Another week down!

Well yet another week has flown by here in Costa Rica. I can't believe that its already the end of October. Before we know it it will be Thanksgiving (in the states of course, not here!) and then Christmas. Because CR doesn't have any holidays between now and Christmas, all the stores are already (and have been since Sept) decked out in Christmas stuff. The biggest store, Universal, is like a winterwonderland. It seems crazy to me, to see all these "snow men" and "fake snow" decorations down here in the middle of tropical Costa Rica. But they are already getting really excited for Christmas. My teachers have been giving Christmas-related themes and homework, saying "since we are close to Christmas..." In my mind, we are still a long ways off from Christmas!

Well the big event of the week was that I bought my tickets to leave! It hardly seems like I've been here 11 months now, but that is about the time I've been here. Only one more month to go, more or less. I will be leaving on December 15. I am thankful to God that I'll have the chance to spend 4 days in Ocala Florida, with my dad's parents, and my Grandpa and Grandma Dean on my way home. It worked out perfectly, and saved me over $200 to fly into Orlando Florida, and then get a seperate flight to Pittsburgh from there. And since they live only about an hour from Orlando, we are going to get to spend 4 days together. Grandpa has already asked me to share about the year here at their church, especially in their sunday school class on that Sunday the 17th. Should be interesting sharing in English! Might take some practice.

This past week at school was Spiritual Emphasis week, and it was a real blessing for all who attended. An older couple presented the week together. They talked a lot about how we are not here to try and "live the Christian life" because there's only ever been one Christian life lived--that of Jesus Christ. We are here, with Christ living in us, literally!!!!, to live the "exchanged life"...trading in the old man for the new man who is living IN Jesus Christ. One day they stressed that the day will never arrive when we will be finally "doing a good job" or "being good Christians" in trying to live the Christian life. We need to surrender that goal, and give up on trying to live the Christian life, and only allow CHrist to live it thorugh us. It was very good, and re-taught me a lot of the basics of who we are as Christians, how our very beings are renewed, changed, reborn, after salvation.

Today I am going to take a break from teaching English and spend the day with my teacher Laura and her family. We are taking their daughter Carolina to see a production of Noah's ark. Then we are going to go out to dinner. I am really excited. Laura has become such a close friend and they make me feel like a part of their family.

Will write more later!

Chao

Betania