Un Poco

It is hard to be away from “home” today.  One of our church members, a person I call friend, and one who is loved so much by all of us, died this past week of pancreatic cancer. She is a woman FULL of God’s grace. Somehow in her diagnosis and illness she rose to a place of amazing beauty.  The kind of beauty that takes your breath and just leaves you standing with a heart of thankfulness.  When Lisa was diagnosed she came quickly to tell us and just as quickly to show us how she would “live” with what was considered life-taking, not life-giving.  This remained her position – to live and to love. She did it so well.  Over and over she pointed us to the presence of God in our lives and in her life.  She dreamed and served. She studied and listened. She lived fully.  Today the church, her family and her friends will gather to celebrate her life. It will be a glimpse of the celebrations we will share again together; it will be a day of tears and grace. Pray for Lisa’s family, for her young son Christopher and her husband Ed. For all who love her.  And thank you, Lisa, for showing us the way to “live”.

I explored Tikal yesterday which is a wonder of wonders!  Too magnificent to narrow into words, but worth trying every now and then.  There were groups and guides, of course so we were all invited to climb, to learn and to explore, which I did ALL with much joy.  There were archaeologists at work as we were there and the treasures they have uncovered and reconstructed are phenomenal.  I love this truth:  with all of our progression and technology and knowledge…we are still baffled by how the Mayan people built such grand towers, places and homes?  As I listened to the stories and ways of the people yesterday the persistent thought in my head was simple: they had vision, time and focus.  If you do something little by little, day after day….then one day you open your eyes and you have created something amazing.  There is a phrase “un poco” and many people have said it to me when they hear me speak my really awful (but trying) espanol: “un  poco, Vona, un poco” Little by little.  Not such bad advice for many things in life.

I will post pictures soon. I need to enjoy this day really quickly before it gets too far ahead of me!