How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count the Ways...

Does anyone know how that poem continues?? (I can just hear G'pa (Ellis Krogsgaard) and Ian MacLeod quoting it now.) I'm sure Elizabeth Barrett Browning was not thinking of me nor the lives we live here in Mexico when she pinned the words of this beautiful poem. However, as we become more involved in the lives of those around us, I have often thought of the first lines of this sonnet. We love our lives here in Mexico. We love what we have been called to do. We love the One who has called us. We love the joys and the problems. We love the day-to-day life, as well as the serendipitous moments. We love the people and the place. We love the church. We love our community. How did we come to be so very blessed by God? Have you read Max Lucado's The Cure for the Common Life? For those who have, we are definitely living in our "Sweet Spot".
Living and ministering in Mexico--How do I love it? Let me count the ways:

1. Oni, Rigo, Jessy, Salvador, Georgina, Angeles, Edgar, Gabriel, Rosi...and the list goes on. These are the baby Christians who are growing in their dependence upon their new Master. They are growing in their passions and gifts that they give toward the kingdom. They are growing in their love for each other. "Father, continue to mature them so that they, too, encourage and feed the many more You are leading to your family."

2. Socorro, Blanca, Rosy, Fransisco, Marco, Juneun, Mariana...and others. These are Christians who have come to us in their hunger and thirst for genuine Christian fellowship and living. They worship and serve with their whole hearts, souls, minds. "Thank you, Father for their contagious attitude toward You."

3. Malcolm, Tammy, Caroline, Glenn, Angela, Bryan, and of course Bernard and Logan. These are our team members who minister with us here in Lazaro Cardenas. "Father, continue to give us wisdom. Use us to help mature your church so that we may plant churches in 20 other coastal cities."

4. The Saskatoon Church, Mountain View, Moose Mountain, Swift Current, and the many individuals who are giving/have given toward the Pacific Coast vision. Thank you to each one who makes it possible for us to be in full-time ministry here in Lazaro. "Father, bless each sacrificial giver."

5. Ashley and Kresten who have accepted the sacrifice of being separated from their parents...of missing the opportunity to watch their little brother grow up. "Father, bless them with the comfort that comes only from you. Parent them to continue to walk in your ways. Thank you for "surrogate parents" who love and support them while we are so far away."

6.I love:
-seeing the spark in Perla's eyes as she understands the social implications for Mary when she accepts God's blessing to become the mother of His Son, Jesus. All of our FriendSpeak readers are a real joy!
-hearing Logan speak Spanish as he plays up and down the street with the neighbourhood kids.
-listening to Bernard teach and preach. I witness God's power in Bernard's ability to speak Spanish. He has an amazing command of the language. Twenty years ago it was the hardest thing he had ever done. Now, although he would disagree, it seems to come so naturally. Indeed, God is strong in our weaknesses.
-living in a smaller city. It doesn't take long for others to know who we are...and what we are doing here.
-Sunday Celebrations. God's music team is AMAZING at La Comunidad de Cristo. They lead us with worshipful hearts through music and song. I love standing at the back and watching the church sing praises to our God.
-today's technology. I love getting comments on my blog and Facebook and e-mails in my box. I remember feeling so "forgotten" in Mexico City when we had no phones, no computers, and slow to no mail service. Thanks for all the reminders that so many continue to pray for God's work here.
-learning so many things from my best bud, Socorro...visiting, Bible studies, cooking, buying fish and shrimp at the river fish market. She teaches me so many things.
-praying with our team on Wednesdays. I've truly never seen the power of prayer the way we see it here from week to week.
-working along side with Bernard and Logan. Although we have our separate activities, we also enjoy several Bible studies and counseling sessions together. Logan always finds something to do (Thanks, Sue W., for the Nintendo DS. The Brain Age feeds his mind during these sessions.)
-that Logan is enjoying simple things in life. TV is limited to Spanish cartoons and our well-used DVD of old Dick Van Dyke shows. Logan just cackles at the good clean fun of the ancient show!!
-going to Miramar. Getting away from the city is only 20 minutes away. When the heat is unbearable, we know the breeze is cool at Miramar. We dream of our house there one day.

NOW, don't go thinking that we live in a little Eutopia. My list would be just as long of the things that offer me my most difficult challenges (such as roosters and other noise pollution in our neighbourhood), but in everything there is joy. To end, with the words of Elizabeth Barrett Browning: "I love thee with the breath, smiles, tears of all my life." We live our lives to the fullest here, through the wonderful things and through the things that bring us to our knees in tears and prayer. We look forward to the many visits we will have from so many of you in the upcoming years. We look forward to counting more reasons for loving our life and ministry here in Mexico. Until next blog,
Bernard, Alicia and Logan Krogsgaard