My visa came back today, and I have a shiny new sticker that says I can go in and out of Paraguay until 2015. It is literally only a matter of time now. There is nothing else that *has* to be done. Several more things *will* get done, but I could leave now if I wanted to leave my family with more responsibility than they bargained for.

What’s left:

• put new floor down in bathroom
• finish power washing deck
• move my junk out
• take clothes to Goodwill
• one or two trips to the dump
• rake back yard
• get utilities turned off
• clean out front gutter
• clean the house like its never been cleaned before
• get coffee with Randy

That’s it! Think I can get it done in 2 weeks?

-j

Things that thrill me to think about:

• serving God as my job
• fluency in Spanish
• conversational in Guarani
• a rejuvenated prayer life
• adoration of hordes of kids
• witnessing miracles
• losing weight by default
• serving God as my job!
• praise team
• chipa!, mbeju, and terere
• learning soccer and footvolley (but they call it something else)
• my friends I left behind when I came back to the states last year
• SERVING GOD AS MY JOB!!!

38 days.

-j

I mean, I love old Christians too, but the newbies are my favorite. They’re so full of Life and Love and can conquer the world with the Good News! Everyone they meet gets to hear how God changed their lives and how He can change anyone’s life if they’d just let Him. New Believers are innately willing to be used anywhere and everywhere they can. Folks who didn’t grow up in a church environment and came to know the Lord later in life are the most willing. They’re finally experiencing something that they never have before. Suddenly their family has grown by dozens or maybe even hundreds.

They show me what it means to have a first love, and in contrast what it looks like when I have lost my first love. I’m thankful I’m finding it again. Would that I could always have the same zeal that these young Believers have! Would that we all could.

-j