10 QUE?

Last Sunday I ran my first race since October.....a very slow 10K! I was just glad to run and praising God that I could.

Funny thing...since every thing was in Spanish, somehow I ended up without a chip timer. Glad I had my handy-dandy watch. Next time, I will know!

http://www.maratontangamanga.com

Downtown!

Lillian and I took a walk to the Centro.

Plaza de Armas

Our really amazing lunch!

Agua de Coco!

Pretty Handwriting

I learned a very helpful phrase yesterday :)

If your friend asks what you think of a guy/girl, and you want to say that they are a nice person, but maybe not that good looking, you can say "Tiene bonita letra," which means he/she has pretty handwriting.

Movie Recommendation: Under the Same Moon

Feliz Cumple, Lily!

Sunday was an exciting day!!! My friend Lillian celebrated her 30th birthday AND got baptized all on the same day. Afterwards we went to her family's house to celebrate!!!

Jaime, Lillian, Mario, and Melissa

Mi Ranchito

Lillian and her new friend Christina.

Patrick and Lisa....Lisa was the first one of us to brave the horse ride.

Luis and his little puppy....they both had scratches on their noses.

Jose and Antonio added their special, super secret ingredient to the asado.

Jim had quite an audience as he shared pictures.

Antonio used to be the McTighe's gardener. His family (meaning his immediate family, cousins, sisters, aunts, nieces, nephews, etc) were so kind to us!

The Mexican people are so beautiful and hospitable! Saturday we were invited out to a Rancho where the McTighe's gardener lives. What we thought would be a morning event ended up being a whole day event that included eating TWICE, riding horses, playing with kids, telling stories, and just spending time together. The McTighe's really have a gift of ministering to people just by being with them, where they are!

NOT a coincidence

Last Monday I went for a run in Parque Morales, right near the McTighe's house. During my cool down walk, a lady coming towards me stopped and said, "Hola.........Miss Jackson?" WHAT! It was the mom of two of my former students!!!! She was in San Luis visiting her family.

We talked a little and then she asked me if I knew anywhere that she could go to church while she was in town, so I invited her to a Bible study that I knew of.

Wednesday, the day of the Bible study was amazing!!!! We all (8 or so of us) ended up being there four hours just sharing stories of God's faithfulness. This lady (from the park) told how she had prayed, on the way to San Luis, for God to provide an opportunity to go to church in Mexico. It also turns out she has been attending Grace Covenant Church (where the McTighe's go when they are in the States and my old church) for the past month and a half! AND, she shared about how God used her sons and SouthLake school to show Himself to her. WOW!!!!

Feliz Cumple

Friday, June 20 was my 28th birthday.....I can't believe it! My friend Lillian organized a fun night out of Salsa dancing at a place called the Gallinero. Notice there are no pictures of the actual dancing because that would mean that I could actually DANCE! Ha! Lillian, Karla and Rudy left us in the dust with their rug-cutting skills.

Huapangueros

Last Sunday I went to eat some tacos with the Mazariegos family whom I met 8 years ago on my first trip to San Luis. There were some guys playing music in the corner of the restaurant. John Maz said that if you told them your name and gave them some money they would make up a song about you....so he did.....and they did!

Read about Huapango (english/spanish)

You might be NACO if....

....you ask for a to go box at a restaurant!

I went to an Italian Restaurant with my friends Karla and Quique last night. My ravioli was so amazing that when I didn't finish it all I was forced to ask for a go box....oops! This is a no no if you want to be a FRESA and not a NACO.

perfume a tus pies

Cuando pienso en tu amor
y en tu fidelidad
No puedo hacer más
Que postrarme y adorar
Cuando pienso en cómo he sido
y hasta donde me has traído
Me asombro de Ti

Y no me quiero conformar,
He probado y quiero más

Yo quiero enamorarme más de Ti,
Enséñame a amarte y a vivir
Conforme a tu Justicia y tu verdad,
Con mi vida quiero adorar

Con todo lo que tengo y lo que soy,
todo lo que he sido te lo doy
Que mi vida sea para ti
Como un perfume a tus pies

Cuando pienso en tu cruz
y en todo lo que has dado
Tu sangre por mi, por llevar mi pecado

Cuando pienso en tu mano,
Que hasta aquí hemos llegado
Por tu fidelidad

Palacio

One time a friend of mine told me that Mexicans are "La gente mas cálida en el mundo"- The warmest people in the world. It is so true!!!! Everyone I have met has invited me to hang out with them--it has been so much fun making new friends!

Sunday evening, my friend Karla took me to "La Luna," a cafe set on the top of a building that overlooks the Plaza San Francisco.

Later, her friend Lorena took us to see where she works- the only Hotel Museum in all of Latin America. It was beautiful. Each room is different and is named after a famous historical person. The whole building is filled with certified antique furniture.....I was almost afraid to touch anything :) You can take a virtual tour at PALACIO SAN AGUSTIN - ENJOY!

La Luna

I love Coffee....but this is actually chocolate italiano (italian hot chocolate).

This is one of the 22 rooms at Palacio San Augsutin. Each one is unique.

Lorena, Rodrigo and I look down the Spiral Staircase.


Karla, Lorena, and I.

Sometimes...

"Sometimes we need to stop analyzing the past, stop planning the future, stop figuring out precisely how we feel, stop deciding exactly what we want, and just see what happens."

I just read this quote somewhere and it seems like I may need to adopt it for my time here. I came to San Luis with ideas of what I was going to DO....it seems that God, so far, is having other plans...BEING and LEARNING.

Yesterday in the morning, Lisa and I went for a hour long walk and just talked about life and about what God is doing here in San Luis. Listening to Lisa and hearing about the work here was so encouraging.

Later, while Lisa and I were enjoying some huevos made by their cook, Naty, Lillian, a friend of Lisa's came over. She is 29 and teaches English and recently has come to know the Lord. We were immediate friends and spent the day together here with Lisa, talking and just enjoying being together. We talked for almost 2 hours after breakfast and then had a sweet time of prayer together.

I am challenged by Lillian and her desire and hunger for the Lord, and I am very happy to have a friend here!!! Last night we hung out with her cousins after her English class.

This morning, Lisa, Lillian, and I went to an Assemblies of God church that is preparing for their VBS that will take place in July. This church loves the Lord and has such a heart for evangelism. They have divided San Luis into 9 zones and have a great program planned for the kids. At the end of VBS, children and parents from the 9 zones will come to a big celebration at the church.

Today they were preparing for day 1....we learned songs with movements and the lessons for the day: Honesty! These ladies were so well organized! God is really using them to reach their community for Christ.

back where I belong :)

I arrived safely in San Luis Potosi around 10:30 last night. Jim and Lisa McTighe were at SLP`s very small airport (only 2 gates) to greet me and take me to their house in Bellas Lomas. There was a surprise waiting for me...kitties...lots of kitties :)

I am excited to be here and spend time with them, get away from life as usual, and see what God has in store!!!!

More to come...

Patrick McTighe hangs out with monster, my new favorite kitty!

Choreography at Kusi

a what?

There was a shiny, rather large, black widow making its home in the outer frame of the door to my apartment this morning. After swatting her halfway across the barn (with a broom), I put in her in a tupperware container to remind her, and all other spidery villains who attempt to invade my apartment, that their death is imminent.

philoMORTdeARANEA!

Is it ok to combine Greek and Latin? :)