Well, here I am again. Coming to the final days and beginning to look forward to home. In a few hours I will be heading to the Carribean coast, Puerto Limon, with Kathi and Wayne. Kathi is speaking to the women of the church this evening and Wayne is preaching in the morning. I wasn´t planning to go to this side of Costa Rica, not a safe place alone, but am glad to get the chance to see it. I know when I get home I will have many asking about my time here and I am already coming up short of an explanation. :) I didn´t know what to expect coming here and all that has happened has been nothing I expected!!! I know that doesn´t make sense!

This morning I ventured through San Jose all alone. I made my way to the vendors and then to a neat little cafe in the same building as the post office, Cafe del Correo. I realized as I sat there with my journal it was the first time I´ve had coffee alone to read and write in a Costa Rican cafe. Sounds silly to some of you, I´m sure, but one of my favorites is getting alone with a book, pen, and journal at a coffee shop. However, that´s not the point! I came across a story my dear mom sent me in the past years that I recently placed in this particular journal. It goes like this..."The pencil maker took the pencil aside, just before putting it into the box. "There are five things you need to know before I send you out into the world," he said. "Always remember these five things, and you´ll be a great pencil. One: You are capable of many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in someone´s hand. Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you´ll need it to become a better pencil. Three: You have the ability to correct the mistakes you make. Four: The most important part of you will always be what´s inside. And Five: On every surface where you are used, regardless of its condition, you must leave your mark." -Author Unknown- We leave a mark everywhere we go. I am leaving a mark here and the people I have met have left marks on me. The dangerous part is that it can be either beautiful or destructive. Of course, the desire is the first. I want it to be said of me that my mark was gentle and full of color. That it would draw the same out of others. Maybe the pencil story was one of colored pencils!!! Yes, that would be better!

This next week will be full as two seperate conventions take place. I will be staying with Virginia (in the kitchen photo) and her girls as Kathi and Wayne will be hosting others from the US and Central America. I am looking forward to staying with them...more Spanish immersion before I come home!

Today, one of the vendors I spoke with (in Spanish!!!) said he had spent time in the U.S. last year. His impression was that we are very busy. Rapido, rapido! Yes, I agree. Too busy most of the time. Here, life has slowed down for me and the Lord has loved on my soul. Today, I hope you have time to slow down and watch for Him...maybe in the sunrise, or I guess for those in the NW, the sound of the rain.