Sunday, September 9 2012 – Cotacachi, Ecuador

At church this morning the pastor spoke about friendship.  About how to be a good friend and about the only friend you can always count on – Jesus.  It really hit home.  As much as I love my husband, I was not very kind this past week.  I was a bit moody.  I said hurtful things.

After church this morning several of us Gringos gathered on the sidewalk to chat.  A part-time resident has recently returned.  She spoke of a calling she and her husband sense from God, and the steps they are taking to do mission work in Cotacachi.  We exchanged numbers.  I’d love to hear more about God’s call for them.

Afterwards we headed to the market to buy some produce.  Bruce also wanted to stop at a hardware store to pick up a brown extension cord.  We didn’t find the right extension cord, but I did pickup some beautiful tomatoes, two cucumbers, and a few heads of garlic ($2).  I stopped by another booth to pick up fresh cheese.  The booth I usually stop at was very busy.  The booth next door had no one in line, so I went there.  I asked the vendor about her cheeses and the prices.  She gave us a sample of the salted cheese.  It was too salty for our liking.  Just then a dear friend came by and greeted us.  She has a friend in from out of town and is throwing a get together for her lady friends on Friday night.  Unfortunately that is the same night the people in our neighborhood decided to get together to throw us a welcome party. After she left to continue her shopping I turned back to the cheese counter.  I bought the unsalted cheese without really paying much attention to what I was doing.

As we headed home, I decided I would make sandwiches for lunch using the fresh cheese and tomatoes I just bought, and some basil I had on hand, only to find out the cheese was not so fresh.  The color was off.  The small sample I tasted confirmed that the cheese had indeed spoiled.  When buying homemade goods from the local merchants you must use caution.  There are no date codes to refer to.  You must use your senses to inspect the items before you buy.  Refunds are rare.  It a good example of the old adage “buyer beware”.

I did want to return to the market and let her know the cheese was spoiled.  Giving her the benefit of the doubt, she may not have realized it yet, and I would want to let her know so she could remove the cheese from distribution.  It can be hard to bounce back from a reputation of selling spoiled goods.  However, Bruce had already taken out the ladder we borrowed from a neighbor and was rearranging ceiling fans and lighting fixtures to better suit our needs.  I did not want to leave the house while he was up and down a ladder and working with electricity, so I just threw out the cheese and stayed home.

Bruce did an another amazing job.  The overhead halogen lights in the living-room and dining-room have been moved to the kitchen.  I now have much better lighting in my kitchen.  The ceiling fan in the kitchen has been moved to the spare bedroom, which now has a ceiling fan that better suits the room.  And the small hallway now only has three wall sconces.  The two overhead lights have been eliminated.  This gives us a light fixture that we will use in the new garage addition.  The small white ceiling fan that used to be in the spare bedroom will go up for sale.  Bruce did all this, and only spent a few dollars on a package of miscellaneous wire nuts, and some wire, but since we’ll probably make a little money selling the ceiling fan, it was a profitable day too.  I’d say that’s a job well done.

Strawberry Crepes

Now it was my turn to do a good job.  Bruce had been working hard.  He was hungry and tired.  I made an early dinner of Caramelized Turnips and chicken topped with fresh tomatoes and cilantro.  Bruce made a tossed salad to accompany the meal.  Then for dessert, I made crepes and filled them with strawberries simmered in Creme de Cassis, and plain yogurt; then topped with a sprinkling of powdered sugar and a dollop of whipped creme.

I know my husband well enough to know that he neer stopped loving me.  Even when I was less than kind.  I have said I’m sorry.  I continually seek God’s guidance.  Hopefully with a full tummy, and a another fresh start, we’ll sleep good tonight!

DAILY VERSE:  Love one another with brotherly affection. Out do one another in showing honor. - Romans 12:10