting me. I hope to do better videos in the future. I'm just stoked that yall love Bible Journaling! If you don't, that's ok too! God has you doing other things for Him, I'm sure! But this is "my thing" and I love sharing about it and DOING it. (plus, it helps keep me out of the Galleria hahaha)
I still have to finish blogging about Jamaica, too! so stay tuned!
Blessings and Joy, friends!
MUAH!!!!!!!! (big kiss)
For my first full day in Jamaica, I was up super early and ready! I have been told by everyone, especially Natalie (haha) "it is the hottest place on earth". Hmmmm, she might be right! The heat in Alabama is likened to HELL but I believe the heat in Jamaica might be likened to forty hells! Whew, it's truly hard to explain unless you've experienced it. Without air conditioning, I might add. Having said that, I drank constantly bottled water and everyone said "stay hydrated!" I did, but...again, it was an inferno! Funny thing, but NOT, I somehow lost my brand new make up on one of the flights. I SORT OF remember hearing something roll under my foot when I was going through (for the millionth time) my backpack on the plane, but didn't see anything and didn't think anymore about it. Until the first day in Jamaica. MY MAKE UP! That was it! I lost it on the plane! ARGHHH! I know it sounds very vain, but I don't even go to the mailbox without a splash of makeup on. Imagine my dismay when I searched high and low for it! All I had was some blush, some lipstick and some mascara. So, that is why I looked so lame in the pictures. Again, Natalie probably right, it would've melted off anyway. HA! (those who might not know, Natalie is my oldest and bossiest ,daughter, FYI). Anyway, had to set the stage for you: Me, no make up. Sweat on upper lip and it wasn't but 8 in the morning. Hmmm, vain Jan already worrying about my impression of my new friends. Not to worry, these awesome friends accepted me with hugs and laughs as they were all very interested to meet "Terry's wife". (this from Doc!). I really hope to see them next time with MAKE UP on although I doubt they would recognize me.
So, off we go with our incredible driver, Euwann (sp?). He's simply the best. He and Terry have this amazing way they bounce off each other and tease each other and are really besties. He picks us up from the airport and drives us everywhere the whole time there. I guess he and Terry are likened "Laurel and Hardy" (although I have no idea who they were) but I think they got along like Terry and Euwann. HA! He knew exactly where to take us and it was a joy to hear him say "yeah, MON" to everything we said. (yes, they really say that all the time).
Sooooo, off to our first stop!!!! The school. THE SCHOOL. the school I have heard about sooo many years and I was finally there. I was shocked. It didn't look like a school. It was behind a really rickety rusted gate. Terry got out and opened it and said, "come on in." I said, "But won't we disrupt class?" and he just rolled his eyes. Immediately there were cheers and hugs! FINALLY I was going to meet Tamaula and Audry. Two names I have heard almost as many times as my own children's names. Their beautiful faces immediately brightened as Terry introduced me. I wanted to cry. And this was before I even met the kids.
THE KIDS. These precious little ones. I think they are ages from like 3-6? And this day they were making costumes. To be kings and princesses. Only no fancy tutu's there. No cute pirate costumes with swords or fake mustaches. Their costumes were made, instead, from plastic garbage bags. Old boxes . dirty paper. And yet the smiles and excitement they showed me, blew my every loving Southern Alabama mind. And I cried. I did a lot of that the few days I was there. Unabashably. The tears just flew. ( I think I misspelled that word. But I don't have time to look it up. You get my drift. In other words, the tears came and I didn't care.). So, then we go see what was for lunch for these angels. Tamaula lifted the lid on the pot on the stove. The stove IsaiahSixEight purchased for them a few years ago. Inside the "kitchen". Walls pockmocked. Broken door frames. A wooden shelf with necessary items, but scant items. And I looked in the pot. What was it? It was a watery soup. And I immediately thought of children in the states being happy over that for lunch. NEGATIVE. They would throw a hissy fit. But, there in Jamaica, they were excited. Lunch is a big deal. Sometimes the only meal they get. I'm really trying not to play on your emotions as I write about this. This was it, people. This was reality. This was happening before my streaming blue eyes with tears. And I sucked up my sadness and instead focused on the faces of these angels so excited to share with us their costumes. And they loved every minute. We sang. We laughed. We hugged. Janie was talking with Audry and Tamaula about what she could send for them as far as lessons, crafts, just basic kindergarten stuff that they don't have. I , on the other hand, was playing. I just went with my gut and played with the kids. Amid the coloring books that were totally filled up . Broken crayons. Markers without tops and dried up. Play dough that was dried to a hard rock. Dismayed, but not deterred, I stared at the beautiful smooth skin and deep dark eyes that danced with intelligence and love in the faces before me. And I sensed a hunger. A hunger for more. More what? Love from family? Hunger to get out of poverty? They didn't know they were poor. But they knew, because they saw us, there is a life outside of a hot and cluttered room at school that might offer them some hope for a better future. And I saw that in the eyes of the children even if they could not put that to words. So what did I do? I danced with them.
Check out this day. Look carefully at the children's eyes. If I can get it to load, I hope to post some videos. Stay tuned. More to come. when you go to sleep tonight, think about these children and the hope that you can see in their eyes. And, please, while you're at it, ask God to give this precious school an extra measure of grace during this time.
