Thanksgiving with Friends

What a feast!  About 35 of us—half Mexican and half from the U.S.—gathered at our house this past Thursday for a shared Mexican/American Thanksgiving meal.  Besides the traditional turkey and dressing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie—we also had Mexican Mole to go with the turkey, Frijoles Puercos and Flan.  Several card games were going on.  We cranked up the old Nintendo 64.  Good food.  Good fun.  Good friends.  And I got to watch the Cowboys win with several of my friends who were rooting against them.  Can it get any better?

For many things we are thankful!

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from The Schroeder's Posterous

A Good Week with the Pruett Family

This past week we got to spend time with Joe and Elaine Pruett and their three boys: Seth, Parker and Cooper.  We go way back.  Joe was an AIM (Adventures in Missions) student back in 1992.  After he spent his AIM time with us in Mexico City, he went back to the U.S., did some more ministry and missions training and married Elaine—who Nancy and I knew even before we married.  Then, along with 3 other families, we all formed a mission team to Guadalajara and moved here in 1998.  We’ve been through a lot together!

This past summer, after almost 12 years in Guadalajara, they moved to San Antonio, Texas to begin a new chapter in their life and ministry.  We miss them.  But its cool to watch them with people and to imagine how God will use them for Kingdom purposes in the days to come.  They are educators.  Joe is working in the San Antonio school system—teaching 5^th graders.  I can’t imagine a better influence on a 10 year-olds formation than Joe!  Or on anyone’s formation for that matter. 

It was fun to be with the Pruett family this past week.  They had been given a vacation package at the beach and invited us to join them for three days.  Then we spent the rest of the week in Guadalajara.  It was fun watching our three girls and their three boys together!  

A good week!

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from The Schroeder's Posterous

Looking Forward to Camping Again

I’m thinking about camping with my friends again next year.  

This past weekend 34 of us went camping together about 2 hours from Guadalajara at Santa Maria del Oro—on the banks of a lake that is in the crater of an old volcano.  Most all of the adults in this group have been following Jesus for some time now and are actively involved in leading and caring for (mothering and fathering) others—and in incarnating Christ among those who don’t know him well in their corners of the world.

During the weeks before our camping trip, we envisioned the weekend being mainly about spending time together with God—allowing God to draw us to and prepare us for this retreat—and to guide our time together.  For the weeks before many of us prayed with expectation to that end—that we would encounter God together.  We tried to structure our time for a balance of encounters with God over the weekend:  solitude, small groups of 2 or 3, large group conversations, and just having fun together.  We encouraged all of the participants to prepare for the time by being attentive to God and to come to the weekend prepared with what each believed God had given them—to be prepared to both give and to receive.

It was great fun—and a great blessing from God for all of us I think.  Lots of things happened: prayer, mutual encouragement, reading of scripture, singing, playing, confession, eating, discovery, crying, and laughing—lots of laughing.  It was a blessing to be with some of my fellow missionary coworkers—Cory & Toni Burns and James & Erin Henderson.  It was a blessing to be served by some of our AIM apprentices as they played with our little ones.  It was fun watching the interaction between older and younger leaders, between those with different experiences, gifts and styles.  It was cool to see the discoveries that were being made.  It was super cool to see the unity and the love and respect for one another that was shown.

We believe that this kind of regular retreating together and attentiveness to God together is an important practice for those who are intent on caring for others—for those who are in the trenches of kingdom leadership.  The desire of this group of friends is to continue this practice a time or two each year. 

I’m thinking that wherever they are camping this time next year is not going to be that far from Texas!  

Posted via email from The Schroeder's Posterous

Polly the Parrot Dances to the Lord!

via vimeo.com

We are having fun living across the street from the Zendejas sisters. Their parrot, Polly has been raised listening to the house church that meets there sing praises. She gets excited and even dances when she hears the songs! We caught her a couple of weeks ago on video.

Posted via web from The Schroeder's Posterous

Baby Shower For Liliana Yesterday

This Saturday, the ladies in the churches gave a baby shower for Lilian who is expecting a little girl around Christmas time.  What I liked about our time together was the laughter that filled the house.  The ladies truly enjoyed each other as they played games and prayed for the family’s new addition.  

Posted via email from The Schroeder's Posterous

Video: Family celebrates Dia de los Muertos in the cemetery

via mexicoreporter.com

This past Monday, November 2 many Mexicans celebrated Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead).

Because it is a national holiday and the girls were out of school, we decided to drive outside the city. We were impressed that the cemeteries were full of people.

I ran across this short video of a Mexican family explaining some of their beliefs and practices for Dia de Los Muertos.

Posted via web from The Schroeder's Posterous

Worried about my Dad

I got news yesterday that my Dad was put in the Heart Hospital in Lubbock.  After having a heart stress test over a week ago, he had a follow-up appointment with a cardiologist yesterday.  He was told that he was in immediate danger and they admitted him to work to lower his blood pressure and do further tests.  

They are doing more tests today and will determine if he needs an angiogram. 

It feels tough not being able to be there.  

Please pray with us for he and my mom.  

Posted via email from The Schroeder's Posterous

Three Years Ago Today...

via vimeo.com

One of the things that regularly brightens Nancy's and my life is the fun of parenthood--getting to live with and raise good girls. Our 16 year-olds have been trying to love God and follow Jesus all their lives. But on November 5, 2006, they along with some others in our community of house churches, decided to jump fully into God's Story--to be baptized into Christ. It was a great day!

My friend Tim Rush made this video of this special day. We've shown it to friends in the past but have only recently put it online.

Today, I'm remembering this day and the joy of sharing life with Morgan and Natali. Thought I'd share the memory...

Posted via web from The Schroeder's Posterous

Robbed Again This Morning!

Its not what I wanted to be thinking about today—but this morning after dropping my girls off at school I stopped at a park for an early run.  While I was getting in my run, and for the second time in the last 7 months, thieves broke the locks on several cars in the parking lot—mine included.  My smart phone, ipod and wallet with cash, license and credit card were all taken from the console where I had them hidden.  Loss of money, loss of time and serious frustration are three things I hadn’t planned on receiving this morning!  

Posted via email from The Schroeder's Posterous

Blessed by Time With The Krogsgaard Family

A couple of weeks back, we got to spend time with the Krogsgaard family.  Bernard and Logan stayed at our house with the girls and me while Nancy and Alicia participated in a retreat for missionary women.  It was a good week of reconnecting and remembering together.  

We had not seen the Krogsgaard family in almost 18 years.  Bernard and Alicia were young missionaries and part of the church planting team we joined in Mexico City back in 1991.  However, just as we were getting settled in Mexico City, they transitioned to life and ministry in Canada.  During these years since, they have been involved in local ministry with churches in Canada, teaching at Western Christian in Saskatchewan and leading numerous “Let’s Start Talking” campaigns to mission fields all over the world.  Last year, they joined a church planting team working in Lazaro Cardenas on the Pacific Coast of Mexico—about 6 hours or so from Guadalajara.  

One of the things that impressed me while spending time with Bernard again is the value of investing one’s life in others—of modeling simple discipleship and encouraging others.  Bernard did that for me over 18 years ago—and continued doing that as we reconnected.  I wonder what God is doing with all the kingdom seeds that have been planted through Bernard’s and Alicia’s life.  

We were blessed. 

Posted via email from The Schroeder's Posterous