The first day at the recycling plant, I began to understand.  In all, I work with about 10 other men (3 who speak English and the others speak only Spanish so I have gotten some practice in) who as the days passed by began to share with me their stories  Two were recently out of prison and recovering from drug/alcohol abuse, another was a new father, and another had many personal issues and hurts he was battling.  I found myself in the midst of a great deal of pain and turmoil with men needing someone to listen to and walk with. Who would have thought?

So in the midst of having a new baby, starting a new job in January (the recycling plant), teaching part-time, working as the International Coordinator, the Lord was using me to bring peace and healing to the hearts and lives of these men through His word and Spirit.  No, it’s not in the jungles of Colombia or the mountains of Nepal but in the industrial part of Fresno that these lives are changing.  And there lies the beauty.  No matter where we may be , all we have to do is listen to find someone who needs us.  It has been such a joyful privilege to see what a few kind words and listening ears can bring.  Like I said, the road of life continues to bring unexpected twists and turns.  Many times I think it much like traveling through a foggy valley on the way to the top of a mountain.  You can see just enough ahead of you to stay on the path but you don’t realize the true beauty of what you have gone through until you get to the top.  At the peak we can truly appreciate how amazing the trail has been.

And for any of you moms out there, HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

]]> http://plumleyepic.wordpress.com/2011/05/07/trail-of-life/feed/ 0 Plumley Epic Trail http://plumleyepic.wordpress.com/2011/02/02/non-understandable/ http://plumleyepic.wordpress.com/2011/02/02/non-understandable/#comments Wed, 02 Feb 2011 20:13:35 +0000 Plumley Epic http://plumleyepic.wordpress.com/?p=400 ]]> First off, I think I just made-up a word for my title.  You grammar folks may not be too happy with me, but I like to think of myself as a bit creative so we’ll just go with it.  Due to our boy being due soon, my mind has been on the topic of fatherhood and all that goes with it.  For some, this post may confirm what you experienced in childhood with your own father.  For others, what I am going to share will be completely foreign because your own father, if he was there, showed nothing of my own thoughts on fatherhood.  And then for others, it could be a combination of both.

For those in the second group I mentioned, I am sorry.  I will not try to rationalize or make excuses for a father not fulfilling his role as he should.  My prayer is that you find healing from the wounds you must deal with each day.

Like I said, my mind has been on fatherhood.  With a little one on the way, I can only pray for the wisdom to teach, train, love, discipline, and guide my children (and try to listen and read from those who already have).  But a couple of days ago, I couldn’t shake the idea of why it is I love my children so much.  While I love my wife just as much, I can put to words better my love for my wife.  Yes, it is a daily choice but I love her for all the little and big things she does, for the way she makes arepas, the way she smiles and makes up English words from Spanish ones, the way she cares for our son, the look on her face when she really wants something.  I love her for all these things and countless more.  But with my kids it is different.

Samuel has never in his life done anything for me.  He never offered to clean his room, take out the trash, wash the truck, or do the laundry.  He can’t clean the kitchen yet, vacuum, clean the windows, or run to the store.  Basically, all he does is take and consume.  The biggest thing he gives now are smiles and laughs.  But that doesn’t explain why I would lay down my life for this little child since the day he was born.  It just is.  My love for my son is non-understandable.  I look at Samuel and love him just because he is there and is.  He offers me nothing.  He does nothing in exchange for this love.  He is simply mine and I love him.

As humans, we accept this concept of parental love every day.  We see parents playing with their kids, teaching them, showing them how to drive, eat, and throw a ball.  And we immediately reject the idea that to not love one’s child is a normal thing.  When we witness examples of child abuse or neglect, we automatically know that there is something wrong.  It goes against something that has been implanted in our DNA.  Our children are to be loved.

But why is it that we have such a hard time imagining a God who loves us just for being His children?  I know that often times it comes from hurts from our own earthly fathers but think about it, especially those who have kids of your own.  There has never been any doubt from the moment you knew you would have this child that the child would be loved.  And it was never a matter what that child would do for you or whether they would get in trouble or hurt you or wreck your car or date the wrong person or make any of a million mistakes.  It was a non-negotiable….the non-understandable love would always prevail.  Our Father in heaven is the same.  But why is it so hard to accept.  We strive and strain and read and obey and act and sing and fall on our knees and all these other things trying to gain approval when God, our Father, is simply saying, “It is not what you do, my love for you simply is.”  Non-understandable…

Below is a music video form one of my favorite Latin artist.  If you understand Spanish, all the better.  If not, just focus on what you see.

Oh…and if you are wondering about the picture…well, I just thought it was fun.  Have a blessed day.

We reopened the Center last Monday and have had a constant stream of kids coming in and out as they are still on Christmas break.  It has been a blast!  Just yesterday, I had a divine chance to share with three of the younger kids the story of Christ’s birth, his life, his death, and his resurrection.  As we talked, they asked so many questions about who God was, His story, and all He had done.  Then they shared some of their own beliefs about God.  I realize that their young minds are influenced/molded so easily and that each of them deals with a lot of fear that comes from false teachings and superstitions.  To see the look on their faces when I shared with them that they don’t have to fear when they have Jesus in their hearts was the highlight of 2011!   We also took time to pray with one young boy who suffers a lot from nightmares.  In the midst of the hour we spent together, I knew God has set that time apart for those young hearts and minds to get to know their Father and creator.  To be a part of it was a joy and a pleasure for me.  Have a blessed day.

www.lwimissions.com/plumley-video.html

“Hope you are having a good week.

Just a note to ask you to keep our country in your prayers. We can say all what we are experiencing now in Colombia has to do with the weather change; to the bad use and management of our natural resources, etc., etc. but what we are seeing now is just crazy. Our towns are drawing; our roads are disappearing; our mountains are melting; our rivers are going of out of their natural way; some dams have not abel to hold the ater any more. Two days ago,in Bello, took place a tragedy. There was a land slide that covered like 50 homes and about 130 people got killed. At this point only 30 corps have been able to be recovered. Now in Colombia we have abou two million people who have lost everything: homes, land, business, employment (the flower business sent home 500 employees). There are no resources enough to help our people. Please, pray with us that God will stop the rain and give us a break. The weather people say it will continue raining till the end of this month.

For those who have been in Medellin: as you take the road that takes you to the airport, after leaving the city, there is scale for trucks to your right. Just at the opposite side of this place, part of the mountain fell on top of these homes. Since it was not raining and many families were celebrating first communion celebration, many children and families were the small park. There is a guy who lost hiw wife and their seven children. There is family who lost 13 members of their family. Just sad stories around our country due to the heavy rain whe have had for a long time now. There are two main roads to go to the airport. One is called, highway to Bogota, and the second one is called Las Palmas. Over the latter, there was a big problem: part of the road is gone and, according to the city authorities, it will take an entire year to fix this problem. Lord willing, on Sunday we will take a bus to go to Bogota and, of course, we pray it will be a safe trip.

Thank you for taking the time to pray for our nation. God bless!!!

With much love, gratitude, and hope,

Octavio & Fannyta…your family in Colombia”

Then, about fifteen minutes later, he surprised us with his first understandable word!!!!  It was DADDY!!!!  Yeah, it pretty much made my evening.  Again, one of those unique experiences that words just don’t do just.  It was an AWESOME night.

On another note, Emili and I have recently connected with a local ministry called the SMART Center.  We are super excited for the doors God is opening both abroad and locally to be able to impact the lives of children and families and to share Christ with them openly.  More information will be coming soon about the needed services we are proving, the lives being touched and the ways you can be a part.  But until then, you can find out a little more info by going to  http://www.wix.com/smartcenter/smartcenter

Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to go hiking for a while (something I hope to remedy soon) but I do remember one of my more memorable hikes.  It happened on the first leg of the Appalachian Trail.  No, I did not hike the entire trail (or even close to it) but I remember this hike because it ended up being a little more daunting than originally anticipated.  One of my amigos (we shall call him Bill and refrain from using names to protect the innocent) had gotten a map of the AT in Georgia and part of North Carolina and thought we should do it.  I was 23 and in college so my immediate response was, “Heck YEAH!!!  I’m in!”  About eight of us and all our gear packed into a jeep and saturn Vuw and were off on our weekend adventure.  The first half day was a fairly easy eight miles.  We made it to where we wanted, set-up camp, did some exploring and other shunnanagins, then hit the sack as it started to sprinkle.  Needless to say, the small sprinkle turned into quite a down pour.  It was over by morning but not without doing some damage.

Two of our amigos had brought a tent that was solid but had been through other adventures.  What they didn’t realize was that it had a hole in it.  Thus they work to a few inches of water in their tent, eight miles out, and needing to pack it up.  Fortunately, some hikers drove by and offered to take it back to where we parked our cars (gotta love trail courteousness) and we continued on.  But this day was to be a bit different.

We figured that eight miles wasn’t bad so what’s the big deal with 15.  We were strong young lads.  Piece of cake.  Well many hours later, we finally made it to our camp site donning headlamps as it was already night time, very tired and simply desiring to sleep.  The young lads and our fearless map man Bill hadn’t quite figured in how much change in altitude there was going to be or the toll it would take on the muscles and joints.

I am reminded of this story because it reflects life so much.  Even with a compass, the gear, and a perfect map, surprises still come up that we don’t account for.  It seems as though I am constantly challenged to alter the best laid plans and trust my Father to work in the midst of what I see are my messed up plans.  But that may be the problem….I tend to see them as my plans only affecting my family and me, not as plans that affect the lives of countless others.  Therefore, with life as with the trail, I will continue the walk, enjoying what God has created around me and trusting him to keep me on the right trail.

I believe the answer lies in the character and nature of who God is.  Over the past year, I have come to learn things that I believe only a parent can truly understand.  In the midst of Samuel’s extreme cuteness, there are times (even though he is only 14 months old) that he must be corrected.  I am also realizing that in the future, I must be faithful to correct my son…and those corrections will not always be enjoyable for him.  But as his father, I love him dearly.  I cannot neglect or be lazy in his upbringing, even if that means being faithful in afflicting him.

My Father God is the same.  He is my father and knows a great deal more than me (I know, a bit of an understatement).  While there are times and events I do not enjoy going through, He is faithful in his upbringing of me.  He does not neglect either his children, nor the duty of raising them in love.  Are there times where I am afflicted…yes.  But thank you for the affliction.  They guide me from inflicting worse pain upon myself and others.  Thank you Father.