So there are two ways of living. One is to make God fit you or the other, which I am constantly reminded of, is to make my life fit God.
So the past couple weeks have been trying. Finances are two step forward and one step back. Just when we think we are making it...bam! Huge vet bill and major car repair on one weekend. Does anybody else find themselves asking, "Why God?". But it came just in time to rally as Rob was coming home for a week. It was clear right off the bat that he was over committed. His days and nights have been full filling obligations previously agreed upon while he was still living in AZ. A wedding, studio time, etc. All good things but it has left very little for the two of us. Big mistake. So we are trying to figure out how to protect our time since we see each other so little. Clearly this time we didn't do a very good job. So this morning before work we just looked at each other wondering how we got here.
And then the big wammy... joy of knowing that Rob doesn't need heart surgery is completely overshadowed by the news that my baby sis is facing the big C word...Cancer. She is 19...again I am asking God why?
So tonight while Rob is at the studio I choose the leave the puppies in the kennel albeight much protest to spend some time with loving, encouraging women. Just what my soul was demanding. And once again I reminded of the peace that comes with living life on lifes terms.
So my prayer requests are obivous. But here are a couple more:
One, I am awaiting news in the next week of the potential of spending more time with Rob in Miami. Two, we chose October as a a fundraising awareness month. Sounds contradictory, no? Well, the idea is to reach 50 friends and family that would support us with a one time donation of $10. We are hoping that each of you will also send the request to 5 additional friends. The purpose is to bring awareness to LAM and the work Robby is doing. Please take a moment to pray in how you might bring awareness to your loved ones.
Thank you once again! I leave you feeling encouraged and at peace.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
FundRaising Month
Dear Family and Friends,
We are asking for your help throughout the month of October! We are launching a fundraising campaign to raise awareness and support for our work with LAM. We are seeking out 50 family and friends that would be willing to donate as low as $10 a month or with a one time gift. You can find our facebook cause page to make a donation or go directly to LAM's website at https://www.lam.org/donate/index.php?donate=Rob+Chaney. Our goal is less about money and more about awareness. Any small donation makes a difference!
Please pass this on to family and friends! Help us make a difference in Latin America. We ask that you reach out to five of your own family and friends to make a small contribution. All of is is tax deductible.
Thank you for supporting us and most importantly for giving voice to fellow brothers and sisters in Latin America!
We are asking for your help throughout the month of October! We are launching a fundraising campaign to raise awareness and support for our work with LAM. We are seeking out 50 family and friends that would be willing to donate as low as $10 a month or with a one time gift. You can find our facebook cause page to make a donation or go directly to LAM's website at https://www.lam.org/donate/index.php?donate=Rob+Chaney. Our goal is less about money and more about awareness. Any small donation makes a difference!
Please pass this on to family and friends! Help us make a difference in Latin America. We ask that you reach out to five of your own family and friends to make a small contribution. All of is is tax deductible.
Thank you for supporting us and most importantly for giving voice to fellow brothers and sisters in Latin America!
Monday, September 20, 2010
Happy Traveling
Yet once again I have lagged on the Friday updates. The past month has been a traveling frenzy. Just in the past week and a half I have been in three different time zones. I am finally home and missing Robby terribly. I am counting down the days. Only one more week to go until he comes home for a week. We are looking forward to celebrating our five year anniversary together (even if a week late). Originally we planned on being in San Diego for our anniversary and an opportunity came about that might allow us to spend more time together while Rob is in Miami. We decided it was best for me to explore the opportunity and see what God has in plan for us. More details to come in a couple of weeks.
One of the great personal blessings that has come as a result of Rob being in Miami is an opportunity to work on his health. He has been walking/exercising every day and eating healthy. His doctor has been telling him for years now that more sun, exercise and healthy food can greatly improve his health- but it has taken him Miami to get started. Well, I can't say it is Miami alone that has triggered healthier behavior. We believe that when doing God's work and following his calling things that always seemed overwhelming become possible. It is an uphill battle but we believe in God's healing. One of the items on our to do list while Rob is here is a follow up visit with the heart doctor. Please pray!
Another prayer is for our companionship. We have both been experiencing loneliness in spite our crazy busy schedule.
Thank you once again for your support and prayers!
One of the great personal blessings that has come as a result of Rob being in Miami is an opportunity to work on his health. He has been walking/exercising every day and eating healthy. His doctor has been telling him for years now that more sun, exercise and healthy food can greatly improve his health- but it has taken him Miami to get started. Well, I can't say it is Miami alone that has triggered healthier behavior. We believe that when doing God's work and following his calling things that always seemed overwhelming become possible. It is an uphill battle but we believe in God's healing. One of the items on our to do list while Rob is here is a follow up visit with the heart doctor. Please pray!
Another prayer is for our companionship. We have both been experiencing loneliness in spite our crazy busy schedule.
Thank you once again for your support and prayers!
Friday, September 3, 2010
Changes
Oh how wonderful! My parents made it possible for me to visit Robby in Miami last week. Thank you Mom and Dad! It couldn't have come at a better time. LAM is going through many changes and have hired Robby on to lead the transition alongside my father for the next six months in addition to his support based ministry.
This means that Robby will be spending three out out of the four weeks of the month in Miami. Because he will be spending so much time there my Mom scoured the city to find an efficiency apartment where Rob could live for the next six months. Because of her diligence she found a very comfortable studio only a mile away from their place. This means Robby can commute with my father in the mornings and evenings. It also means he has family close by. It made a very scary situation seem so safe.
The apartment is amazing. You can tell the owner takes pride in the property. It is very Miami. Built in the 1950's with casita style tile floors and freshly painted walls. It is large enough to fit the bed, a table and desk. The kitchen has all the basics and the bathroom is as cute as can be (even if it fits only one in the morning!). It was wonderful being there for the weekend as he settled in. However the cold showers every morning were a bit painful (no hot water yet). We found ourselves cooking in the tiny kitchen and eating at the table enjoying the silence of our quiet conversation (with no TV to distract us). We got to talking about the necessities of life and how few their really are.
Reading my sister in laws blog about the economy/ recession got me thinking about the many changes we have made in our lifestyle over the past year as Rob has entered into ministry. We began to shed all the so called comforts of life and found we are more peaceful than ever. Our greatest commodity is time.
We started the process by eliminating all the so called extras- we decided eating out was one of them. The cost of one dinner out is equal to almost one week's worth of groceries. I started shopping at several stores based on the best price of produce (Sprouts hands down) and toiletries (Fry's). I consider it my mission to walk out of the grocery store having only purchased items on sale. We eliminated items that can kill a budget such as juices. Instead we refrigerate our very own free filtered water. In Spanish when you order water at a restaurant you say aguita de Dios (God's water) so true when you get thinking...
We eliminated the extra gym/yoga memberships. Instead I attend the free yoga in the park on weekends. We don't have any of the cable/phone extras that we once considered necessary. Redbox is a treat ($1 movies a night). Where as in the past if we needed clothing it was a shopping trip to the mall, now I find deals at Marshall's (Juicy dress pants for Rob for only $12). We limit driving and plan out our week to save gas.
I started hand washing dry clean only clothes (yes- you can actually do this!). Air conditioning only when we are home. Lights always off if not in use. Washing the car at the do it yourself for a quarter places.
Coffee oh coffee how I love thee...a major budget killer unless you have stock in Starbucks. Instead I found that Folgers has individual serving instant coffee that makes an amazing espresso with a little bit of water or a latte when added directly to hot milk...all for less than 25 cents.
I feel like I could go one for a while more but truth be told it becomes a way of life. It becomes fun- something Rob and I get to do together...finding joy in the small things that cost no money at all...the evening walks, swimming at Grandma and Grandpa's or movie nights at home.
I listen to the news on the so called recession- if we only knew. All we have to do is talk to our grandparents to understand the true nature of a recession. While it has hit harder for those most in need the rest of us that still have food on the table and a roof over our head can be challanged to shift our perpective back to relationships, love and nature.
This means that Robby will be spending three out out of the four weeks of the month in Miami. Because he will be spending so much time there my Mom scoured the city to find an efficiency apartment where Rob could live for the next six months. Because of her diligence she found a very comfortable studio only a mile away from their place. This means Robby can commute with my father in the mornings and evenings. It also means he has family close by. It made a very scary situation seem so safe.
The apartment is amazing. You can tell the owner takes pride in the property. It is very Miami. Built in the 1950's with casita style tile floors and freshly painted walls. It is large enough to fit the bed, a table and desk. The kitchen has all the basics and the bathroom is as cute as can be (even if it fits only one in the morning!). It was wonderful being there for the weekend as he settled in. However the cold showers every morning were a bit painful (no hot water yet). We found ourselves cooking in the tiny kitchen and eating at the table enjoying the silence of our quiet conversation (with no TV to distract us). We got to talking about the necessities of life and how few their really are.
Reading my sister in laws blog about the economy/ recession got me thinking about the many changes we have made in our lifestyle over the past year as Rob has entered into ministry. We began to shed all the so called comforts of life and found we are more peaceful than ever. Our greatest commodity is time.
We started the process by eliminating all the so called extras- we decided eating out was one of them. The cost of one dinner out is equal to almost one week's worth of groceries. I started shopping at several stores based on the best price of produce (Sprouts hands down) and toiletries (Fry's). I consider it my mission to walk out of the grocery store having only purchased items on sale. We eliminated items that can kill a budget such as juices. Instead we refrigerate our very own free filtered water. In Spanish when you order water at a restaurant you say aguita de Dios (God's water) so true when you get thinking...
We eliminated the extra gym/yoga memberships. Instead I attend the free yoga in the park on weekends. We don't have any of the cable/phone extras that we once considered necessary. Redbox is a treat ($1 movies a night). Where as in the past if we needed clothing it was a shopping trip to the mall, now I find deals at Marshall's (Juicy dress pants for Rob for only $12). We limit driving and plan out our week to save gas.
I started hand washing dry clean only clothes (yes- you can actually do this!). Air conditioning only when we are home. Lights always off if not in use. Washing the car at the do it yourself for a quarter places.
Coffee oh coffee how I love thee...a major budget killer unless you have stock in Starbucks. Instead I found that Folgers has individual serving instant coffee that makes an amazing espresso with a little bit of water or a latte when added directly to hot milk...all for less than 25 cents.
I feel like I could go one for a while more but truth be told it becomes a way of life. It becomes fun- something Rob and I get to do together...finding joy in the small things that cost no money at all...the evening walks, swimming at Grandma and Grandpa's or movie nights at home.
I listen to the news on the so called recession- if we only knew. All we have to do is talk to our grandparents to understand the true nature of a recession. While it has hit harder for those most in need the rest of us that still have food on the table and a roof over our head can be challanged to shift our perpective back to relationships, love and nature.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Last cup of coffee
This would be one of Rob's last cups of coffee...for a really long time. I wish I could say the same but I haven't taken the plunge yet...I still am enjoyin my daily red bull in the morning and coffee in the afternoon...
New York- New Times
While working in NY with the YMCA I decided to venture out to explore the local community as it related to issues of health. For two reasons, one is personal and the other is that my work with Y to improve the health and well being of minority communities. It also happens to be what I am writing my thesis on! The second picture is a local market in the upper east side. The first is in queens. Both were taken at the same time in the evening. What a dichotomy!
The unspoken truth is that your neighborhood is the number one indicator of health. Without local grocery stores with fresh fruit and veggies you can't make healthy eating choices. Unsafe streets keep children and adults trapped inside their homes. Pollutants are concentrated in low socio-economic areas.
What does this have to do with our work with LAM? Well, I guess it has more to do with our personal lives. Rob has had to make some drastic changes in his diet per doctor's orders. It is harder than it seems- you try eating salad every night! No caffine, limit the sugar intake....
So here we are, blessed with a local trader joe's and in walking distance to anything and everything we could ever need or want. I say this because we are taking a more contrated look at how we eat, exercise, sleep...etc. I realize how much we take for granted. How the little things that seem like a nuscence to us...like our partner drinking the last cup of milk and having to run to the store late at night...is really a problem of comfort. See, we have a grocery store with fresh milk and money in our account to by it. A car to drive or even walking shoes to make the quick hike. All of it seems to trivial but to others it is not.
Robby and I are challanged to recognize the blessings we have been given and to recognize our challanges are those of comfort not need.
Friday, August 6, 2010
New York and Back
I was really hoping to post pictures of NY today but alas technical meltdown with the camera and computer...
New York was a wonderful trip. Rob flew from Miami to NY the same day I did. It turned out that his flight was delayed so we arrived at the same exact time. It was a work trip for me. This meant I started at 7:30 am every morning and wrapped up at about 6:30-7:00 pm. Rob spent his days in the city and walking the streets of NY. In the evenings we managed to spend time with my co-workers from the Y and do a little sightseeing. The fact that we were in queens about an hour out of the city did make it a little challaning. However, we did manage to get one evening to just the two of us in the city. We had a very romantic dinner and visited all the usual NY spots (time square, madison avenue, central park, Bryant Park and more).
It was a wonderful time together and we cherished every moment of it. Thank you to our family for making this brief break possible.
Rob heads back to Miami this next week. He has accomplished one of two major task in regards to the tecnical systems. As of this past week LAM upgraded to a new accounting software and went live. Next steps for Rob include being part of the LAM transition team. More detaisl to come on this.
I head back out to San Diego this next week as I wrap up my first semester of graduate courses. This past 4-5 months has been one big whirwind in many ways. Our hope is that along the way we have stopped to love one another and every person we have been blessed to be in contact with.
We also have much to be grateful for. My dear friend and sister adopted a beautiful baby girl named Layla. I have been blessed to be part of this journey for the past several years. It is such a joy to welcome her home. Our beautiful baby niece (not so much a baby anymore) had her 6th birthday. You should have seen her on her new roller skates! We are also excited for our dear friends who found out that they are expecting their first child!
So we ask for prayers of gratitude for the many great things that have happened. We also ask that you keep Rob's health in your prayers. His heart issues have been a challange lately. We have wonderful doctors and they have assured us not to worry but his symptoms have been a dailly challange.
Thank you once again for your support and prayer! Pictures will come soon!
Cara
New York was a wonderful trip. Rob flew from Miami to NY the same day I did. It turned out that his flight was delayed so we arrived at the same exact time. It was a work trip for me. This meant I started at 7:30 am every morning and wrapped up at about 6:30-7:00 pm. Rob spent his days in the city and walking the streets of NY. In the evenings we managed to spend time with my co-workers from the Y and do a little sightseeing. The fact that we were in queens about an hour out of the city did make it a little challaning. However, we did manage to get one evening to just the two of us in the city. We had a very romantic dinner and visited all the usual NY spots (time square, madison avenue, central park, Bryant Park and more).
It was a wonderful time together and we cherished every moment of it. Thank you to our family for making this brief break possible.
Rob heads back to Miami this next week. He has accomplished one of two major task in regards to the tecnical systems. As of this past week LAM upgraded to a new accounting software and went live. Next steps for Rob include being part of the LAM transition team. More detaisl to come on this.
I head back out to San Diego this next week as I wrap up my first semester of graduate courses. This past 4-5 months has been one big whirwind in many ways. Our hope is that along the way we have stopped to love one another and every person we have been blessed to be in contact with.
We also have much to be grateful for. My dear friend and sister adopted a beautiful baby girl named Layla. I have been blessed to be part of this journey for the past several years. It is such a joy to welcome her home. Our beautiful baby niece (not so much a baby anymore) had her 6th birthday. You should have seen her on her new roller skates! We are also excited for our dear friends who found out that they are expecting their first child!
So we ask for prayers of gratitude for the many great things that have happened. We also ask that you keep Rob's health in your prayers. His heart issues have been a challange lately. We have wonderful doctors and they have assured us not to worry but his symptoms have been a dailly challange.
Thank you once again for your support and prayer! Pictures will come soon!
Cara
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