Sonidos Serranos

Sonidos Serranos: Sounds of the Sierras...
Reflecting some of my family's interests: God's wonderful creation (especially mountains and hills!), music, and language...

Psalm 121:1-2 (NASB)

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
From where shall my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.

03 November 2017

¡Me encanta! ♥

Me encanta lo que representa este trabajo escolar. Ya me lo imagino a mi peque, concentrado, copiando cada detalle...

♥♥♥♥

31 October 2017

Birthday Celebrations!

We took a birthday drive east this year. In the spirit of full disclosure, the day turned into one of those that’s not comprised mainly of “Kodak Moments” – a phrase which I’m guessing could translate as “fb post-able moments” in modern vernacular! At any rate, the afternoon proved to be one in which the demands of life caught up, especially with our exhausted Little People, and we ended up driving back home (a lot) sooner rather than later.


But I’m thankful for moments spent as a family last Saturday.


On Friday evening our college students had organized an informal “snack and fellowship time” before our chapel hour. I made a last-minute coffee cake, and we surprised JM by singing to him. (The “light red” balloons, I must clarify, were left over from a church function.)

“¡Qué los cumplas feliz!”


DJ took a cake to school yesterday. Initially, he was rather unsure about the idea – but ended up having a great time!



¡Feliz Cumple!


And so life – with all the current end-of-semester demands and challenges – rolls along! We feel keenly our need for grace! And we are thankful for our gracious, loving Shepherd!

23 October 2017

Pray for us! (October Ministry Report)

We appreciate your praying for Uruguay!

You can read details about activities of the past several months as well as those planned through the end of the year in our October 2017 Report (posted, as usual, at: Good News from a Distant Land).


We rest on Him and in His strength we go!


You can also read our abbreviated July 2017 Report there on the blog.


The Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in You (Psalm 84:11-12).

22 October 2017

Iglesia Bíblica Maranatha

“¡Gracias, chicos, por todo el trabajo hoy! ¡Son una bendición!”

Fue un día soleado (en contraste a aquel a fines de mayo).

¡Gracias a Dios!

¡Pasamos relindo!



Sigamos orando que Dios obre por medio de su Palabra compartida...

19 October 2017

¡URUGUAY nomá!

¡Uruguay clasificó al Mundial Rusia 2018!

Video de Vicky Rodríguez

13 October 2017

#VamosQueVamos

Life was exciting at our Estadio Centenario on Tuesday evening! What a way to clinch our spot to Russia 2018!


We thoroughly enjoyed the evening with friends.


#VamosQueVamos

Photo credits: Asociación Uruguaya de Fútbol

Photo credits: Asociación Uruguaya de Fútbol

This is my favorite picture of the evening!
“Oscar Washington Tabárez is an institution in Uruguayan football, having taken charge of the national team at Italy 1990, South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014. Known as El Maestro, Tabárez is an attack-minded coach fabled for his astute tactics and fatherly approach to his players. The mastermind of Uruguay’s 2011 Copa América title win, he also has extensive experience at club level, with Peñarol, Boca Juniors and Milan among the sides he has coached” (FIFA.com).
#GraciasMaestro

30 September 2017

We ♥ URUGUAY!

Two years ago I used the same title: E had been chosen as one of seven finalists in her age group in a national writing contest – Un Cuento Celeste – sponsored by AUF (the Uruguayan Football Association).

She participated again this year.

Although she did not place this time, we decided to attend Thursday evening’s awards ceremony to visibly support the educational effort represented.

She was (and we were!) surprised by an unsought and unplanned opportunity...

Photo credit: Asociación Uruguaya de Fútbol


I’ve been a bit discouraged in the past several weeks – given current issues and challenges on the educational landscape (both general and personal) – and specifically asking my Loving Shepherd to intervene in unmistakable, encouraging ways...

“Thank-you, God!”

Photo credit: Asociación Uruguaya de Fútbol

Although we’d crossed paths only three times previously with AUF’s Chief Press Officer, each time was a delight; he is such a humble, perceptive, personable professional! On Thursday when we “bumped into” him as we entered the auditorium where the awards ceremony was about to take place, he congratulated E. We quickly explained that she hadn’t won this time – but we were there to show our support for the contest. He was visibly appreciative...

As E and I filed into that last row, I overheard him asking JM for E’s name; I hurried her into her seat! (E later confessed that she overheard him asking for her last name, too.) I assumed he might acknowledge her (as a participant in the contest), asking her to stand for a moment (or something to that effect).

Instead, at the very end of the introductory remarks by sponsors and one of the jurors, he started to tell how, on his way into the auditorium, he had run into a contestant from a previous year and congratulated her; he told how he was surprised to learn that, although she had not won this time, she was there to show solidarity and congratulate current winners. He then proceeded to invite her to the front – to help give out the gifts!

Video: Asociación Uruguaya de Fútbol


Having gone with the objective of a teachable moment – “rejoice with those who rejoice” (in the words of Paul in Romans 12) – we were surprised by extra joy! E was given amazing opportunity to live out the very values (“respect, solidarity and friendship”) highlighted by this writing contest.

The hoped-for teachable moment was turned into an incredible, rewarding experience for our family. “Better than winning!” JM and I agreed; this is the type of learning experience we will remember for life.

I love the mentors vision of Maestro Tabárez, our national team coach, and his legacy as the teacher he is, instilling values through his work with the team and the soccer association. “¡Gracias, Maestro!”

And I’m thankful beyond words for his assistant’s insight in recognizing and seizing what he recognized as a teachable moment, too. “¡Gracias, Matías!”

In Tabárez’s own words: “¡El camino es la recompensa!” (“The journey is the reward!”)

And Im SO thankful for *another hug* from our Loving Shepherd!

(And we got to enjoy the book fair, too!)