Bananas Bananas Bananas

For someone who isn't very fond of bananas I end up with a lot.   I brought home 10 from work this week that were past being able to sell and wouldn't last the weekend.   I may not like bananas but I LOVE banana bread. Especially toasted with peanut butter on it. YUM.  I tried a few new recipes today. One was  Oatmeal Peanut Butter Banana Cookies with chocolate chips another was a 100% whole wheat flour banana bread.  Used all of my 10 bananas. Between last night and today I made a couple dozen cookies and 6 loaves of bread.  

Some with be shared. Some will be put in the freezer for later. But nothing can beat a slice of warm banana bread. There are 8+ more bananas in my freezer for another time.

A puddle to splash in.

So our winter (what we had of winter) has turned into spring. Maybe even summer with 70-80 degree weather this week.  All week all I could do was look out the windows and marvel at the nice weather. This weekend I finally got to go out in it.  Yeah!

This afternoon I was able to get together with my best friend and her two kids a dog and go for a walk. No matter how much I wish I was in Africa or somewhere other than home, I cant wish myself away from these three.  I love the fact that when I walk into their apartment I am grabbed by the hand to play with blocks or legos or markers or barbies. I know that I can always count on a hug and a smile from my nephew. And my best friend is always there to laugh with, talk to about favorite tv shows, encourage each other in our faith or just sit there and know that we are loved by someone. I am blessed to have them in my lives and blessed to live in the same town as them for as long as I have.

A walk was in order today, with the nice weather. Since it rained the nature walks were out of question. Too muddy for a stroller. So we went on the river walk. It was great. Lots of laughs. Thanks to a HUGE water puddle. My niece is growing up so fast. And my nephew too.

Team Jbay.

This is my Jbay team.   After becoming a family. We were headed back home after spending a week in Cape Town.  Crazy how time goes by and where we are all at.

something you life to have/do on a winter night

A glass of hot cocoa.

koko.

This is Koko! He is and forever will be mine. I spent almost every day my first year in South Africa holding him while he slept or carrying him around on my shoulders. He was and forever will be my favorite. His story is the only unbeautiful thing about him. His mother walked out on him and his dad and his older brother and sister. He was 10 days old. His dad, being a drunk, would lock him out of the shack while he was at work. Koko when I met him was 4. His feet were as hard as a rock being covered in calluses from walking around all day with no shoes.  He was and maybe still is scared of the water. His smile always brightened my day. I could always get a great hug from him. I miss him, and often wonder what he is like now. He would be almost 10.  His he staying out of trouble? Does he remember me?  Does he know the Lord?  How are his grades in school?

Valentrick Day.

 

While living in Port Elizabeth, we celebrated Valentrick Day. Our version of Valentines Day.  It was complete with dancing, dinner and heart shaped valentines.  A great evening of family fun and memories. 

In his Hands.

 A little bit of what is going thru my head:
We sang the song “All for Jesus” in church today.  The line “All of my ambitions, hopes and plans I surrender these into Your hands.” was talked about. Pastor talked about how we all have had times when it feels like our hope and dreams have been dropped. That they just are working out. The truth in that is that they have dropped in HIS hands. He holds our hopes, our dreams, our ambitions. They didn’t just go no where. They are safe in HIS hands. We must trust that.

I know that I am going through that right now. Wanting with all of me, or that is what it feels like, to be back in Africa. The place that has stolen my heart, a place that has taught me so much. I am slowly realizing that while doing missions in Africa and loving the unloved is what He has called us to do.

MAYBE more than that letting HIM steal my heart, teach me, love me and I in turn fall deeper in love with Him is what its all about. Just maybe giving Him my dreams and Hopes is what will make it all bearable. 

But it has to be a choice everyday when I get up. I have to be willing to give Him my dreams over and over and over again. No matter how hard I want to hold tight. I have to let go.

Favorite place to go/be.

Anywhere with a sunset.   

A school in the dirt of Uganda.

A school for 200+ children in a small village in Uganda. My team and I were able to visit and minister there. We played games, held and laughed with the kids, taught them about David and Goliath, and got COVERED in the red dirt of Uganda. It was a great day of ministry, All out girls did great. Its humbling to see this school and know/see how different it is than the one that I grew up with. What a difference. I had a  floor and walls to my school. These kids if they are lucky get to sit on wooden benches that look like they will fall apart at any moment. Not all the kids fit in the school so they have class outside under the tree in back. Trying to stay out of the hot sun. I don't know what happens when its raining. I imagine no school becuase the