I am a bad person!!!

Cause it's been forever since I blogged!

I've been busy, but at the same time I've been doing a lot of the "same stuff different day" stuff.

So there hasnt been much to talk about. I've been sick. I have my typical cough that I normally get for a couple of months every year. Gotta love it. It has to be some kind of allergy. Oh well!

I had a big first for me. I raised the money thanks to some of you wonderful people and I bought the land next to the preschool. I am officially a Nicaraguan land owner! It ended up costing $5,500. Unfortunately that included a little house on it that we are going to tear down. It woulda been a lot cheaper if it was just land! Now Coburn's job is to raise the money to build the walls around it and start building the land up. It is going to be pretty amazing! I think it is going to be a great place to host community things in the future!

The boys and girls are great. 7 of the 8 kids in Robles made the Honor Roll. That's the most they ever had at the same time! Praise God for that!

The girls are doing well. I worry about the older girls personally. Please prey for them. I see them becoming more and more focused on the worldy things and less on God. That causes a couple of problems. 1) its bad for them and their spiritual growth. but 2) I can see some of the younger girls looking up to them and trying to follow in their footsteps. Other than the house mom Kenia, they don't have many options as female role models that are around all the time.

As for the boys.... I have built some pretty amazing relationships. I have been focusing on Marcos (the oldest) a lot. He is the one struggling the most in school. He says he is going to be a professional soccer player. I wish he could follow that dream, but with his life, he doesnt really have the opportunities to chase that dream.

We have been hanging out a little bit here and there. I try to take him out alone when I can. He is 4 years older than the next boy. So he is kind of growing out of that "kid" age and becoming a teen. I think I am the only person in the house that can relate to him right now. He really is a great boy!

I will be moving out of the boys home soon though. Ever since Coburn left, his old roommate and my good friend Michael Folsom is now living by himself in a house with like 6 bedrooms and 4 baths. Not only is he lonely, but it is not very safe to live by yourself down here. It's always good to have someone to hang with. So I will be moving in with him in Dec.

I will still be just as active with the boys. Going over in the afternoon a lot and hanging out with them. Going on activities with them. All of that wonderful stuff. The only difference is I will be sleeping and waking up in a different place. My new house is really close to the boys home too. So it won't be that much of a difference.

I have realized God's will for me down her. I can now say I know it's a relational ministry. I am going to focus on the two houses and the relationships i have there and the big brother/father figure they see me as. I hope I am a good example of what a man should be like. Not like a lot of their fathers who aren't around anymore.

And second, I am focusing on Los Brasiles and the preschool. I have been spending most of my time with the morning preschool children. I love hanging out with them. These are 3-5 yr olds that are just so precious.

I see Los Brasiles as my focus in Nicaragua for a while. Now with Coburn gone, I am going to be taking charge of his mission trips that come down, and a lot of other stuff. I am going to be pretty busy here soon. His first group comes in February!

I am finishing up my "Holiday" newsletter. I figured I'd do one at the end of Nov for Thanksgiving AND Christmas.

For those of you that know me really well, you would know I hate this time of year and the holiday season. It really all revolves around Christmas. And mostly around the music. I can't stand Christmas music for the most part. And here's why:

They will play the same songs EVERY hour! Actually sometimes more. You will hear "White Christmas" 3 times in one hour. But oh wait... it's ok because one was Bing Crosby, one was Amy Grant, and one was Harry Connick Jr! I'm sorry for your Christmas lovers, but I don't care who sings the song, it's still the same freakin song!!!!!

So the music annoys me. It always has back when I was little and the music would start in the beginning of Dec. But wait..... I have seen it start before Thanksgiving through my teen years, and now it starts in Oct!!!!!

Seriously!!!! enough already. But like I said. I love Nicaragua Holiday season so far. Maybe it's because it always feels like Nica is 20 yrs behind the state, but I haven't heard any Christmas music yet!

I won't go on and on, but music is just one reason. I hate how everyone wakes up and thinks "PRESENTS!!!" instead of thinking "Praise God for the gift of Jesus on this day". Christmas isn't about trees, presents, music, lights, and Santa. It's about Jesus Christ. So i struggle on a holiday where we take the focus off of God and bring it to our worldy possessions.

Don't get me wrong. I love the beauty of the trees and lights and such. But we need to remember CHRISTmas is about CHRIST!

Ok.... more about me.

I'm struggling with my faith. I am tempted everywhere I look. Just like all Christians are. But recently I have been giving more attention to possible temptations. Does that make sense? I'll see something at the store and I will want it and crave it, and it is hard for me to have the self control to not buy it. Or when a kid is driving me crazy, it is getting harder to have more patience. Or when I dont want to get up in the morning and do my quiet time, It's harder and harder to get up. Don't get me wrong..... I am keeping the faith and fighting the good fight. It's just harder sometimes than others. I think that once I live with Michael, that will help. Because we will both be able to keep each other accountable. We always have a great time together discussing great Godly things. We've had some great talks. I'm looking forward to it.

Well.... these last couple of days I've been driving kids from the school in the dump to a free health clinic. It's a wonderful opportunity for these children. I had 30 people in my 15 passenger Microbus today!!!! Crazy stuff! That's Nicaragua for you.

Well, right now I am reading "Don't waste your life" by John Piper. Good book! I am off to go read some more. Time to draw closer to God, spend some time in prayer, and praise God!

Love you all and talk to you soon..... no, really!!! :)

Long time no bloggy

I know it's been a while.... I have a lot to share. I'll make a huge blog this weekend to cover the last few weeks. Love you all. God bless!

Rain Rain GO AWAY!!!

So today I am not very busy. The kids are not in school because it's raining. Lol. I wish we got out of school when I was younger because of rain!

I got a call this morning from one of my workers at the school in Los Brasiles. The rain has torn down a wall of the building and is starting to tear down the actual school itself. We could use some prayers. Please pray for the teachers, the children, and myself. It's going to be a long process of repairing. Here are some pictures! :/ This is not good. Will keep you informed. But Please pray....

Josh is here!

So Josh and I have been busy. That explains the lack of blogs. We have seen a movie, gone to church, played with pre-schoolers, visited the dump, checked on an old friend, at cow tongue, had communion, climbed a volcano, surfed down a volcano!!!, and went swimming. It's been busy so far. Tomorrow we are going down south to surf and hit the beach. We are having a blast and I can't wait for him to go home and tell everyone about it. Well I need to let him use the computer. Talk to you all and SEE you all soon!

Love,

Tom

Same age, but very different....

No, I'm not talking about me. :)

I'm talking about the children here. I just took my 8 kids to Pizza Hut for a treat since Judy and Angelica were celebrating their Anniversary.

It is amazing how you can see the difference in their upbringing when you go places. They aren't used to nice things like going to restaurants. So I have 8 year olds trying to stand on tables.

My role here in the house is definitely the affection giver. The two house parents are not the affectionate type. I am always hugging, holding, tickling, and telling these kids how much I love them. But that is a problem sometimes. Because when I get them alone without the house parents, they feel like they can do whatever they want because the "Disciplinarians" are not there. Don't get me wrong. I feel that the parents love the kids. It's just that a) they aren't their real children, and b) the culture down here is a little different.

So..... I am the good guy that they come to for love. So it's very hard to admonish them. So when one turned off the tv tonight in Pizza Hut by standing on the booth, When one of the boys opened the door to the girls bathroom while someone was in there, and when one was shooting spitballs across the table, they didnt understand why the loving teddy bear Tom was angry. I know some of you are probably laughing at that and thinking..... that sounds like the perfect kids for me! They are perfect in their own ways. As I am typing this we are watching Star Wars III. And Kenner just ran past me out the front door. I yelled at him and said "where do you think you are going". He said he was going outside to pee. LOL!!!! This is what I am dealing with. I said... um, no.... go use the bathroom! That's what they are used to in their homes though. So I can't blame them completely. It's a different culture.

As I am writing this I have a lot of things on my mind. I am really excited about Saturday. Josh Garland is coming down here to visit. I have such a week planned for him! Since it's only the two of us, that means we are doing to do some amazing things. I was thinking Volcano Surf, Relax in some hot springs, Camp out, and much more. We will do all of our Ministry work in the morning like visit the Dump, but we need to get in some fun too. The best buddies are back together, and we are gonna have a blast!

I am also thinking about coming home to Murray in a couple of weeks. I am PUMPED. I will be "Tom Arnett" for the week. Being adopted by the Arnetts for the week is such a blessing. It will be great to be home, especially out in the country and enjoy some nature.

I am sure my week will fill up FAST!!! I have a handful of important lunch meetings with some people already. Not to sound arrogant, but if you want to hang out, please let me know asap so I can make sure I don't forget someone!

I will be at church for 2 weeks. It will be different being there for the first time as a "member". I'll enjoy sitting in both services and worshipping instead of "worryshipping". Cause as a church staff member, Sundays have a lot of responsibilities and stress along with the wonderful worship. It will be nice to not have to worry about different things. I am looking forward to seeing a lot of people. And I am looking forward to seeing what's different. I am sure the Holy Spirit is working. I know they found 3 people to cover my previous responsibilities. I am sure they will do a fine job as long as they are focused on the Lord and His will for the church. That is the hardest part of ministry. It has been for over 10 years I've been serving. I still struggle even here in Nica to decipher what is His will versus mine. And I know from experience.... no one wants mine! (Well, maybe except me sometimes! :)

So it will be a fun 10 days in Murray. I am sure I will hunt, play Basketball. Hold my Goddaughter, go to a Skillet concert, watch some football, eat fattening food, and laugh a TON!

Well..... I think this about wraps it up for me. I have one thought for you. How is your faith??? Is your faith in Jesus unquestionable? When you lay down on your bed do you wonder if it will hold you. Or when you sit in that pew on Sunday morning, do you question if it will break? Of course you don't. You have faith in those things that they will hold you and never let you down. In the same way, your faith in Jesus should be the same. Jesus should be that secure spot in your life that you never question. Just like that chair.....

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You!

In Him,

Tom Seipel

Groundhog's Day

I love the movie Groundhog's Day. Every morning Bill Murray wakes up to the same song, does the same stuff. He lives the same day over and over!

Well, sometimes my life looks like that! :) It's not a bad thing. But that's why I haven't been updating my blog as often as I said I would. It's because I don't have anything exciting to say.

Well this is exciting news.... I bought a little motorcycle. Driving a 15 passenger bus around is expensive with gas and it is also a lot of wear and tear on the bus with these horrible roads. So I bought a motorcycle that is an on/off road bike. It will be cheaper in the long run. I am excited about riding it.

I have hit a spiritual bump recently. Nothing to worry about, but as you all know.... I like being transparent with all of my friends. But when I got down here I was on fire for the Lord. I was preparing my heart for Nica. The first couple of months were the best spiritual months of my life. This last month has been rough though. Some stuff is starting to get on my nerves. I almost got out of my car to kill a guy who was walking through the cars at a red light and punched my car. I opened the door and he started running and i thought... "what am I doing? That's not what Jesus would do!"

I have been busy and have put God on the back burner sometimes. I missed a couple quiet times and I knew I need to get my butt in gear. God wants all of me, not most of me.

So I am looking forward to being home in Murray in a couple of weeks and recharging my batteries. It will be nice to sit out at the Arnett's house and meditate and pray in the country. It will be great to just be home.

But in the meantime.... Please keep me in your prayers. Satan wants nothing more than to see me get complacent and to stop worshiping our God. But that will never happen. The battle belongs to the Lord. I am just a soldier in Him mighty army!

Keep trusting, keep living..... for Jesus

Fresa y Arándano

That means Strawberry and Blueberry....

Yesterday I bought some strawberries and blueberries at the closest thing to a Sam's club we have here in Nica.

It is amazing. Can you believe that most of the kids in BOTH houses have NEVER had a strawberry of Blueberry?!?!?!

So I went to the girls house and let them try some and they were in love. Yes, they have had strawberry flavored stuff. But these fruits are VERY expensive. I paid about $15 for a thing of strawberries here. But it was worth it to see the kids faces after they had them. It was fun introducing them to a little food I eat back home.

The boys weren't as impressed. They loved the flavor. But they didn't understand why having them was such a big deal. The girls realized that's a treat that they won't get very often. Sad how eating a strawberry is a blessing that they might not have for another 15 years.

That's how simple but at the same time different life is here. Just thought I would share that with you.

God Bless all...