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| The kids helping grade and level the are that we are building an outdoor/open air classroom on. |
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| Robert helping me cut some wood for the forms that were used for the posts (footers). |
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| All the posts were harvested from the jungle. Each one weighs over 250lbs. |
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| All the posts installed and braced. |
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| Alympo installing bracing on one of the posts |
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| The finished project before we put down gravel (as the flooring) |
In case you didn’t know, we don’t have lawnmowers here, only weed-eaters. Not just us, but everybody. So that means that whether you’re on a maintenance crew for the government maintaining the grass on the highway roadsides, a grounds crew at a local park maintaining football fields, a homeowner cutting the grass at your house or some dude from America trying to maintain 110 acres in the mountains of Terra Boa... it’s all done with weed-eaters!? It doesn’t make much sense from a efficiency standpoint but it is what it is and I try to not be so critical of something that still baffles me.
Anyway, seeing how cutting acres and acres of grass with a gas powered trimmer is pretty mindless, although necessary, when I’m out there weed-eating I have a lot of time to think. And after I get past all the thoughts like, “why am I doing this” or “man, I’ve got way more important things to do” I take advantage of the time to pray and think about things.
Today, after I got through all the thoughts that involve me feeling sorry for myself, I started thinking about spiritual stuff. I started thinking about the Israelites. Don’t ask me why, I just did. And I was thinking about how God provided manna (food) for them every single day for 40 years. Every day for f-o-r-t-y years! Have you ever thought about that? God sent food for them every... single... day. And it was something manufactured by God Himself and it couldn’t be bought at any store. It was special. And He provided it.
I know that they had to be super-excited at first. To think that ‘the God of everything’ was providing for them daily had to be something that made them feel like He really cared for them, right? And it had to be a constant reminder of the fact that God was their provider every day. But, at some point, the wow factor wore off and it became commonplace. It became ordinary. They even started to get tired of it.
To me, when I think about it, that’s crazy! God is sending something to them every day and rather than being thankful- they complain. Rather than realizing the magnitude of what’s happening and appreciating the Father’s provision- they murmur. They wanted something different. It makes no sense.
And as I was thinking about how they reacted to what God was doing in their lives, I started to wonder if that type of attitude was in me as well. I mean, there’s no food appearing on the ground for Me, MJ and the Kids everyday, but He does provide for us every day. We have food, a roof over our heads, clothes on our backs, transportation... I mean, it may not be exactly what we want. Sure, it would be nice having a different house. It would be nice having a different vehicle. But really, we’re OK.
He’s provided everything we need. Not everything we want- but everything we need. So for me to complain about what He’s provided (by wanting something better all the time) and not being content... well, it’s like saying, “you know what God? I don’t think you’re good enough to me. I don’t think what you’re providing is sufficient and I want more.”
And, if that’s what I’m thinking (because I would actually never say that out loud), doesn’t that make me a lot like the Israelites?
So standing there (with the weed eater strapped to my back) I just began to thank Him for what He’s provided. I thought about all the things we’ve done over the last 2 years here in Brazil and it made me truly thankful to Him. Because even though things aren’t the way I’d want them (in my perfect little world) they are exactly the way that He’s provided for us. And for that I’m thankful: )
What about you? Do you tend to always want something other than what He’s provided? Are you thankful and content with what you have or do you sense that there’s a little bit of that Israelite way of thinking in you as well? It’s definitely something to think about (and if it’s there, it’s something to repent of).
Love Ya,
Jim, MJ and the Kids
PS- I don’t do all the weed-eating by myself. Matthew and Alimpio (our brazilian caretaker) also help. But it’s still painful nonetheless: (
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