Noah builds Art

Those extra touches make a house a home when you are creating a nest to retire in. Sizing down before our move was neccesito! Before we moved to Chapala we gladly gave away masses of attic and closet items. Noe Ortega is the highly regarded craftsman who has marveled me with his use of color when commissioned to build special show pieces for our modest home. With most construction completed, it has been FUN to tuck special art into

our decor. He came to my casa to take the time to create unique wall hangings for photo frames and to hang my costume jewelery on.  He also repaired shipping damaged furniture with his fabulous artistic flair. His art studio is in Riberas del Pilar, across from Mom's cafe off the Carretera #116. Bring your ideas to Noe and he will work wonders that will surpass all your best imaginings.  Noe also offers free delivery around Lakeside.  Each work of art he creates is signed and one day his signature will be highly valued. His studio is open from Monday to Friday from 9:30 am - 6:00 pm. Call Noe and make it a point to enjoy your home. Cell 331-757-7704

BELIEF and BLESSING

Dare to ASK God for a deeper understanding of His will, for a deeper passion for His presence, for a deeper dip into His power. TRUTH: God rewards those who seek Him and God responds to our resolute FAITH in His promise to bless those who seek Him. "Finally, ALL of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble." 1 Peter 3:8 ~ Our voluntary choice to GO AFTER GOD, that is our first functional, relational submission to God's request that we seek Him with ALL of our heart. NOT because we must, but because we WANT GOD, because we realize we NEED GOD as much as we need air! When we decide to value the LOVE HE first gave us, is when we co-operate in a reciprocal relationship. When we ADMIT our sins, when we TURN from our ways and seek GOD, then when we ASK God, when we speak to God with FAITH in Who He is, when we talk to God about what seems impossible, when we SPEAK that GOD is able, when we TRUST that JESUS is perfect in all His ways, when we ACCEPT His Word as sufficient, when we BELIEVE that the Holy Spirit is our ever present helper, when we SEEK God's deeper purpose in that which appears to be impossible, when we ASK GOD to make a way where the doors are closed, as we delight in our fellowship with GOD, He is busy bringing His best into our experience. He delights to feeds us, satisfy and nourish our hungry souls with the truth. Jesus provides a deeper appreciation of His love for us, and a better life as we thank Him for His faithfulness. When we PRAY without ceasing, we overcome the obstacle. When we eat His word as choice food, when we listen for His voice, God responds to our faith in Him. We are called to KEEP KNOCKING, to KEEP ASKING, to KEEP SEEKING GOD in the midst of the storms UNTIL He overwhelms us with more than we asked for! For God blesses those who BELIEVE in His son Jesus Christ ~ He is knocking on your heart, He is at the door, just let Jesus in and trust Him in all your ways! His answer, His way, His word, His light, His truth slays the liar every time! "For with God NOTHING will be impossible." Luke 1:37 ~ So DARE to SEEK GOD with ALL your heart. "Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:12 God is faithful and we are challenged to ASK GOD for understanding, for increased faith in His plans for us, and for HELP in our present circumstances. "So Jesus answered and said to them, 'Have FAITH in GOD.' Mark 11:22 ~ God is the Vine and we are His choice branches. He calls us to be fruitful and multiply in His fruit of the Spirit. Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, gentleness, and Self-Control. When relationships crumble, when the world economy fails us, when we loose homes, jobs, and family members, we are to remember Who to call that can change hearts, deliver us from evil, open doors, and bless us beyond our comprehension. REMEMBER: "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were (purchased) redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the PRECIOUS BLOOD of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through Him you believe God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him, and so your FAITH and HOPE are in GOD." Peter 1: 18-22 ~ "Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your HOPE fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.' 1 Peter 1:13-17 When our speech is motivated by God and His wisdom ~ our tongue tells the world what God has stored in our hearts. Our words are full of praise, mercy, passion, good intention, peace, love for others, humility, compassing, righteousness and submission. "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands ---admit your sins, grieve, mourn and wail ~ humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up." James 4 is all about SUBMISSION to GOD - With 72 legions of angels available to Jesus, He did not call for their protection from those who chained, scouraged, mocked and hung Him. When asked if He was a King, Jesus responded yes, but not of this world. His Kingdom is the unseen space of your soul. Imagine Jesus sitting on the throne as the King of Kings, the Ruler of your heart and soul. See yourself bowing down before His throne, fully submitted to His superior ways and plan for your life. Be still and know He loves you and takes great pleasure in satisfying all your needs with His best. Eager to hear what He has to say to you personally, we quiet our minds to listen to what the Spirit is saying. Walk this way and follow Christ in His deeper purpose. "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, Be removed and be cast into the sea, and DOES NOT DOUBT in his heart, but BELIEVES that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore, I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, BELIEVE that you receive them, and you will have them." Mark 11:23-24 EXPECT unsurpassed Favor. Hold a VISION of your future. Cast a VISION, pray and believe that God is working all the time to expand your vision of what is possible. Look to the stars and be inspired by God's vast supply. Like Abraham, be renewed in His promise by thanking Him in advance for what He has already accomplished. Turn the TV off, and put yourself in the atmosphere of success. SEE yourself healthy, free from doubt and filled with greater faith. Crowd your mind with words of truth. Hang with people who support you in your vision ~ Living debt free, without limits, in a place where God multiplies His blessing through you, married to the one God selected as your helpmate. "Where there is no vision, the people perish." So choose to hang around other people with vision! Let God's favor pour into how you envision your best life. See yourself indwelt by the Holy Spirit, with Jesus sitting on the throne of you heart. "It is finished" Death has been defeated and we are ALIVE in CHRIST and equipped as His anointed ambassadors of GOOD. Laugh and greet each day with great expectation as "This is the day that the Lord has made and I am glad to rejoice in it." Glorify God for His faithfulness. Because you have BELIEVED in His righteousness and in His ability to deliver any lack into PLENTY! Think, see and know God is ABLE to surpass the vision you HOLD. Associations DO matter! Thank God for bringing bright, successful people into your view. He is working to help you BELIEVE in His plan for you! Elisha hung around Elijah and he got a double portion. Joshua hung around Moses and he was taken into the promised land. Samson hung around deceitful people and he was blinded and missed his destiny. Lord Jesus I believe you are working to enlarge my vision by my association with people of faith.

Hacienda del Lago

If you google Weight Loss in Mexico you will discover only three retreats that are open as of April 2017. One of the newest and most luxurious places to get your body and mind right for losing excess baggage is at the Hacienda del Lago – This boutique Hotel and Restaurant only has nine rooms so you are guaranteed specialized attention. It is located just 45 minutes from the Guadalajara airport in Ajijic, Jalisco and just one block from the gorgeous Lake Chapala. This resort offers aerobic swim classes, daily walks in various lakeside locations, yoga classes,

and mountain hikes. Nutritional meals are served daily to include special coffee, fresh juices and exotic salads. The Weight Loss Seven day Retreat is held twice a year. 2nd week of June and in September. The price includes a lovely room, two meals per day, walking, and swimming. A variety of talks will be hosted along with an ADIOS AMIGA shopping trip at lakeside. For an extra excursion fee there is also kayaking, horseback riding, art classes and golf. The treasured goal of this Spa is to assist you

in adopting the healthy habit of walking daily, staying active and eating healthy foods. If you compare Weight Loss Spa prices, the Hacienda del Lago offers the most for the best price. Consider inviting a girl friend to join you. Spoil yourself with a new hairstyle, a new outfit, a massage, a facial!  All services at this one beautiful location. The only thing that the Hacienda del Lago overlooks is the water! Mexico 011 (+52) 376-766-0907 7 days + 7 nights = $1050.00 USD (Suite = $2100.00) Check in on a Tuesday and fly out lighter the following Tuesday. Click this link to make your reservation Hacienda del Lago

RING MY BELL

Just up the road from my casa is a field, with two horses in it. From a distance, each horse looks like any other horse. But if you stop to look closely you will notice something quite amazing. One horse is blind, however, the Owner has chosen not to have the horse put down, but He took the time to provide well for this magnificient creation. This alone is amazing. If you stand nearby and listen, you will hear the sound of a bell. Looking around for the Source of the sound, you will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field. Attached to the horse's halter is a small bell that lets the blind friend know what direction to take, so his friend can follow. Watching these two friends, You'll see that the horse with the bell is always checking on the blind horse, and that the blind horse will listen for the bell and then slowly walk to where the other horse is--- Trusting that he will not be led astray. When the horse with the bell returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, it stops occasionally and looks back, making sure that the blind friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell. Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect, or because we have problems or challenges. He watches over us and even brings others into our lives --- to help us when we are in need. Sometimes we are the blind horse that is being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God places in our lives. Other times we are the guide horse, helping others to find their way....Good friends are like that... You may not always see them, but you know they are always there.

Please listen for my bell
and I'll listen for yours.
And remember...

Be kinder than necessary-
Everyone you meet is fighting
Some kind of battle.

Live simply,
Love generously,
Care deeply,
Speak kindly....and leave the rest to God for His plans are to prosper you and bring you home to glory! AUTHOR an UNKNOWN MAVERICK --- THERE is NO BIG DEAL when there is SOMETHING unseen BETWEEN US, THERE IS ALWAYS A HELPING HAND, THERE IS ALWAYS A WAY, THERE IS ALWAYS A DOOR TO WALK THROUGH. We must LISTEN closely to the tinkling bell and consider the sweet ways of our Lord. TWO HORSES, who would have guessed that our God is a MAVERICK, whose WAYS are unmatched in gentleness, mercy, and kindness. AMEN~

FUN under Big Top

Growing up, it was a summer thrill to go to the Circus.  In the 1940's, in Europe, you could have been astonished to witness Maria Herzig walk a tight rope between sky scrapers. Maria is my mother, and when my dad from Arkansas

saw this lovely German girl, he brought her home to the USA, where she employed her bravado as the brave woman in the local summer Circus that was strapped to a cross while knives were thrown at her. The annual circus held in Ajijic is much more polished than what I experienced in my youth. It was exciting to introduce my husband Michael to the magnificient BIG TENT of CIRCO UNION as it was his first circus experience ever! Mike has a fascination with elephants. Before the show began,

I was happy to capture his thrill to walk beside the enormity of this jungle beast.  During the show they allowed kids from the audience to climb atop the elephant for a memorable picture. The multi-talented and multi-tasking clowns made all the young at heart laugh out loud and then oooh and ahhh when they changed costumes to fly across the canopy on the trapeze.  The Magician was fantastic, the Jugglers were amazing and the energy and the music was high!!! It is well worth the price of 100 pesos and better than ho hum TV at home!

YELLOW BRICK ROAD

A poinsetta can only bloom when it thirsts for more. We too blossom when we strive for more living water. In 2009 I was thirsting for more of Jesus. As I trusted His leading, on Christmas day I found myself strolling on the cobblestone roads in Ajijic! His will be done in His amazing way! The pot of gold at the end of my work life will be collected in the place that the Ruler of all things has set for me. As we fly into the unknown, down the yellow brick road, without seeing, only believing, we arrive at the doors that God graciously opens for us.


THE SECRET and world success guru's promote NAME IT and CLAIM IT, or BLAB and GRAB whatever you want in life. However, the truth about the buried talents of any successful person today is that nobody uncovered their unique talent, their gifted treasure overnight! We begin with mustard seeds of faith --- and we must dig through the dirt of doubt to reveal our talents. When our desires and talents are buried, His way is to give us opportunity that requires a shovel, to uncover, to expose, to remove the piled on dirt of doubt one shovel at a time. After years of struggle to believe in ourselves, to trust our instincts, we gotta admit that we NEEDED that kick in the pants, that wake-up dream, those night sweats, or that news release that appeared bad, but - through the eyes of another - an opportunity of GREATNESS became visible and POSSIBLE! WOW - In August 09 my condo foreclosed, then in December 09, my dream Casa in Mexico was purchased! Any desire that we hold and release to God, for His will be done, we then walk in faith and release our dreams, trusting the best outcome. We humans NEED support, we NEED to be cheered - just like the tin man, the lion, Dorothy and the scarecrow! Together, one day at a time, one shovel at a time, one step along the yellow brick road at a time, this motley crew of strugglers - identified each others strengths and voiced them! Our ancestors started out in the garden of Eden where they could just wake up and grab the fruit they wanted from a vast unlimited orchard of trees. On Monday they might have chosen to grab a shiny dress from the Macy tree, and Tuesday to grab a tennis ball from the US OPEN tree. The grace of God paves the long and winding yellow brick road to eternity. He did not promise that it would be easy, but He did say that a full life would take a community of believers sticking together through the good and bad times. FAITH is walking in a way you have never walked. FAITH invloves risking loss, it requires us to stretch and move in scary directions. The first tiny step might be to do things differently than you ever have! Change your comfortable routine, strike out and appear foolish! Perhaps you need to talk to a tin person with a guarded heart, or sit next to a cowardly lion - LISTEN, watch and encourage them! We grow stronger as we acknowledge the reflection of spirit in others! There are scads of folks who would love to walk beside you with their own pair of ruby shoes! Tiny steps of courage may cause a panic attack, your adrenaline to pump, but remember that the witch of doubt, or any fear found on the yellow brick road is NOT REAL! The reality IS that God gave us the VISION and the talent! He placed His spirit within! We KNOW that we can do all things through Him! When God called His people to the promised land, ten spys made the majority of hearts afraid when they reported that there were too many obstacles to overcome. Joshua and Caleb came back and said "we can do this". FEAR is a state of mind, often times unjustifed, but unless we take a step out, we are NOT exercising FAITH.
Journey on the YELLOW BRICK ROAD requires:
1) DIG thru the DIRT and unearth dreams and courage
2) FAITH the wee size of a seed, and tiny steps
3) THE POWER AND FUEL OF A SUPPORT GROUP
God empowers us to do exceedingly more than we can imagine. However, traveling down the road in the way that God compels us, is to travel believing that His presence is with us. God gives us the dream, the vision, and our hope! The goose bumps of JOY we experience when we arrive at our destination is His spirit ever within us. He goes before us to open doors. God gave us His invisible, untouchable power and He also gave me the desires of my heart to live near a lake, in a house of light to write! When the people of Israel took the yellow brick road away from Egypt (bondage) to the promised land, there were no solo travelers. People were fueled from the inside by God and outside by the people placed on the path alongside them. We were created by God, He is self-sustaining, but we can only thrive as we come together. There is no such thing as a self-made person. My trip to Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico was because I felt compelled to go from the inside. Wearing my Belt of Truth and carrying my Shield of Faith, His courage became mine and as I walked through the doors of Casa De La Luz in May 2011 ~ My Lord inflamed my heart with His peace about what is ahead. Soul supporters are essential while ruby slippers or pink flip flops are optional! John Thompson sent a message that gives me great JOY and confidence about the days ahead! The passport to transport us all safely through the land of OZ, is the armor we are given to wear. Dressed for success, carrying your Shield of Faith and wearing your Belt of Truth, and standing ready with your Sword of the Spirit ~ the wonders of each day will increase as you listen to what the Spirit is saying. The great cloud cover of the saints before us allows us to see doors open, the fantastic colors of a rainbo pop vividly, and His pleasure in the welcome we receive. Tred with joy the yellow brick road He paves for thee and savor His grace at His mercy seat! AMEN

Barra de Navidad

In January 2015 Barb's doctor Ben prescribed a few days at the beach in order to kick her bronchitis cough. After some research, we selected "The Alondra Hotel" in Barra de Navidad, which is on hwy 200 just 20 minutes up from Manzanillo towards the beach town of Melaque. Our GPS gave us the best route out of Chapala to the Hotel address: Sinaloa 16, Barra de Navidad, Jalisco 48987.  Hotel phone: 315-355-8373.  We were able to

book online thru Expedia using our Bancomer debit card without a charge, so we simply pay at hotel.  THIS HOTEL was devastated by Hurricane Patricia in Octorber 2015.  The Alondra is Oceanside. When inquiring to book any hotel in Barra de Navidad, or Melaque, inquire about repairs and the prices may have drastically changed. Our preference at the Alondra was the second floor room 230 or 231. The balcony is closest to the roar of the ocean. From Chapala it is a 5 hour drive, on a safe four lane TOLL  highway.  The mountains and coconut grove views on both sides is spectacular. Prepare change for 3 toll booths at 125 pesos each. Hwy 110 thru Colima, to hwy 200 past Manzanillo, to Barra de Navidad. The 5,000 residents of this quaint, quiet, clean and friendly village could use your support.

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King of Colima

Friar Martin de Jesus accepted Don Alonso's invitation to dine at his casa which is called the "Amatitlan Hacienda" in the town of Usmajac just 4 kilometers from Sayula, which is near Colima.  The Ceballos Hotel in Colima has a lot of history. It

sits in front of one of the many churches that Friar Martin de Jesus built and it is close to Comala, a Pueblo Magico city that has ancient ruins to view.  The province of Avalos was a royal grant by the King of Spain to Alonso de Avalos. The land grant extended from Lake Chapala up to Tapalpa and included the two wealthiest towns of Atoyac and Sayula.  The Friars who came to Mexico in 1530 were selfless and truly charitable.  They did not come to acquire

riches, they came to save souls.  They built churches, convents, hospitals, and water ways via new aqueducts and schools.  They taught the indigenous Indians farming, building techniques as they defended the Indians from the abuses of the owners of the land grants.  They lived simply and walked everywhere they went.  Imagine walking from Lake Chapala to Tapalpa?  Friar Martin de Jesus walked to the Kingdom of Michoacan and founded a convent by the shore of Lake Patzcuaro and evangelized the kingdoms west of Michoacan. The Friar founded the church in Ajijic and the building was completed in 1539. There is so much rich history about our lakeside villages. A book entitled "Ajijic, 500 Years of Adventures" was compiled by A. Bateman and N. Bollenbach.