naked painting & dinosaur fishing

...both things i have yet to do. but elias, on the other hand, has done both the past two days.

elias is the 3 and a half year old son of kyle and dennis.
over the past 6 weeks i have done everything with this kid...he's more like a brother than a cute kid (although he is pretty darn cute).
we've played together, boogied together, surfed together, road-tripped together, drank coffee together (yes, he likes coffee), ate meals, gone to birthday parties, looked for crabs, taken pictures, made little videos, danced, sang, and the list could go on.

we've ALSO gotten in fights.
well...more like he's gotten mad at me, said mean things, tried to hurt me by scratching/punching/kicking...like i said, he's more a brother now :).
but come on, elias has been sharing his home, his parents, and his life with me...as an only child, i understand the jealousy he's felt and expressed.

but that isn't the point really...let's go back to the naked painting and dinosaur fishing; the more important part of this post.

being around elias and kyle being pregnant and getting to be in nature 24-7 and living the simple life along with other things have reminded me just how INCREDIBLE and CREATIVE God is.

there is a HUMAN inside of kyle. WHAT THE HECK?! a living, moving, breathing, wonderful little girl (sandy to be exact) growing within another human. unreal.

the ocean tides are really extreme here. high tide has the biggest waves and the water meets the edge of properties. low tide reveals lots of rocks and a little tide pools with fish. there have been some amazing thunder and lightning storms since i've been here...so powerful that the whole house shakes and the rain pelts the tin roof. i wake up to mccaws (big huge red parrots) and roosters crowing and waves crashing EVERY single day. i get to see iguanas, pelicans, and monkeys all the time in the trees surrounding our house. there are geckos always on the walls of my room.

i eat beans and rice almost every single day (lately with avocado fresh from the tree in our yard). no appointments are needed to hang out with people, it just happens, and often over coffee (i can't complain about that). i get to spend time with God that is without pressure or stress or guilt to move onto the next thing. time is dedicated to people and being. ministry happens as life happens. it is simple and organic.

God is in every little piece of the aforementioned aspects of life.

and God likes to see creativity...whether painting naked (like elias did yesterday) or fishing for dinosaurs (which elias did today).

i have had a lot of opportunities to see beauty, experience beauty, and capture beauty creatively while i've been here...something i wouldn't usually have time for at home. whether surfing, painting, taking pictures, being with people, watching a naked kid paint...there is so much freedom in creativity and it all is glorifying to God.

there are only a few days left in my trip here.
i'm ready to go home but not necessarily ready to leave ya know?

there are a billion things i'll be taking back with me, including long-term relationships...even if i don't get to see everyone for awhile...

it is amazing to see what God will do through authentic relationships over time if you just make yourself available to be used naturally...without forcing things. my relationships here are firmly established. the people will be the hardest thing to leave behind.

my time in costa rica can be summed up in this:
naked painting & dinosaur fishing.
the beauty and creativity and humor and love and relationship and freedom and life that is available to us every day.

i can't wait to bring naked painting and dinosaur fishing back home.
lessons learned and lessons that will not be forgotten.