If You Are Ever in a Restaurant in Costa Rica, Don't Ask for the Fish

When I was 18, I decided to go to Ministry School for a year. This was a great/hard year of getting to know God in a deeper way, overcoming fear, and listening.
While there I had many exciting miracles happen and prophecies made then are being fulfilled now.
In the spring semester, we had a 3 day course on "life planning". I had to sit down at 18 and make  a 2 year and 5 year life plan. At that time college was not in my plans, so I wrote stuff like "travel to Scotland & Ireland (which I have done!) and just some random, vague goals. As I was praying though I felt the Lord say to put down as a goal: "help establish a prophetic ministry where there was previously none." Not really knowing why He said this I wrote it down.
About 3 months later, a mission trip opportunity was presented to our class. The trip was to Costa Rica and cost  around $2000. I had always wanted to go there but couldn't afford it so I remained uninterested until they gave the trip description: "help establish a prophetic ministry where there was previously none." It was word for word to what the Lord had seemingly randomly given me months before.
Seeing that is must be something I was supposed to do, I signed up and started raising money to go. Unfortunately being that I hadn't worked in several months and have practically no distant relatives, (I always wanted to have some rich distant relative) I was only able to raise about half the needed funds.
This was disheartening as I had a clear word that I was supposed to go. I went to the leader of the trip and told them about my sad amount of funds. The trip was almost 3 weeks, the first half being working within a local church and doing/organizing prophetic ministry, and the second half being a touristy/mini vacation in Costa Rica. They told me since I had half the funds, I could go for half the trip.
I had mixed emotions.
After all God didn't say anything about a vacation, His word to me was only about the ministry.
So I agreed to go for half the trip.
When we got there we were daily involved in prophetic ministry, leading teams, teaching, praying and ministry to these precious people. I learned a lot about the prophetic, and was able to see the Lord minister through words of encouragement and knowledge.
It was a great experience. When it was time to go, (and by time to go I mean it was time for me to go back to  snowy school while everyone else went adventuring in the Costa Rican landscapes) the leaders of the trip pleasantly informed me that they had decided to pay the rest of my trip so I could stay and go adventuring with them. (they didn't use the words "adventuring with them" but it was implied)
That part was also awesome. Our hotel was at the base of an active volcano and we could see the lava at night. We went on hikes through the rain forest, seeing sloths and monkeys. (Seeing monkeys was not a positive experience as I am terrified of them)
One day we were going up through the rain forest to "prayer mountain" and I felt water and commented that it must be raining. Our translator responded with
"Oh its not raining. Those just just the crickets in the trees above us."
Confused, I asked
"Why are the crickets spitting on us?"
With an amused twinkle in his eye he replied
"Oh thats not spit."
Also, the food in Costa Rica (with the exception of the whole fried fish, complete with eyeballs someone tried to get me to eat which I traded in for a plate of mashed potatoes) was the best food I have ever had in my whole life. (sorry mom) I think they put crack or something in that food because I seriously had withdrawals from its goodness.

That is to say it was a great trip.

When I was going back though I felt a bit guilty, since not only did I get to escape the cold snowy winter for tropical wonderfulness, but I was in a tough financial place and had tuition to pay. I had gone on a trip I couldn't afford, and now had more immediate expenses to deal with.
A cool thing about God, He pretty much rules everything. When I got back, I found out that someone had paid my tuition for that semester in full.
So kind of like the loaves and fishes story, I had more at the end of my trip then when I started.

*Disclaimer: I did not take any of these pictures. I was stressed out by cameras at this point of my life and had to steal photos from other people.

This is where we stayed

This was our group on Prayer Mountain

This is the church where we ministered. See me? I am near the steps.
This church also had a Christian TV show on which we were all guests. I had a copy of the show for a while but lost it...

I Hate the Decisions I Make In Dreams.

Do you ever wake up from a dream mad or embarrassed at yourself for a choice you made in your dream?
It's awkward because I think I would never do that but then I start thinking about the sub-conscious and then maybe some secret part of me would do that........but no I'm pretty most of the things I do in dreams I would never do in real life.
And it's never awesome things I do in the dreams, it's always something lame, stupid or embarrassing.
Also people in my dreams make decisions in that I disprove of and I have to remind myself not to be mad at them in real life. (There was a great Flight of the Conchords episode where Bret has to apologize to Jemaine and Mel for his wrong actions in her dream)

The other night I had a dream...

* Toothpaste For Dinner comic

I am not going to relay the whole dream, but essentially it was about our spiritual family.
A few years ago I had a traumatic and hurtful experience with part of the church. To make a very long story short, I had some disagreements and they disagreed with me disagreeing. It ended badly with me along with others getting hurt and rejected. Since then my involvement in the "organized church" has been limited and my communication with that particular group non-existent.
In my dream, I was with that group again. I was at one of their meetings, and it was awful. They were being un- Biblical, controlling, manipulative, and hurt and embarrassed the children (my students) who were there. Once I stopped them from hurting my kids and the meeting ended, I was furious at them for what they had done. They had hurt my students, and were not following the Spirit.
The dream continued and when everyone left, I was going to have harsh words with the leader, when I noticed how trashed the place was. At first I started helping clean because I didn't want them to think I made the mess, but then I felt sorry for them that they were taken advantage of in that way so I stayed and helped clean what was a completely trashed house.
Since I never would have done that in real life (I don't even like cleaning up after people I like) I knew it was worth paying attention to.

Ok.
Christians are the Body of Christ, His bride.
We are all a part of this body, a common kin-ship and bond.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ, that makes us family.
Soooo that means even the not so favorite members are still family.

Real family relationships can be tricky at times. We can get hurt or offended by them or hurt or offend them, but that doesn't change the way we feel for them. My family needs something, I drop everything to help. Even if we are mad at each other, there is a bond in families that goes beyond emotions.
In my dream the Lord was reminding me that this is how our relationship with our Spiritual family is supposed to be.
When He told me this I was driving to work and I responded out loud with: "DAMN!"
I have not been acknowledging part of my family, essentially because I don't trust them and they hurt my feelings (errr and pride).
In the dream, I was reminded that we don't have to agree, and we don't have to be best friends, but every Christian is our family. We are on the same side. (even though it doesn't feel that way sometimes)

They have all these show on TV nowadays about people finding lost family members. They are very touching, and its amazing how people who have never met, instantly connect when they meet because they are family.
It makes me disheartened that our Spiritual family doesn't operate like this all the time. Sometimes it does and those friendships are beautiful. Think about the millions of Believers all over the world, and how powerful and great it would be to meet them all, being joined with our family we never met.
The show also has people who through life hardships or disagreements, have lost touch with their family. Hurt and pride keep people away from each for years and years, until someone releases their pride and makes contact.
I said damn because I have not been open and kind to all the Christians I know and God totally called me on it. I also was mad because I know it's right and I don't really want to, or know how.
I just know for the first time in a long time, my heart towards the general Body of Christ is much more open and I desire to be re-united with those who have been disjointed through hurts.

I have talked with several other people who are feeling this draw back into the Body and desire for that is returning I think to Believers.
Which is exciting and hard at the same time....

I Have Several Theories About Life and It Always Surprises Me When Other People Don't Adhere To Them

One theory that always gets me into trouble is my secret belief that people aren't offended by the truth, therefor if I state something that is a fact, then nobody should be offended.
This almost never works out.
Sometimes people are more offended by truth then anything else.

I have another theory about teaching that is opposite from all the things learn whilst in school to become teachers. They teach that you shouldn't try to be friends with your students, that you have to go in swinging your authority around like some great flaming sword.
I don't really go for this. I more agree with Michael Scott:
"Would I rather have people fear me or love me? Easy, both. I want people to be afraid of how much they love me." -The Office
My theory about teaching kids is first to establish relationships. Real back and forth relationships. This doesn't mean I have them over for coffee and swap secrets. No I still keep a solid teacher/student boundary, but I do show them I care for them. I believe that by earning their friendship first, I can receive some respect, and then behavior is good because they want to be good. Rather then being afraid to be good.
I think to a degree our relationship with the Lord resembles this. Our house bible study has been 1 John which as my sister says "punches you in the face". There is a lot about fearing God and obeying God in those chapters. I think though God would rather us obey Him out of love rather then fear, though still keeping a healthy mindset of who He is.
Just like what I try to do with my students.
So far it has mostly worked. There are a few students who need that flaming sword of authority and then comes the respect. Most students though respond very well and we have had some interesting discussions:

-student in topic of drugs- "A little bit of brain damage is ok."

me- "My life is like a sit-com."
student- "My life is like a lame sit-com where everyone is pissy  all the time."
student- "My life is like Pirates of the Caribbean, I am trying to get something but people keep taking it away and chasing me."

me- "This style of painting is called cubism."
student makes horrified face- "There is a style of painting called pubism??!! They paint about puberty??!!"

student- "This is our earth worm family.' (shows me drawing)
me- "This worm looks sad, why is he sad?"
student- "Because he is an idiot."

Another theory I have is about shooting stars. I believe if you pick a spot in the sky, and stare in that spot long enough, you will see a shooting star. One of my favorite times from my days in Scotland was when my buddies and I went star gazing. We were on a small Island in the Highlands, it was below freezing out, and we were in somebodies driveway. I insisted though that we stay outside until each person had seen at least one shooting star. I think I saw like 3 that night, and some people saw one for the first time in their life that night.
It was my favorite time in Scotland.
My theory has proven true each time. The trick is to stay focused and wait. If you look around too much at the whole sky, then you will get distracted and miss them each time. You have to choose your spot and be dedicated and focused in on that area, while still paying attention for shooting stars.
I think it's kind of like life, as far as what the Lord seems to be teaching me this year. Focus in on what you have right now, the day to day is like focusing on your piece of the sky. Now we shouldn't forget there is a huge world around us, or forget to look out for God as He moves or wants us to move. If we listen God is speaking always, and just like a shooting star if we focus and wait we can hear Him.