I realized that I had not updated in quite some time, so I guess I had better get on it, eh? Life has been pretty busy lately with school, work, and church. It's a good kind of busy. I get some down time in the evenings that I have learned to cherish. "Me" time. Something I rarely got during my Dillons days. Sounds selfish, doesn't it? However, in order to keep our sanity, we need those times to recharge and reload. I take this time to play some computer games, check e-mail, and just rest. And update the blog. :-)
Tijuana is constantly at the forefront of my mind. I am at $270/$750, or 36%, for those who like percentages. I have had several people press money into my hand and pledge prayer support. I have also had people who have told me that they cannot support financially, but will pray. The fact is, money is coming in. That tells me that God is in this. If He did not want me to go, He would not be prompting people's hearts to give. The money will come in. I am hoping that with my tax return, I can stick more money into that account. I'm also needing new lenses for my glasses. I can't read with them, and I know I'm doomed for bifocals. No old jokes, please. LOL. Since my diabetes diagnosis, my eyesight has changed, and I desperately need new glasses. I also need to repair my windshield wipers. The motor has gone out, and it's a cost as well. I'm hoping my return will be decent. For the first time in years, I have no kids to claim. God will provide. He always does.
We were blessed this past week with 3 glorious days of near-70 degree weather! In January! Something that is very rare. I saw people out raking, bike riding, jogging, and simply enjoying this unseasonably warm weather. The winter months can lead to depression, low self-esteem, and a chronic case of cabin fever. Those 3 days gave us a sneak peek into the upcoming Spring. It was wonderful to take several walks and drink in the warmth. The kids at school were able to play on the playground without the hassle of cumbersome heavy coats. We got our yard raked of Fall leaves and had them hauled away. The warm weather got my mind working on my Spring/Summer garden. I'm plotting what worked and what did not work last Fall. I will need to begin my indoor seedlings soon. Definitely on the list are tomatoes. Of course, there will be radishes for my former neighbor. I'm going to try my vining plants again this year, but I'm thinking about planting flowers in the midst of them to attract bees and promote pollination and growth. Last year was my first in this new yard, and it was a lot of trial and error. The former house brought forth beautiful veggies, but this yard....not so much. It's a work in progress.
We celebrated a school milestone this past week with our 100th day of school. It's only a few more months until May! I was looking at pictures at some of our kids taken at the beginning of the school year, and it's amazing how much they have grown. With my little group of kiddos, I can see how much smarter they are getting. They are reading better, and have sponged up so much info. It is rewarding to look at the data we collected at the beginning of the school year, re-test them now, and see the progress. These kids definitely are 100 days smarter! I love to see them become smarter. I also love the hugs I get from these little ones. These kids are my heart, Those of you who are teachers can relate, I am sure.
Since my doctor chewed me out for a bad diabetes check-up, I have been on a mission to keep sugar at bay, exercise more, and watch carbs. I found out that calories DO count over the holiday season. LOL. Sorry to burst anyone's bubble, but, yep. I have switched from potato chips to shelled peanuts, which gives me something to do with my hands, and are healthier than chips. It also gives me that crunch. I am down about 2 pounds since then. I'm taking it very slow. No crash dieting or starving for me. I'm pretty happy with the progress I'm making. However, it's not easy. I'm a junk-food junkie, and it takes a lot of willpower to steer clear of foods that can be harmful to me. Keep in mind, for the average Joe, junk food is fattening. For the diabetic, it can be fatal if not kept in check. I'm always learning.
Today is Saturday, and I have much to do. Time to get off of this machine. I thank you for reading and for your support. I pray for you daily. God bless you!
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Rob's Ramblings "Tijuana" (again)
This past week the ball got rolling on the upcoming trip to Tijuana this Summer. I got the initial paperwork concerning arrivals, departures, and etc. When I began posting about Tijuana last Summer, I had no idea what we'd be up against, what we would experience, and how much our lives would CHANGE. I had no clue that a different Rob would emerge back into the United States. At our training, we were told that going on a mission trip would change our lives. I had no idea.
When a person thinks about going to an orphanage in Tijuana, many people immediately picture children in tattered clothes and mournful faces. Facilities in disrepair. Piles of garbage everywhere. When we pulled up into the parking lot of Colina de Luz, we found a group of happy, laughing children who enjoy hanging with Americans and LOVE soccer! They had decent clothing that was either donated or made on-site by loving ladies there. The facilities were very nice, and despite being in a desert-like climate, it was beautiful. (You don't see a lot of grass in Tijuana. Lack of rain.) Our group jumped out of the van and got totally blown away in a soccer game. These kids were good. It was also World Cup season, so that added to the excitement of the game. There seemed to always be a soccer game going on in the parking lot that also doubled as the soccer field.
That night, we set up an inflatable water slide and bounce house, and let the kids go crazy. There were also balloon animals (a skill I was not able to master, despite intense training), face painting, and hot dog feast. It was the first time I ever tried mayo on a hot dog. (Not bad!) Then we presented the gospel to the group, using different colored Frisbees. Ex: Red represented the blood of Christ, etc. It was the first time I ever taught through an interpreter. Throughout the week, we traveled into the city to visit churches that partnered with the orphanage. When we began setting up the inflatables, the kids came out of the woodwork! It was like Disneyland for them! It was rewarding to see the smiles on these kids' faces as they enjoyed the carnivals. I was placed in charge of the bounce castle, and those boys like to roughhouse in there! Typically, I was the target of choice, LOL. There was a lot of tackling in there! Good cardio. They loved those Americans picking them up and tossing them around. :-) We always ended our carnival with the gospel presentation. A Spanish-speaking teacher would give a brief message after our Frisbee lesson, and kids would come forward to receive Christ. Neat to see!!
One of the days was devoted to work projects around the orphanage. Concrete, stucco, painting, and etc. I was on concrete duty. I was helping pour sand and rocks into the cement mixer to be poured into wheelbarrows and rolled across campus to another area where we were constructing a support wall. It was hard and heavy work! However, we knew that we were helping the orphanage in a valuable way.
I loved mealtime. I sat at the table with the boys. I loved the Spanish chatter all around me. There was a language barrier, but these kids had picked up some English words, and we did a lot of pantomiming. They would start their meals with songs or Bible verses. They would sing or quote first in Spanish, and then switch over to the English versions. Across the table from me was a boy named Daniel, whom I bonded with quickly. He had a small radio that was no bigger than an apple, but it was his pride and joy. Most of these kids had some small trinkets, but not much else. And they were happy. I think our kids in the U.S. could take a lesson from these kiddos in Tijuana. For a long time, my Facebook cover photo was a picture of Daniel and me. My profile pic was a picture of Oscar, who insisted on wearing my hat and sunglasses for a picture. It is one of my favorite pictures ever. The food was awesome, and I confess that I had never eaten sausage that had cow brain and intestines in it. I might add that I found this out AFTER I had eaten it. Rice was also plentiful. During mealtimes, the staff would wheel in a TV and let the kids watch World Cup soccer while they ate. Colina de Luz staff love these kids like their own. These kids are not up for adoption, Colina de Luz is their home and family. They stay until they age out, and some stay on after that. The orphanage staff teaches them about life, finances, career advice, and etc. so that they will be able to make it outside the orphanage on their own.
On our final day, the kids all came out to say good-bye. Tears filled our eyes as we waved good-bye back. These kids had stolen our hearts.
In July, we are going back to do it all again. We are returning to Colina de Luz to love on those kids again. We will be flying to San Diego on July 11th, have some training, and head into Tijuana on Monday the 13th. We will stay until Friday the 17th, and then fly home on the 18th. The total cost of this trip is $750. I already have some money set aside, but not nearly enough. If you have a heart for missions, you can have a part in this adventure by helping either financially or prayerfully. Donations can be sent to Westside Baptist Church, 400 West 12th, Hutchinson, KS 67501. Inside the envelope, note that the donation is for Rob Rue's Mexico trip. If God moves you, would you be willing to support me? If you are not able to support financially, could I ask you to pray for me? We are asking that people pray for 1) Safe travels 2) All members of the group fully funded, and 3) Hearts in Tijuana would be receptive to the Gospel.
I am excited. July can not get here soon enough. Ever since I came back, I have been ready to go back there. I'd go back there right now if it were possible. This trip gave me a whole new view of missions, and also spurred my heart that maybe missionary work might be in my future. That remains to be seen.
Thanks for taking the time to read this today. I pray for you daily, and ask that God bless you.
When a person thinks about going to an orphanage in Tijuana, many people immediately picture children in tattered clothes and mournful faces. Facilities in disrepair. Piles of garbage everywhere. When we pulled up into the parking lot of Colina de Luz, we found a group of happy, laughing children who enjoy hanging with Americans and LOVE soccer! They had decent clothing that was either donated or made on-site by loving ladies there. The facilities were very nice, and despite being in a desert-like climate, it was beautiful. (You don't see a lot of grass in Tijuana. Lack of rain.) Our group jumped out of the van and got totally blown away in a soccer game. These kids were good. It was also World Cup season, so that added to the excitement of the game. There seemed to always be a soccer game going on in the parking lot that also doubled as the soccer field.
That night, we set up an inflatable water slide and bounce house, and let the kids go crazy. There were also balloon animals (a skill I was not able to master, despite intense training), face painting, and hot dog feast. It was the first time I ever tried mayo on a hot dog. (Not bad!) Then we presented the gospel to the group, using different colored Frisbees. Ex: Red represented the blood of Christ, etc. It was the first time I ever taught through an interpreter. Throughout the week, we traveled into the city to visit churches that partnered with the orphanage. When we began setting up the inflatables, the kids came out of the woodwork! It was like Disneyland for them! It was rewarding to see the smiles on these kids' faces as they enjoyed the carnivals. I was placed in charge of the bounce castle, and those boys like to roughhouse in there! Typically, I was the target of choice, LOL. There was a lot of tackling in there! Good cardio. They loved those Americans picking them up and tossing them around. :-) We always ended our carnival with the gospel presentation. A Spanish-speaking teacher would give a brief message after our Frisbee lesson, and kids would come forward to receive Christ. Neat to see!!
One of the days was devoted to work projects around the orphanage. Concrete, stucco, painting, and etc. I was on concrete duty. I was helping pour sand and rocks into the cement mixer to be poured into wheelbarrows and rolled across campus to another area where we were constructing a support wall. It was hard and heavy work! However, we knew that we were helping the orphanage in a valuable way.
I loved mealtime. I sat at the table with the boys. I loved the Spanish chatter all around me. There was a language barrier, but these kids had picked up some English words, and we did a lot of pantomiming. They would start their meals with songs or Bible verses. They would sing or quote first in Spanish, and then switch over to the English versions. Across the table from me was a boy named Daniel, whom I bonded with quickly. He had a small radio that was no bigger than an apple, but it was his pride and joy. Most of these kids had some small trinkets, but not much else. And they were happy. I think our kids in the U.S. could take a lesson from these kiddos in Tijuana. For a long time, my Facebook cover photo was a picture of Daniel and me. My profile pic was a picture of Oscar, who insisted on wearing my hat and sunglasses for a picture. It is one of my favorite pictures ever. The food was awesome, and I confess that I had never eaten sausage that had cow brain and intestines in it. I might add that I found this out AFTER I had eaten it. Rice was also plentiful. During mealtimes, the staff would wheel in a TV and let the kids watch World Cup soccer while they ate. Colina de Luz staff love these kids like their own. These kids are not up for adoption, Colina de Luz is their home and family. They stay until they age out, and some stay on after that. The orphanage staff teaches them about life, finances, career advice, and etc. so that they will be able to make it outside the orphanage on their own.
On our final day, the kids all came out to say good-bye. Tears filled our eyes as we waved good-bye back. These kids had stolen our hearts.
In July, we are going back to do it all again. We are returning to Colina de Luz to love on those kids again. We will be flying to San Diego on July 11th, have some training, and head into Tijuana on Monday the 13th. We will stay until Friday the 17th, and then fly home on the 18th. The total cost of this trip is $750. I already have some money set aside, but not nearly enough. If you have a heart for missions, you can have a part in this adventure by helping either financially or prayerfully. Donations can be sent to Westside Baptist Church, 400 West 12th, Hutchinson, KS 67501. Inside the envelope, note that the donation is for Rob Rue's Mexico trip. If God moves you, would you be willing to support me? If you are not able to support financially, could I ask you to pray for me? We are asking that people pray for 1) Safe travels 2) All members of the group fully funded, and 3) Hearts in Tijuana would be receptive to the Gospel.
I am excited. July can not get here soon enough. Ever since I came back, I have been ready to go back there. I'd go back there right now if it were possible. This trip gave me a whole new view of missions, and also spurred my heart that maybe missionary work might be in my future. That remains to be seen.
Thanks for taking the time to read this today. I pray for you daily, and ask that God bless you.
Friday, January 9, 2015
Rob's Ramblings
Thought it was time for an update, as I haven't posted since last year. I came home from Boys & Girls Club extremely worn out today, and took a nap for a few hours. Now it's nearing 1am and I'm wide awake. No matter what, no matter how long or short the nap is, if I take one, it'll ruin me for bedtime. Even a 15 minute catnap in the afternoon....I'm doomed, and will have a horrible time getting to sleep. At least it's a Friday night...I mean Saturday (very early) morning, and have no reason to get up early, so I guess it's OK tonight...I mean, this morning! LOL.
In an exciting bit of news, we have nailed down the dates for our Summertime trip to Tijuana! Yes, I am going back. Of course I'm going back! We'll be launching out in mid-July. This trip will be a bit different, as there will not be an initial trip to Disneyland. The place is over-rated anyway. We will arrive in San Diego, get briefly briefed (coined a new phrase), and get ready to cross the border. I'm not sure if there will be a beach trip, or if we'll be flying or taking the Amtrak. Either way, we are headed back to love on those kids from Colina de Luz, and we'll hammer out the details over the next couple of months. I already can't wait! When I came back from the last trip, I felt that God might be leading me in that direction on a more permanent basis. Perhaps this trip will push me over the edge? We will have to wait and see what God has in store.
Confession time: I went to my doctor's appointment yesterday for my diabetes. I have been a bad boy. I didn't realize how naughty I had been in my eating habits. They checked my A1c, which is an average of your blood sugar levels within the last 3 months. For the past several months, I have scored a 5.9, which is very good. Normal levels are between 5.0 and 7.0. I scored an 11! Yikes! My initial diagnosis had me at a 14. Needless to say, my doctor was not very happy, and it was a wake-up call for me. Doc said that since this is my first year of diabetes, and I'm still in the learning process, he wouldn't be too hard on me. He admonished me to lay off the junk and get more active. My next appointment is in April, and if my levels are high again, he's going to go through the roof. All my life, I have been a junk-food junkie. I love chocolate and chips, and scads of other wonderful delights. It's hard for a guy like me to deal with this disgusting disease, but God has a reason. In the meantime, I can enjoy occasional sugar-free candies, but in moderation. Those things can mess with your intestines and you'll be in and out of the bathroom for a while! Also in my doctor's visit, my bloodwork showed high levels of cholesterol. My HDL (good cholesterol) was OK, but everything else was high. I'm on a new med called Lovostatin, which is designed to lower those levels. I'll be taking this indefinitely. My hope is that I can get my cholesterol down enough so that I can get off of it. I'm not a big fan of taking medicine.
On New Year's day, I spent several hours taking down and putting away all of my Christmas décor. That's always a tough thing for me. Christmastime is so blessed for me, and I hate to see it end. The most time-consuming project was the Christmas town. Every building had to be unplugged and packed away. I have more than 20 of them now. The only remaining decoration I have out is my Nativity scene. Epiphany celebrates the arrival of the Wise Men, and that day is observed on January 6. I left my set out for a few days to celebrate this, and I'll take it down this weekend. Here's a screen shot from my Facebook page that I feel says it best and clearly explains my feelings about the end of the Christmas season:
In an exciting bit of news, we have nailed down the dates for our Summertime trip to Tijuana! Yes, I am going back. Of course I'm going back! We'll be launching out in mid-July. This trip will be a bit different, as there will not be an initial trip to Disneyland. The place is over-rated anyway. We will arrive in San Diego, get briefly briefed (coined a new phrase), and get ready to cross the border. I'm not sure if there will be a beach trip, or if we'll be flying or taking the Amtrak. Either way, we are headed back to love on those kids from Colina de Luz, and we'll hammer out the details over the next couple of months. I already can't wait! When I came back from the last trip, I felt that God might be leading me in that direction on a more permanent basis. Perhaps this trip will push me over the edge? We will have to wait and see what God has in store.
Confession time: I went to my doctor's appointment yesterday for my diabetes. I have been a bad boy. I didn't realize how naughty I had been in my eating habits. They checked my A1c, which is an average of your blood sugar levels within the last 3 months. For the past several months, I have scored a 5.9, which is very good. Normal levels are between 5.0 and 7.0. I scored an 11! Yikes! My initial diagnosis had me at a 14. Needless to say, my doctor was not very happy, and it was a wake-up call for me. Doc said that since this is my first year of diabetes, and I'm still in the learning process, he wouldn't be too hard on me. He admonished me to lay off the junk and get more active. My next appointment is in April, and if my levels are high again, he's going to go through the roof. All my life, I have been a junk-food junkie. I love chocolate and chips, and scads of other wonderful delights. It's hard for a guy like me to deal with this disgusting disease, but God has a reason. In the meantime, I can enjoy occasional sugar-free candies, but in moderation. Those things can mess with your intestines and you'll be in and out of the bathroom for a while! Also in my doctor's visit, my bloodwork showed high levels of cholesterol. My HDL (good cholesterol) was OK, but everything else was high. I'm on a new med called Lovostatin, which is designed to lower those levels. I'll be taking this indefinitely. My hope is that I can get my cholesterol down enough so that I can get off of it. I'm not a big fan of taking medicine.
On New Year's day, I spent several hours taking down and putting away all of my Christmas décor. That's always a tough thing for me. Christmastime is so blessed for me, and I hate to see it end. The most time-consuming project was the Christmas town. Every building had to be unplugged and packed away. I have more than 20 of them now. The only remaining decoration I have out is my Nativity scene. Epiphany celebrates the arrival of the Wise Men, and that day is observed on January 6. I left my set out for a few days to celebrate this, and I'll take it down this weekend. Here's a screen shot from my Facebook page that I feel says it best and clearly explains my feelings about the end of the Christmas season:
Last week, the Kansas weather went totally insane, and we were plunged into sub-zero temperatures. We got a few inches of snow, and during our first week back at school, our kids were subjected to inside recess for the whole week. Those kids needed so badly to get out and run, but it was too cold to even venture out for a few minutes. The wind chills were dangerous, and there were advisories regarding those wind chills. It's during those times that I am thankful for a safe house with a working furnace. Our furnace, which was originally built for coal and then refurnished to run on natural gas, has been a real trooper. That thing is a tank! It has done a great job of keeping us warm. The next few days will bring another cold front, but we're hoping that eventually we'll inch into zones safe enough for our kiddos to get outside. They've had cabin fever this week, with no outlet to run off their energy. That can make for stressed-out teachers! Can I get an amen from my teacher friends? :-)
At long last, I am finally getting tired, so I'd better get some sleep. I'd like to thank you for taking a few minutes to catch up with me. I pray God's blessings to be upon you.
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