My Upbringing

  I talk quite a bit formative years, and those of you who have spent a lot of time around me hear "when I was raised" several times in a conversation.  Part of the reason for this is that the older I get, the more I realize how handy the things that I have learned are.  It makes me very thankful for my parents and other role models that I have had in my life.  But, more importantly, it is a blessing to look back and see that God clearly has had a plan for my life. I remember times that I thought how much better my life would have been had certain things not happened.  (I've been known to contemplate my hypothetical life without Mexico in my past, or without the leaving of Mexico, and as one can imagine, the possibilities are close to endless.)
   No matter what my feelings may be at any given time, I know that I can rest in His perfect plan.  If I were the begin to list the miracles that God performs in my life, I wouldn't have time to finish.  There is no way that I would have gotten to were I am now without the intricate past that God has been weaving for the past 19 or so years.  And that's just my life, I don't know your story.  Grace College's theme last year was "Authored" referring to God's role in our lives.  I am blown away by what has been/is being written in His story that just happens to include me.
  I owe my formation to the Lord and to all the people that He has used along the way.  None of my plans could ever add up what the Lord has for me.

"All the doors that I had to close

All the things I knew but I didn't know

I thank God for all I've missed, 

Cuz it led me here to this." 

- Darius Rucker 

(this maybe a love song, but it still fits.)

 Psalm 143:5-6:
 I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all Your doings;
I muse on the work of Your hands.
 I stretch out my hands to You;
My soul longs for You, as a parched land.
                         Selah.