Unplug and Appreciate

Well, I've officially been home for 3 days. Transitioning back into regular life has been both easy and a little strange. Maybe it's because I seem to have no problem transitioning from one environment to another, or maybe it's because this is home. But after 2 months of living in Honduras, coming home gave me a bit of culture shock.

                                         

Whenever you're getting ready for a trip overseas, people aways talk about culture shock. Seeing a different culture and environment can be overwhelming. It's hard for me to describe, but I think Merriam Webster does a good job. "A feeling of confusion, doubt, or nervousness caused by being in a place (such as a foreign country) that is very different from what you are used to". Different countries and areas have such different customs and ways than we are used to. 

Coming home from a country where I was surrounded by abandonment, poverty, and frustration made me realize the value of things here. When we get comfortable, we can take things for granted and not understand just how blessed we are to live in a country where we can buy anything we could ever want, and in bulk none the less.

In a world of internet, smartphones, the latest and greatest, and an attitude of more-more-more, it can be hard to imagine surviving without these things. But for me, coming home to this environment, it makes me want to go back. I want to go back to a place where people talk to each other, say 'good morning' instead of pushing past you, where kids play outside, and where it's not a big deal when the power or internet go out. We are consumed by such trivial things. We need to be consumed with love and laugher and Jesus instead of phones and games and ourselves. 

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Matthew 6:19-21

So let's power down and take a minute to appreciate the blessings of God, and to be grateful for each and every thing we have in life. Even our breaths are a gift. Let's not take them for granted, but instead use them for the glory of God and to do the works He has created us for. 

I could go on and on, but I'll leave it here. Praying for my life to be all God has wanted it to be, and praying for yours to be the same. 

Much love + blessings, 

Love + Laughter

Yesterday marked the halfway point in this incredible journey. It's hard to believe that my time here is already half over. People talk about how when they go on mission trips, how their life is forever changed and how amazing it was. I'm not denying that any of this is true, because my life IS forever changed and it has been SO amazing working with Legacy of Hope Foundation and House of Hope. But I think the reason it's so hard to believe is that it seems normal. This has become normal life for me. Waking up, eating breakfast with 10 kids, feeding babies, lots of love and laughter, the peace of nap time, more laughing, more feeding, changing diapers, swings and slides, playhouses, hectic dinners, and quiet evenings. And on the days of teaching preschool; coffee, 6 crazy kids coloring and writing, practicing their numbers and shapes, alphabet songs, playtime, laughter and joy. I know it's going to seem too quiet when I get home. Kids are my joy, they are my heart. 

It's been so amazing seeing them grow from last year. Kaleb was just an itty bitty little guy, and now he is so playful and fun. Not to mention how he likes to chew on EVERYTHING. Literally everything. Isabella was a cute little baby, and now she is a beautiful toddler with such a joyful spirit. Anthony is even more fun than he was a year ago, and Brenda has grown into such an amazing little helper. I have loved getting to know them again, and have loved meeting the new babies. Lili is too cute for words, and Alejandro loves to sit up and see the world! Daniela is such a little princess, and I am so proud of how far she has come in the short time she has been here. 

House of Hope is so full of love and joy. Kids may cry, throw tantrums, and give you a run for your money. But underneath all of the crazy and frustration are genuine hearts and joyful spirits. I have learned so much from these kids. It's okay to make a mess when you're having fun, they're are no rules for how to play, your imagination can take you anywhere, and sometimes falling in the dirt can be the funniest thing in the world. Don't be afraid to try new things, search for bugs, and be yourself. We can forget the simplest lessons in life, and it can take a child to remind you. 

I can't wait to see what the next 3 1/2 weeks will bring, and I can't wait to bring all I've learned back home. I am honored and blessed to have this opportunity to do what I love, where I love, with people I love. Wishing you all happiness and joy, and the courage to try new things and be who God made you to be. 

Much love + blessings, 

Photos Speak

I am SO excited and blessed to be in Honduras, and for 7 weeks! I am surrounded by cuteness, cuddles, smiles, and fun. And I wanted to share it with you! A picture is worth a thousand words, right? Well, here's a load of adorable faces and forever laughing spirits!

Isabella is a TOTAL baby model. All I did was call her name and she struck this pose! 

Christian - He may throw some serious fits, but how can you not love this little guy! He is such a joy!

Oh Brenda, Brendita, Dita! You are so full of sweetness! Always wanting to help and constantly bringing me my water bottle, baby bottles, and trash. 

More Isabella! Look at that laugh! And she just adores Tia Samantha - forever loving both of these girls! 

Kaleb - you have come so far! I remember meeting you last year, you were so tiny! Love your carefree spirit and peacefulness. 

Alejandro is SO fun. He loves to sit up and see the world - and also get hugged by Isabella. And look at her little tongue! LOVE <3 

NEVER getting tired of this view out of the balcony. Even a forest fire can't take away the beauty of God's creation! 

I caught a gecko! He may be small (okay, REALLY small), but he is so cute!

"Look, I cleanin I cleanin!" -Anthony

A little ball of fun and energy who loves to collect beetles. 

What's a pulperia you ask? Well, the best way to describe it is a small convenience store. Sodas and snacks galore! (And it's also next door - yay!)

Bienvenidos a Casita Spangler!


Much love + blessings,

Preescolar

Hoy fue el primer día de clases que tenía que enseñar.

Today was the first day of school that I had to teach.

Yesterday I unpacked a bunch of school supplies that were donated by a class from last semester. I was, and still am, overjoyed at their generosity without any prompting. They came to me and asked what they could do and they exceeded my expectations by leaps and bounds. I am so excited to get to use them as I teach through the end of the school year.

Preschool is what I do. I teach, I lead, I prep, and I love every minute of it. I have to say that it was everything and nothing that I expected. It was exhausting and rewarding at the same time.

Prepping may be one of the best parts. I love going through books and finding lessons and ideas. I love brainstorming and envisioning how it will all come together in the classroom. I love everything about it, even writing lesson plans. I especially loved prepping last night; finding all sorts of resources and ideas.

One of my greatest joys is seeing kids sitting around a table learning. Whether it's coloring or doing a worksheet, it makes my heart happy. It's so rewarding, but today was also exhausting. This is a bilingual preschool, and I am teaching the English portion with only 2 kids knowing any English. I may be difficult or stressful at times, but the result is so rewarding. 

One of the little girls, Britney, has trouble with new people and people she doesn't know. I was anticipating her to give me the most trouble. But she listened and did her best to understand. I was, and am, so proud of her. She is such a great helper and has already shown a lot of progress with her English. These little moments throughout the day are what I do this for. I love seeing progress and the looks on the kids' faces when they understand something knew. 

I am so blessed that God has given me this desire and gift. Nothing makes me happier, and I can't wait to see what happens through the next 4 weeks. I'm excited that I get to teach and experience new things, and to experience a (sort of) new place. 

Thank you all for your prayers and support as I embark on this incredible journey. 

Much love + blessings,

The Journey Begins

As I'm sitting here on my bed, surrounded by suitcases, bags, and supplies, it doesn't feel like I should be leaving in 2 days. Only a little over a month ago were my plans being discussed and worked out. Looking back over the whole process, I realize that it was all a blur. I don't vividly remember special moments or 'break throughs'. Maybe it's because I was also finishing school and working at church. School is now over, and today is the first day I have had to sit and reflect on what is happening. I am going to Honduras for 7 weeks to teach preschool and help in a foster home full of tiny little babies and wonderful children. This is what I have dreamed of, this is what God has been preparing me for over the last 19 years. 

It's funny. In high school, we needed to pick a 'pathway' in order to choose our classes. Basically, we needed to know what we wanted to do when we grew up so that we could pick classes that would help accomplish that goal. Now, I am one of the most indecisive people you will ever know so of course mine changed like a million times. Okay, maybe not that many. First, it was a veterinarian. Then it was science, specifically forensic chemistry. I even had that narrowed down to toxicology or fingerprinting. After that, I considered being a cop or going into the Coast Guard to join their investigative service (NCIS may have had a bigger influence on me than I let on). Then I realized I wanted to teach, so I chose secondary chem ed. Finally, I realized I was being dumb and knew that God wanted me with little kids. So I now major in Early Grades Education (Pre-K through 4th). I guess after working in the children's ministry at church for 10 years, I understood that's what I wanted to do. 

The other defining factor in this whole thing was how I grew up. Or, more accurately, what I grew up around. I basically lived at my church, and my family was passionate about missions. It wasn't a foreign concept to me. When I was old enough to join the youth group, I wanted to go on a missions trip to London but my parents said I was too young. Needless to say I was heart broken. But I got my chance. In 2009 I had the opportunity to go to Philadelphia for a week with an awesome organization called Holy Hands (their name has since changed to One18). I have been going on trips ever since then. 2009 and 2010, I was in Philly. In 2011, I was able to go to Haiti for a week. And in 2012 was my first encounter with Honduras. In 2013, I was able to be an intern for Holy Hands and traveled around the state and into New York for 5 weeks, and in 2014 I went back to Honduras. I have loved every trip, city, and country. But Honduras has stolen my heart. 

Now, in 2015, I am going to Honduras for 7 weeks. Even after typing all of this, it still doesn't seem real. It seems so far yet so close. And it seems like such a long time yet not enough. It's just so surreal. Today, being my only and last day off in a long time, was my packing day. And being the coolest cat around, my dear friend Kelsey came over to help. 

She really is the coolest. Helping decide what clothes to take, helping fold and roll them, and helping me shove them in a suitcase. We even had to unpack and repack multiple times to get everything to fit. But through it all, she had a smile. She even brought over my favorite soda, candy, and ice cream. I am so grateful and blessed that God has given me friends like her, that are more like sisters than friends. I think this will be the hardest thing of all. But I know that God has so many things planned for me while I am gone that I can't get too upset. 

I know this post may not make a lot of sense, but this is what has been going through my mind the last few days. I am so excited to be doing what I love, where I love. And I am excited to share lots of stories and photos with you as my adventure begins.

With love and many blessings, 

Becky <3

Plane Rides + Sunshine

It had been four and a half hours. Four and a half hours of quiet noise. Four and a half hours of shuffling seats. Four and a half hours of cramped legs. Four and a half hours of gentle shaking. Four and a half hours on a plane.

We heard the ding of the seatbelt sign, and the little orange symbol lit up in front of us. We buckled, and we waited, and we landed. Everyone applauded the pilot, and began to collect their belongings. I wrapped up my headphones and grabbed my duffel bag from the overhead compartment. Then we waited. We waited in the seemingly endless line to disembark.

That first step is always the greatest. The sunshine hits your face, you feel the warmth pushing away the freezing air from the cabin. You can see the heat waves rising off of the tarmac and the sun shining through the vast amounts of trees all around. It’s exhilarating, nerve wracking, exciting, and relieving all at once. We can hear the engines of the plane humming and the quiet chit-chat amongst the other passengers. It’s loud while still peaceful. I take a deep breath and soak in the atmosphere and view: sunny, bright, open skies, fresh air. I think to myself, “I’m finally home.”

No, we didn’t land in the United States. We landed in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Yes, the United States is my home, but Honduras is my home away from home. It’s a dream, the place I wish to be when everything here is just so overwhelming. When someone tells you to go to your happy place, this is where I go. It is calming and reassuring and inviting. Every aspect of the journey isn’t desirable, and can in fact be very stressful. But as soon as I take that first step off the plane, I know that it is all worth it.

A promise is a promise

"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." - Psalm 37:4

I am 19, and I have had a job since I was 12. That's 7 years of working consistently. It may have been two different jobs, but I was never without one. Working was just another part of life for me. Work, church, school, friends; they all went together. (I also don't know if I used that semi colon right, but we're gonna go with it). Working became such a part of me that I didn't know what I would do with myself if I didn't have a job.

My last job wasn't my favorite. It was stressful and exhausting, but I loved the people I got to work with. I had been wrestling with quitting, but I wasn't going to do that without having another job lined up already. Like I said, working was ingrained in me and became part of who I was. I was job hunting for a while, about 6 months. I gave up and told myself that god wanted me to stay.

Psalm 37:4 was a verse I meditated on. To me, part of delighting in the Lord is obeying. I thought that that was what I was doing. I convinced myself that if I stayed at my job, I would be given the desires of my heart. I stayed, and I worked. I was stressed, but I told myself that it would be worth it. Eventually it got so bad that I talked to my boss, and she graciously told me that they would only schedule me when the absolutely needed me. I thought that it would solve my problem. But I had a different problem than that.

Now, before I continue, I feel like I need to explains something. Discernment was always something that I struggled with. As an indecisive person, and someone who always has a bazillion thoughts running through her head, it was difficult for me to know when it was the Holy Spirit speaking to me. It became something that I began praying for as the new year began. If God wanted to tell me something, I wanted (and needed) to know that it was Him. He answered my prayer in an unexpected way.

I went to work as usual, but something changed. I began to feel convicted. I began to feel like I comprised. I felt so guilty for not quitting that I almost had a panic attack at work. I knew then that I tried to compromise with God because I wasn't comfortable with what He was asking me to do. I felt Him tell me that once I obeyed Him and did what he was asking me to do, then so many other doors I had been hoping and praying for would be opened. He promised me Psalm 37:4.

So that's what I did. I delighted myself in the Lord. I quit my job the next day. It was nerve wracking. I was still unsure about it, but I knew that if God wanted it than everything was going to work out. My last day was that Friday (or Saturday, I don't really remember). It didn't feel like I was leaving. I didn't feel relief or certainty. I felt odd. I felt peace, but it was a strange peace. I think part of that was because I was now unemployed after 7 years.

But something incredible happened. Not long after quitting, I was offered an amazing opportunity to follow the plan that God has for me. I was offered the opportunity to teach preschool, wait for it, in Honduras! The country that captured my heart 3 years ago. I knew God had plans for me in Honduras, I just didn't know in what capacity. Teaching preschool in Honduras with Legacy of Hope Foundation was my dream job, and it was plopped into my lap.

I am excited that I will be going to Honduras May 10th and returning June 27th. AH! It is a dream come true.

God keeps his promises. He promised me Psalm 37:4, something that is promised to everybody.

"Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."

Much love + blessings,

3 little words with so much meaning

Jesus, coffee, and a passport.

Weird name for a blog, huh?

These 3 things are my essentials; Jesus, coffee, and a passport.

Living a life where Jesus is the center may not always be the easiest thing in the world. Heck, it's easier to sin. It's easier to live without rules and to do whatever you want. But my life, built on Christ, is a life that is full. I don't just survive, I thrive. I strive everyday to live as Christ, to love as Christ, and to serve as Christ. Being a preschool teacher at Freedom Life doesn't just benefit the kids. It has opened me up to the simplicity of Jesus' love, and the unconditional grace and peace that He provides.

Coffee is something that I always thought I wouldn't be able to live without. Some days I think it's true. I even have a shirt that says, "All I need today is a little bit of coffee and a whole lot of Jesus". That's pretty much the slogan I live by. Doing homework? Coffee + worship music. Rough day at school? Stop for coffee + blast WordFM. In reality, I could live without coffee. But it's something that I love and enjoy, so I'm going to take full advantage of it. Wanna hang out? Let's get coffee.

And last, a passport. I have traveled out of the country 3 times if you don't count that time I went to Canada to shoot a bear. (Yeah, I did that.) Every time has been for a missions trip. Haiti in 2011, Honduras in 2012, and Honduras again in 2014. And I cannot wait to go back for a 3rd time this year. I don't know what I would do if I couldn't travel. Though I am not a fan of airports, I love flying and see the incredible world that God created. These aren't the only missions trips I have been on. Philly in 2009 + 2010, and Holy Hands Tour in 2013. That makes 6, and this year makes 7. I was raised in a home with a heart for missions, and that same heart made its way to me. I am honored and blessed to be called to serve God in this way.

I was driving one day, and You Make Me Brave came on the radio. I had been so scared of messing up, of not fulfilling the plan that God had for me, and just not knowing what that plan was. I knew when this song came on that I had nothing to fear. I went to Devoted Conference this past March at Wave Church in VA Beach. During worship, this song was played. Of course, I was pumped. This was now officially my jam. I was praying and worshipping, and asking God for clarity. I heard his voice, it was clear and it was calm. He told me I was chosen, and to let Him take care of it. I knew then that I was called, and all fear of what may or may not happen left.

God encounters are the coolest thing. I love getting up close to the one who created me.

Jesus, coffee, and a passport.

Me in 3 little words that mean so much.


Much love + blessings,