Hey

Hey friends, I hope this post finds you doing well. Well, first of all, I want to say I have the most amazing friends ever. And with that I mean my friends, my real friends, those who have stood by me through thick and thin and distance. I thank the Lord for godly friends who point me to the Word in hard situations. He is truly the only one who can heal one's heart and give us eternal hope.
Soooooooo... I had a good weekend. I went to Guadalajara for work and stayed an extra day to visit the city. It ws very pretty, smaller than Mexico City, but big at last: about 8 million people. I met some great people while I was there, not only Mexicans but from all nationalities. Mexico is a country with many foreigners, which makes it unique. However, as I have mentioned before, the country is able to keep such a traditional culture.
By now, I have eaten several spicy dishes. I am so excited to be getting used to the food. I also do eat a lot of my home-made dishes, which are mainly salads to get out of the routine of tacos, tortillas, tamales, quesadillas, and others :)
I am heading to bed now. I am encouraged more and more everyday and I thank God for His mercies, which are new everyday and are enough. I feel blessed for being able to live for Him. Oh and by the way, two of my best friends are getting married :) I am so excited!!!!! Be sure you two, I will be there and I can't wait to see you.
Tere

Hi Hi Hi

Hey! I miss my friends so much! But hey, I have made a few friends here and this weekend showed me I can count on them. Of course everyone at work wanted to take me out on Friday, but I took the night off to think about things. Sol, my Argentine friend from the hotel, was so great this weekend. We went out on Saturday to see the downtown of Mexico, it is very pretty. Little, winy roads. Tall, antique-looking lights and light-poles. People dressed in Indian costumes and people dressed in Halloween costumes. The day of the dead is a big day here in Mexico and people go to their relatives' graves to say "hi" I guess and offer offerings (sorry about the redundancy). I am so thankful for knowing Jesus is right here listening to me and I don't have to go through anyone to get to Him. His promises have been close to my heart this weekend. Praises to the only one who can sustain me! We also went to the Cathedral, I am not sure about its name. It was very pretty and it had gold everywhere. I started thinking about the gold and whether it was wasteful. Then I remember the passage that talks about the lady pouring the expensive perfume on Jesus and everyone freaking out because of the waste. Jesus didn't think so. So, I wonder if He sees the gold in the church the same way. Maybe He will let me know.

So, today I went to church and it was nice to be surrounded by believers. Oh how I miss having fellowship with people everyday - I miss my Cooper girls. But after church and a yummy, spicy, Mexican dish with Bob -Lyndsay's dad, I took a cab home and met Sol to go to the movies. We walked around, had yummy cookie dough ice-cream, talked, laughed, and went to see a Mexican movie called Arrancame la Vida. It was okay, kind of crazy actually! So now I am off to bed while I look at some catalogs for work, and write some on my new journal. I finished my last one. A good sign - new journal - new life :)

In addition to that, my grandma had surgery this weekend. She came out okay, lost a lot of blood in the process and will be in bed-rest for about 4 weeks. After that, she will be in a wheelchair. Painful for her since she loves doing everything on her own. No more french fries for me, I guess. She will be staying in my house I think, which is great considering I am going home soon.

I leave this blog with a thought... Hope is based on Christ's character and not circumstances. I can't wait to hear from you friends. T. Tere. Teresita. Me. TJM. Teresita Julia Mariani Albrisi.

Here are some pics from today... with my new friend, haircut, and earrings :)

Here I am...

I write this time because I need to. I feel empty today. I feel like I have nothing left to give and no one to receive it. I feel very, very little... I thank the Lord for the relationship on which I can count, for someone who loves me everyday without excuse and without blame and so sincerely and eternally. I feel at fault for leaving nothing and at the same time I feel stupid for doing so. The truth is I chose to do that because that is me - I run as hard as I can go and get crushed as hard as I can, too. That is my way to live life wholeheartedly. I wonder if that is the way we should live. The Lord says to guard our hearts and I think I haven't done that thinking I needed to give it my 100%. But the sun shinning outside my Hotel room today indicated God did not give up on me yet and He is right here regardless of my sin. I am joyful to think this moment, as sad as it is, brings glory to His name. I pray (and know) He will use this situation to bring me closer to Him, to shape me into who He wants me to be, and I am thankful for no wasted moments -He works in every situation and knows everything. I say goodbye to my best friend and the person who I have loved undescribibly much, my heart aches just thinking about it. I say goodbye to the one who has made me cry oh so much. I say goodbye to the person I had built my dreams around. And I say hello to a new path, a new time in my life. I say hello to something better that the Lord has planned for me. I say hello to God's plan after this, knowing He has been in control the whole time, and has never stopped to prosper me. Even now.