This is one thing we really love about Christmas in Costa Rica - you never get very far from the true focus of all the celebrating. I love seeing the Nativity scene on a box of cookies!
December 23, 2011
Christmas cookies
This is one thing we really love about Christmas in Costa Rica - you never get very far from the true focus of all the celebrating. I love seeing the Nativity scene on a box of cookies!
Christmas Letter 2011
Dear friends and family, Once again, we are sending out an e-newsletter to update you on our family. Let's just say that we are not as organized as we should be! As you can see from our photos, we have had a busy year.
Here are some highlights from each of us: Tom - Portantorchas ran smoothly this year and we had 2 great semesters. Over the summer we hosted some mission teams. We added 3 new staff members, Isa Bogarin, and a married couple Diego Marin and Clarissa Rojas. They have all brought new ideas and vibrancy to our program and have been well received by everyone. Tom taught in Colorado in November at two Torchbearers Centers. He continues to work on his Master's Degree through Moody Bible Institute.
Sara - I enjoyed a year with all 3 girls in school. It freed my up to be more involved with staff and students. I became a US citizen in March, which makes life a bit less complicated. It was a fun ceremony and my twin sister Lisa was able to be there with me. I taught my Missions class again this year and was able to be part of the coordinating team to bring the Perspectives on the World Christian Movement course to Costa Rica. I am finally fulfilling a desire I have had for a long time to continue my education by taking a Nutrition course. I am learning a lot, but my girls are sad to hear that some of their favorite foods will be more scarce once I finish!
Rekha - Our big girl turned 9 in February and has been a great help to us this year. We see her maturing into a helpful young girl who still loves reading and horses and friends, but is also starting to enjoy cooking and gardening.
Neena - Our sweet middle child (8 yrs old) remains noisy and fun-loving. She is a great friend and helper. She has enjoyed gardening this year and becoming Daddy's helper with projects around the house and trips to the hardware store. We can count on her to find crescent wrenches, philips-head screwdrivers, etc. in the tool box. She loves to read, and is currently reading the Ramona Quimby books. Her favorite activity still is playing with dolls and dress-up. One day we will be asking her for fashion advice!
Jayna - our little one (5 yrs old)remains a delight to our family. She loved half-day preschool this year with all of its activities and friends. This year she started violin and has really enjoyed it. Jayna says funny things that make us laugh. Our two favorite comments from her this year are, "Neena, I'm going to marry a carrot!" and "If God asks me to be a fashion model, I will go and do that immediately!"
We enjoyed a few trips this year to see family. Sara and the girls went to Chicago in June to say goodbye to her twin Lisa and family who are in India for 2 years. Lisa's husband Edwin is setting up an architecture firm in Delhi.
We also went to Canada this year, for the first time in almost 4 years. It was wonderful to be there, to see Sara's Mom and Sara's sister Priti and family. The girls enjoyed their boy cousins - and their giant train set! Tom's parents flew up from California with our girls' cousin Ella along as a surprise. We all celebrated my sister Priti and her husband Shane's 40th birthdays. We also got to see Sara's childhood friends and their families, one of which we hadn't seen for over 8 years. We enjoyed a week at Capernwray Harbor on Thetis Island, BC. That was a refreshing break from ministry, and a chance to relax and be ministered to. We drove into the USA for a day and even went to Target, which was a thrill for the girls!
We thank all of you who read this for your interest in our lives. We are far away, and I know life gets busy for everyone. Thanks for being a part of our lives and our ministry journey. God has been so faithful to us and we want to be faithful to Him in our daily activities and thoughts. We pray that you will have a blessed Christmas season and that Emmanuel, "God with us", will be part of your celebration and that you would feel His presence in your lives.
With much love,
The Marcus family in Costa Rica
December 22, 2011
Forgiveness & Christmas
I have been hurt. Everyone has. I don't mean physically, but emotionally. And, I have hurt others too.
Sometimes it is SO hard to forgive others! We had one student in the past that I remember very clearly was struggling with forgiveness. During her time at Portantorchas, she felt convicted to forgive some people for some very real pain they had caused her. I marveled at her maturity. If she could get forgiveness figured out and successfully put into practice at 18 years of age, she would be far ahead of many people much older than her, who carry bitterness and anger for decades.
As I thought about this girl today, I realized something.
Christmas is a message of forgiveness. Jesus came to earth, born as a baby, and grew up to teach us how to forgive. And the greatest lesson He would teach us was through His forgiveness of all of our sins on the cross.
It took courage, and humility, and love, for Jesus to come to earth to forgive me.
God and sinners reconciled.
Born to set your people free.
He comes to make his blessings known, far as the curse (of sin) is found.
Sing, o sing of my redeemer, with his blood he purchased me.
On the cross he sealed my pardon (forgiveness).
Paid the debt and made me free!
I know this is nothing new. But this is my focus. For me, personally, I see forgiveness this Christmas. It means to lay aside what revenge or punishment I think someone else deserves, and to forgive them. Simple. Can I practice forgiveness for unkind words spoken to me, for unfairness, for feeling taken advantage of?
If this is the message God has put on my heart this season, then it is something He wants me to do. And I know He can help me to accomplish forgiveness, because He did it Himself - perfectly, completely, and with great love.
Sometimes it is SO hard to forgive others! We had one student in the past that I remember very clearly was struggling with forgiveness. During her time at Portantorchas, she felt convicted to forgive some people for some very real pain they had caused her. I marveled at her maturity. If she could get forgiveness figured out and successfully put into practice at 18 years of age, she would be far ahead of many people much older than her, who carry bitterness and anger for decades.
As I thought about this girl today, I realized something.
Christmas is a message of forgiveness. Jesus came to earth, born as a baby, and grew up to teach us how to forgive. And the greatest lesson He would teach us was through His forgiveness of all of our sins on the cross.
It took courage, and humility, and love, for Jesus to come to earth to forgive me.
God and sinners reconciled.
Born to set your people free.
He comes to make his blessings known, far as the curse (of sin) is found.
Sing, o sing of my redeemer, with his blood he purchased me.
On the cross he sealed my pardon (forgiveness).
Paid the debt and made me free!
I know this is nothing new. But this is my focus. For me, personally, I see forgiveness this Christmas. It means to lay aside what revenge or punishment I think someone else deserves, and to forgive them. Simple. Can I practice forgiveness for unkind words spoken to me, for unfairness, for feeling taken advantage of?
If this is the message God has put on my heart this season, then it is something He wants me to do. And I know He can help me to accomplish forgiveness, because He did it Himself - perfectly, completely, and with great love.
Sing to the Lord a new song!
I read through a Psalm or two each day with my Bible reading, and as I was in Psalm 98 the other day, I read verse 1,"Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things..."
I know that the Lord has done marvelous things, in my life and in the lives of others. But what is the new song that I can sing? I have been thinking about that a lot for the past few days.
I went back and re-read Psalm 98, and the answer was right there. Sometimes I read the same thing that I have read many times before, but it speaks to me in a new way. As I read verse 2, I realized that it contains a Christmas message!
"The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations." Jesus is salvation and righteousness. He has been revealed to us. He was born to save us and make us right with God. This is the Christmas story.
The Psalm is a "new song" that I can sing this Christmas. He HAS done marvelous things!
I know that the Lord has done marvelous things, in my life and in the lives of others. But what is the new song that I can sing? I have been thinking about that a lot for the past few days.
I went back and re-read Psalm 98, and the answer was right there. Sometimes I read the same thing that I have read many times before, but it speaks to me in a new way. As I read verse 2, I realized that it contains a Christmas message!
"The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations." Jesus is salvation and righteousness. He has been revealed to us. He was born to save us and make us right with God. This is the Christmas story.
The Psalm is a "new song" that I can sing this Christmas. He HAS done marvelous things!
December 19, 2011
Homesick.
Well, I am homesick. It doesn't happen very often, or for this long. And I don't even know where home really is. But I have been very homesick.
Since coming to Costa Rica, we have spent many Christmases back "home" in California. This year, as well as last year, we have decided to stay in the tropics and enjoy the holidays here. It is good.
I guess what I miss overall is the convenience of a North American life. It's the little things, like being able to go shopping easily and find what we need, or having an easy drive on good roads. There are the Christmas parties, the restaurants, the old acquaintances to see. And of course, there are the hugs and kisses from grandparents and the raucous times playing with cousins. There is the feeling of being included in the extended "blood" family that we have missed for so long.
I know that those are not the most important things in my life. But I also know that I am human, and I struggle with those things some times. I never want people to have the impression that because we live cross-culturally, overseas, that we are super saints. We are still flesh and blood.
So what is the solution to my homesickness? Instead of focusing on the things I don't have, I need to spend my time reflecting on the things I DO have. I know it sounds simple, but I want to meditate on the gifts of God in my life. For example, we have friends that have become family to us. We have celebrated the season with them in numerous ways already.
So, I work to give thanks in all things, even in these homesick pangs, because they are good. They send me to Jesus. And I see Him, who gave up everything to come to earth, so that He could give me what I truly need - His life, His love, and His salvation.
I know people might think, "But my life is harder than yours!" It may well be true. But we can all make a choice to look at the gifts we have received this holiday, and to be thankful. Even if it is the gift of the next breath, every one of us has something to be thankful for.
Since coming to Costa Rica, we have spent many Christmases back "home" in California. This year, as well as last year, we have decided to stay in the tropics and enjoy the holidays here. It is good.
I guess what I miss overall is the convenience of a North American life. It's the little things, like being able to go shopping easily and find what we need, or having an easy drive on good roads. There are the Christmas parties, the restaurants, the old acquaintances to see. And of course, there are the hugs and kisses from grandparents and the raucous times playing with cousins. There is the feeling of being included in the extended "blood" family that we have missed for so long.
I know that those are not the most important things in my life. But I also know that I am human, and I struggle with those things some times. I never want people to have the impression that because we live cross-culturally, overseas, that we are super saints. We are still flesh and blood.
So what is the solution to my homesickness? Instead of focusing on the things I don't have, I need to spend my time reflecting on the things I DO have. I know it sounds simple, but I want to meditate on the gifts of God in my life. For example, we have friends that have become family to us. We have celebrated the season with them in numerous ways already.
So, I work to give thanks in all things, even in these homesick pangs, because they are good. They send me to Jesus. And I see Him, who gave up everything to come to earth, so that He could give me what I truly need - His life, His love, and His salvation.
I know people might think, "But my life is harder than yours!" It may well be true. But we can all make a choice to look at the gifts we have received this holiday, and to be thankful. Even if it is the gift of the next breath, every one of us has something to be thankful for.
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