Kiara Sofia Saltos pics

I realize I never posted the updated pictures of Kiara, mi ahijada. Muy linda! No?

Razzle Dazzle!

I'm so far behind,

....I wont' be able to die for another 100 years!

In Him, I lack nothing

Pslam 23

1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
     he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul.
     He guides me in paths of righteousness
     for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk
     through the valley of the shadow of death,
     I will fear no evil,
     for you are with me;
     your rod and your staff,
     they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
     in the presence of my enemies.
     You anoint my head with oil;
     my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
     all the days of my life,
     and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
     forever.

Quite unfortunately, this psalm has become rather cliché in Christianity today. I will admit it is a chapter I have quoted without much reflection or depth. Until now.
David’s 23rd psalm is a reminder of who it is that comforts us, sustains us, protects us, blesses us… and keeps us alive. Truly it is God and nothing/no one else.
God leads us through LUSH meadows and clean waters. He gives us rest. (1&2) He serves us a six-course dinner, revives our drooping heads, our cups brim with blessing (5). God does not withhold Himself, His blessings are not in shortage! He cares for us by meeting our needs. True to His Word, He lets us catch our breath and sends us in the right direction (3). When we go through the roughest of times - He is there! Walking beside us, securing us with comfort and protection. He doesn’t take away the danger, but He is there! When I was little and fearful, and screamed through the dark for my parents, they came and comforted me, not turning on the lights, but sitting beside me. Only then was I safe. Through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place.
God is my shepherd! I do not need a thing!

I wouldn't mind...

I wouldn't mind living here:


with people like this:

and this:

and this:

and this:

I wouldn't mind having a truck like this:

With 2 boys like this:

With traffic like this:

I wouldn't mind sights like this:

I wouldn't mind shopping like this:

Mi ahijada

Kiara Sofia Saltos

On Monday, January 28th, this little girl, was born to Geovanni and Christine Saltos. Geovanni is a national Wesleyan pastor in Racar, Ecuador. I met Pastor Geo and Christine in Ecuador in April. I built a strong and special relationship with Geo and Christine during my visit and we have maintained our relationship since my return. In a previous blog here I wrote about 'the best day in Ecuador', a day full of memories with Geo and Christine. That afternoon is especially forever impressed upon my heart and memory. In Geo’s muddy blue truck, Christine, Geo and I shared our testimonies, our fears, and our dreams. Through the bumpy mountain streets we sang together and we laughed together. Since April, Geo and I have continued to speak roughly once per week.
On Friday, February 1st, I received an e-mail from Geovanni’s brother-in-law concerning the arrival of Geo and Christine’s second daughter. I was equally surprised and concerned, as Kiara was not expected until March 10th. Kiara was born weighing 4.4 pounds and was 31 centimeters in length. Due to her health and size, Kiara was placed on a ventilator for four weeks, and she remains there today. The e-mail did not mention the baby’s name so I was very curious when I spoke with Geo on Saturday. Geo and Christine asked me to choose a name for their baby. It was an incredible feeling! I NAMED a little bundle of life, a little ball of joy. I chose the name that Kiara Sofia will be identified with all her life. It is seriously an indescribable feeling. THEN Geo declared that he and Christine wanted me to be Kiara’s godmother. I cannot express how special this is. I do not know the full responsibilities of a godmother, but I hope to exceed the Saltos’ expectations. Geo and I have been seriously considering our options for my visit to Ecuador in June and/or July. It is an wonderful opportunity which I hope becomes a REALITY. Please pray with me for the growth, strength and health of my goddaughter. Pray for the faith of the Saltos’ family that God will provide for their every need. Pray that Geo & Christine, myself, and Wesleyan missions can schedule my visit to Ecuador. Finally, praise the Lord for this beautiful and precious, new life.

Geovanni, Christine, their daugher Jael & myself

our last day together in Ecuador.

Significant Memories of 2007.

The good and the bad:

January 2007:
-I finally reached 2007 and my daily countdown began to graduation.

February 2007:
-Superbowl XLI, February 4, the Colts defeated the Bears 29-17.


March 2007:
-On March 29, Grandmom turned 78.

April 2007:
-I went to Ecuador on a missions trip for 10 days with my Senior class. There I learned lessons that have had huge impact on my life; also, I developed close friendships with Carlos and Abuelo, and especially with Geovani and Christine who I continue to talk weekly with.
-The day after I returned from Ecuador, I went to the Southwood prom with Evan, and the following weekend we went to Lakeview’s prom.

May 2007:
-May 26th I graduated from high school.

June 2007:
-On June 1st, Eldine Landis was killed in a motor accident.
-I attended my last teen camp as an eligible camper. The same week, I made a new best friend.

July 2007:
-In July, two very good friends adopted four rambunctious, yet beautiful children.
-I was a counselor at Junior Bible Camp for my third summer.

August 2007:
-I went to Baraboo Wisconsin to help some friends at their small dying church. I painted a wall that is now world famous, went to the Noah’s Ark (the world’s largest water park) and hiked some pretty amazing trails.
-Family Camp - always good times.

September 2007:
-Labor Day weekend I moved to IWU and began my first year as a college student.
-Evan & I broke up.
-Days later I turned 19.

October 2007:
-Over fall break I began volunteering at Francis Slocum elementary school. I did the required community service, but continued going because each of the children took a piece of my heart.
-I began watching Lost - the #1 drama of the 21st century.
-Halloween was Ryan’s 1-year death anniversary.

November 2007:
-I applied to World Impact and was accepted as a member of a team of seven girls who will be traveling to Cambodia on a mission trip in May of ‘08. This will be an entirely new experience in every aspect. Also, I will be ministering alongside Tim and Tiffany, two of my sweet friends who moved to Cambodia a year and half ago.
-I began a sponsorship of Turatsinze Emmanuel, a nine-year-old boy in Rwanda.
-My sister told us she is pregnant.

December 2007:
-After Christmas I went to Orlando for an international Wesleyan youth convention.
-While traveling across two time zones, I celebrated the turn of the 07/08 new year twice.

Noomas.

How much time and energy do we spend wishing things were how they used to be? We often think about times in our past when things were different and want our lives to be like that again. Some of us have even come to believe that our best days may actually be behind us. But if we’re in some way hung up on the past, what does that mean for our lives now? How are we and those around us affected if we’re not fully present? If we’re longing for the way things used to be, what does that really say about our understanding and appreciation of our lives today? Maybe we need to learn to embrace our past for what it is, in order to live our lives to the fullest, right here, right now.

We want to know why we are here. If our lives really matter. How our religion is relevant to this life. Today. We want to understand what significance this minute, hour, week, month, and year has to our lives.To our world. We need a God who cares about this life, in this world, right now. We want to understand why everything we think, everything we say, and everything we do matters. We don’t want to just sit back and wait for something to happen or someday to come. We want to know if all the choices we make now will shape our world and lives for eternity. Because we want our lives to have meaning today, and our lives today to have meaning forever.


Some of the central claims of the Christian faith are the source of many discussions and heated debates. But are we always debating the right things? Maybe some of our discussions would change significantly if we had more insight into the actual circumstances that surrounded the first people of the Christian movement – if we had a better understanding of the things they did in the context of the world they lived in. Maybe some of the claims of the Christian faith that we typically perceive to be unique aren’t really that special at all. And at the same time maybe we don’t always put enough emphasis on the things that truly should matter in our lives.

We always think we know what’s missing from our lives in order to really make us happy, don’t we? If only I had that car, or that job, or if only I could lose those 15 lbs, then I’d be happy. Really? How often do we want something only to find out that it wasn’t that great after all? Sometimes we ask God for things and if he doesn’t deliver right away, we start questioning whether God really understands or even cares. Do we really trust God? Do we trust that God is good and sees a bigger picture than we ever could? It’s easy to want what’s right in front of us, but maybe God knows what’s better for us, and sometimes we just can’t see it.

I love Nooma.