more pics

This is one of my favorites- I LOVE their kisses!

Updated pics

Here are a few recent pictures of the kids.

Big Daddy and Grammy visit

Today we are picking up Big Daddy and Grammy (Nathan's parents) for a five-day visit to Cancun. They are taking a trip for their 31st anniversary to visit us and see the grandkids. It has been raining every day for the past 3 weeks, but hopefully it will clear up a little while they are here. We are looking forward to hosting.

Town gossip

Yesterday i was working in one of my Starbucks offices and i overheard a conversation by a group of ladies next to me. It caught my attention because i heard the name of our church, so i listened in a little. I didn't catch the whole conversation, partly because i didn't want to be too obvious about eavesdropping, but mostly because of the coffee machine noises in the Starbucks ;) It made me smile because they didn't know me, but they were talking about this movement that God is doing. In many ways I hope it stays like that. That there is not a face associated with whatever good is happening, but that God begins a movement and He gets all the credit because there is no other explanation.

more on Matthew

Matthew 5:31-32

“You have heard the law that says, ‘A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.’ But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery."

Does anyone else see the line here that says 'unless she has been unfaithful"? I always thought divorce was wrong in God's eyes, no matter what. Not sure where I got that but I am glad I am able to read the words for myself straight from the mouth of Jesus!


Here is another one I thought I knew but had twisted in my mind:

Matthew 5:42

Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.

Give to those who ask??? Like the guy standing on the corner who might use my money to buy cigarettes or alcohol or drugs? I always thought I was being a good steward of my money by NOT giving to those people. A friend and I were talking about this verse and she asked me, "Who are we to judge who is worthy to use our money, since God gave it all to us anyway?" OUCH!!! I think she was right.

Sometimes it hurts when I find out I have believed something incorrectly for all these years. My first reaction is to try to blame someone else...maybe a former teacher. The truth is it is MY responsibility to read it for myself. But, I am thankful that God is correcting me so I can try to follow these not quite so easy guidelines.

Wow what a day!

ok i will start this by saying God is awesome and all this was because of Him. we have had a crazy couple weeks of prep and prayer (and enemy attacks) for today...the start of a 4-week series on marriage at COF Cancun. Lots of anticipation of what God is going to do through this series...here is a quick rundown of what we saw today.

• three theaters, simultaneous worship in two service times. 10:00 - 2 spanish rooms, 1 english; 11:30 - 3 spanish
• 74 students in their new venue at the other end of the plaza (middle school, high school age)
  
• 200+ kids in the kids area
• 820 adults in the theater between the two times and three rooms
  
• total ~ 1,100 people (about 650 more than the week before)
• lots of volunteers stepped up to help (greeting, kids area, students, tech setup)
  
• 2 worship leaders singing in different rooms accompanied by the same band (the third room filled after the message had started)
  
• a great message from Marco
• lots of positive feedback from first-time guests. always exciting when they come because of problems with their marriage and then they learn that the real answer is Jesus
  

thanks again for your prayers...now we get to do it again next week!! and thinking about that makes me want to go to bed right now. :)

Retaliating with Love

Matt 5:7,9, 21-22, 39-42

God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.

21 “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’[d] 22 But I say, if you are even angry with someone,[e] you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot,[f] you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone,[g] you are in danger of the fires of hell.

39But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

I have read those verses and others many times recently in the book of Matthew. These were words that Jesus taught. We are told to be merciful and to work for peace. If we are even angry we are subject to judgment. Do no resist an evil person. I don’t know how I have read those verses so many times and not actually chosen to apply it to myself. I was a supporter of the war the US is currently in. I had a gun and learned how to use it for self defense. Engaging in war, no matter what the motive, is not merciful or peace-making. Me being ready to shoot an intruder is resisting an evil person- which is exactly what Jesus said not to do.

These are the things we have been reading lately. We don’t have it all figured out, but we do know this is how we are told to behave as Christians. I know it sounds crazy but since when does anything Jesus said make any sense to us mere mortals?

More on this soon.
~Kaycee

Baptism Pictures

Nathan and Miguel filled up the pool the night before. It took two water trucks called Pipas to fill it up.

This picture is a couple from the US that live in the area named Ed and Connie. It was so sweet to see them get baptized together!

This was me and a guy named Tomas. We got baptized at the same time. The water was REALLY cold!

This was a friend's brother and sister. It was only Mario's second time to visit the church. We were all so excited for them.

Luis, the other pastor here, got a chance to baptize his mom. It was such an emotional time. At the end of the last service he also baptized his daughter, Renata.

We had 71 people baptized on September 21.

Mexican Ingenuity

The Mexican people are amazing. Nothing stops them. Nothing gets them down. If they want to do something, they will find a way. Here are a few examples of things I have seen here over the last few weeks.
Entire families on one scooter...mom, dad, six year old and baby (all with helmets of course)
-A man riding his bike while carrying a large box fan.
-A man riding his bike while carrying a pizza.
- Bicycle taxis ready to take you anywhere you want to go
-A bicycle taxi stacked eight feet high with furniture
-A man standing on the street corner, making churros and selling them while you wait for the light to change

My favorite and the most impressive:
-A man riding his bike while carrying a six foot ladder!!!

WOW! I would sit at home thinking I couldn't go to work today because I didn't have a car. Not the people I saw...they work it out!