Bendecido a Bendecir

I am blessed in order that I my be a blessing to others.

Today I woke up feeling a little sad and disappointed. I was slightly frustrated that my plans last night didn't work out, and I was annoyed that no one would answer their phones to plan anything today, and the people who did answer were busy. I forced myself to snap out of my pathetic attitude when I opened Facebook and the first thing I saw on my news feed was a status update from my pastor here in Peru. It read:

God put you here for this moment in history, you are here for a reason, 

there are hurting people who need you.

Wow! I couldn't help but believe that God orchestrated this perfectly knowing that after getting out of bed at 7:30 I would rush to check my Facebook because I was awaiting confirmation of where to meet my friend for breakfast this morning. I stopped dead in my tracks; God has me here for a reason! In the back of my mind I know that, but sometimes I forget it as I get caught up in hanging out with friends and doing the things that I enjoy. I took some time to pray, and honestly my attitude completely changed. I wasn't sure what this day had in store, but I knew God had a plan.

I met my friend, Daniel, for breakfast. He is a friend I met when I was teaching here in 2009. I helped him study his English, and he helped me with my Spanish. Last February (2011) he left to study at a seminary in England, and he has returned for the month to visit. I really enjoyed talking with him. We talked about everything from our everyday lives to cultural differences and church ministry.

Upon returning home, I sat down and thought to myself, "Okay God, my only plans for the day are finished, now what do you have for me?" It was a gorgeous day today, so I knew I didn't want to waste it indoors, but going to the beach/coast alone isn't any fun either. After reading for a bit and deciding to take a quick nap, I felt a tug at my heart and my friend Mary's face came to mind. Feeling a bit tired, I pushed it aside; I stayed in bed for about ten minutes and couldn't quit thinking about my dear friend Mary and her daughter Mily (Milagros), so I called Mary to see what they were doing today to which she responded, "Nothing!"

I invited them to go to Miraflores with me to walk the costa verde and eat lunch. We had a blast together! On the way there, Mary told me that they had only been one time, and it was a few years back. At first I was surprised, but then it made sense. Miraflores is the "touristy/ritsy" part of Lima, and it is about an hour and a half or two hour bus ride from Manchay where Mary and Mily live. I treated them to lunch, and afterwards we walked from one end of the coast to the other observing the various parks and being entertained by the people walking on tightropes and para-sailing above us. The sun was shining, the waves were perfect, and the company was great! Mary has an a great testimony; she is a hardworking woman, raising her daughter alone, with just enough money to get by. She has made a real impact on my life, and I am so grateful to know her.

This evening I met my friend Amelia; we went to a plaza to do a bit of shopping. The strap on my purse broke, so I needed to buy a new one. Afterwards, she treated me to dinner and we enjoyed a pleasant conversation. It's always fun to catch up with old friends whom I don't see often.

Tonight, I'm feeling satisfied. I can't help but praise the Lord for having the perfect plan for my day today despite my bad attitude this morning. He knew just what I would need today, and He provided exactly that.This perfect day even included being able to see the sunset and the moon shine (two things I don't get to see very often here when I come).

Thank you, Jesus, for always knowing just what I need! 

Your plans for me are so much greater than I could ever imagine for myself!