the motley crew

Here we are, in all our silliness. Beard-boy and all!

Do we look at all alike?

I love these guys and this little lady sooo much! I'm so pumped to be around to spend Christmas with them this year, although life in the house will resemble a small bit of craziness.... ;)

*S*N*O*W*

I really do like the snow....promise... ;)

precious in His sight

These two little girls are at one of the many, many orphanages in Honduras. Recently they've been on my mind so much....

"How Can It Be?"

(This poem was written by one of my Bible students after studying poetry in the Psalms).

Lord, our Lord, how can it be,
That you would love me tenderly?
I am sinful all my days,
But you, Lord God, are full of grace.
How perfect are all of your ways,
Though I'm too wicked to see your face.

Lord, our Lord, how can it be,
That you would want to walk with me?
The steps I take are dirty with sin,
But yours are perfect, and clean throughout.
How happy you make me, Lord, within,
Though I'm a sinner without a doubt.

Lord, our Lord, how can it be,
That you would send your Son for me?
To die upon a crude, rough cross,
While people spit, and mock, and stare.
Turning your back, the greatest loss,
And saving all, for whom you care.

Lord, our Lord, how can it be,
That you would want to walk with me
You guide me through life, all the way.
When the right path, I do not know.
You hold my hand, and you say,
"I'm with you , I'll never let go."

Lord, our Lord, how can it be,
That you would love me tenderly?
To You, Lord God, I can't compare,
Your power, Your wisdom, Your love.
I know, for sure, you'll always be there,
Watching and caring, from above.

warm summer days

just a nice, cozy memory (nicaragua 2005)

tomorrow and tomorrow...but first, TODAY!

A quote for you, again, and some commentary by me....

“Face the future… Do not seek to see it. You are robbing Faith of her sublime sweetness if you do this. Just know that all is well and that Faith, not seeing but believing, is what will bear you to safety over the stormy waters.”

~Lysa TerKeurst

Faith, of course, is a gift of God.
A gift to be exercised.
God expects us to use faith to trust in and rely upon Him!

An interesting concept, to allow tomorrow to come without trying to seek it out or to solve it.
A Biblical concept at that, and actually a command. "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matthew 6:34). A command that is hard for most of us to follow in our "be in control" society.

I'm not sure what I think about her comment that "all is well" today. I don't think that faith is ever blindly thinking that everything is picture-perfect, but rather that all is providential, whether good or evil. To know that nothing that happens is ever out of God's control or His will. That definitely requires faith.
And gives peace, despite what today holds or tomorrow will bring.

"hyper"

Since it is time for report cards, I, as usual, allowed my students to do an annonymous evaluation of various aspects of our time together.

I had to laugh at one of the answers, and if you've ever seen me teach you'll laugh too (especially Sarah A!).

Question: "What do you enjoy the most about Miss S_____ and why?"

Student answer: "Her hyperness - it makes me feel warm inside."

Persecuted Church Awareness Month

November is "Persecuted Church Awareness Month."
I want to encourage YOU to remember our brothers and sisters around the world who are persecuted for their faith! I have been reminded recently of the incredibly importance and responsibility of "free" Christians to pray for those who are persecuted for their faith!

The Voice of the Martyrs website has been really effective in reminding me of the needs of other Christians. You can receive monthly newsletters in the mail or weekly email prayer requests. I strongly encourage you to take a peek!

Another very helpful resource is the list of ways to prayer for persecuted Christians that uses the Scriptures. http://www.persecution.net/prayer.htm Often we tend to trivialize the incredible power of prayer. Do not be deceived - our prayers are powerful!

Here is the VOM website - please do take a look.
http://www.persecution.net/
(this is a subsite of the official site, which is http://www.persecution.com/)

ALSO the Bible League has a ministry for the persecuted church.

http://www.thebibleleague.ca/internationalministries/persecutedchurch/index.html

picacho picnic

Just for fun memories...! :)
(Kristi helping Betsy and I celebrate our birthdays "Honduran style.")

Death

This is a really neat poem. Read it once or twice, noting the symbolism and the emphatic "BUT" in the middle of the poem. :)


Death
by George Herbert

DEATH, thou wast once an uncouth hideous thing,
Nothing but bones,
The sad effect of sadder groans:
Thy mouth was open, but thou couldst not sing.

For we considered thee as at some six
Or ten years hence,
After the loss of life and sense,
Flesh being turn’d to dust, and bones to sticks.

We looked on this side of thee, shooting short;
Where we did find
The shells of fledge souls left behind,
Dry dust, which sheds no tears, but may extort.

But since our Saviour’s death did put some blood
Into thy face;
Thou art grown fair and full of grace,
Much in request, much sought for, as a good

For we do now behold thee gay and glad,
As at dooms-day;
When souls shall wear their new array,
And all thy bones with beauty shall be clad.

Therefore we can go die as sleep, and trust
Half that we have
Unto an honest faithful grave;
Making our pillows either down, or dust.

Wisdom from Elliot

"The life of faith is lived one day at a time, and it has to be lived--not always looked forward to as though the 'real living' were around the corner. It is today for which we are responsible, God still owns tomorrow." ~ Elizabeth Elliot


"We accept and thank God for what is given, not allowing the not given to spoil it." ~ Elizabeth Elliot

I often struggle with always looking forward to the "next thing" rather than fully enjoying God's gracious gifts of the moment. These quotes really challenged and encouraged me! (Thanks Osanna!!)

Lindsay and Tim's wedding

Wedding are always joyous events.

But this one was especially so for me!


- I was blessed to see 5 of my dear college roommates, which is a special treat (two of whom are expecting)!

- I was honoured to be a part of the wedding party (a new experience for me).

- The love Lindsay and Tim shared and displayed was so evidently a picture of Christ and his bride, the church, that it made my heart sing and swell!


Congrats, my dear Lindsay!

Psalm 139 to music

I love this song entitled Before there was time sung by Caedmon's Call on their "In the Company of Angels - A Call to Worship" album.

It reminds me of the remarkable truths of Psalm 139.

Before there was time
There were visions in Your mind
There was death in the fall of mankind
But there was life in salvation's design

Before there were days
There were nights I could not see Your face
But the night could not keep me from grace
When You came and took my place

Chorus
So I cry holy only begotten Son of God
Ancient of days
I cry holy only begotten Son of God
And sing the praises
Of the One who saved me
And the promises He made

Before there was time
You counted the hairs on my
knew all the words I've said
You purchased me back from the dead

Before I was made
You searched me and knew my ways
You numbered all my days
And You set forth the steps I would take

You saved me;
You raised me
You saved me;
You pulled me from the grave

Chorus 2x
So I cry holy only begotten Son of God
Ancient of days
I cry Holy only begotten Son of God
And sing the praises
Of the one who saved me
And the promises He made
Before there was time

inspiration to worship

I've been so overwhelmed by the beauty of fall....what an inspiration to worship!!!

continued blessings

Reasons I loved teaching sixth grade in Honduras:
- My students loved me in obvious ways (for example, I received encouragement notes and student artwork and many affectionate words)
- My students loved to hug me and play sports with me
- I could invite students over to my apartment to make pizza
- I could spend time with my students’ families
- I could stand outside at recess and be warm / hot almost all year long!
- I could mentor and encourage my students and get to know them very well!
- My role in their faith formation was very foundational

Reasons I love teaching in Canada:
- My students can reason at even deeper levels
- I can expect more from my students behaviourally and academically
- I am held very accountable in my teaching (standards galore, but it stretches you positively)
- I can still spend time with my students’ families and can communicate with the families much more naturally
- I can experience the four seasons
- I have a large in helping students live our their faith and see it “with new eyes”
- I can mentor and guide students through a sometimes difficult time of life

I am sure there are many more positive things for each, but I wanted to quickly reflect on the blessings in both situations!

happy first day of autumn!

~~~shiver~~~

Shiver.
This morning it was 6.9 C when I got up.
Shiver shiver.
Fall has suddenly come - very quickly!
Shiver.
Good bye skirts and sandals,
hello sweaters.
Until May?!!
Oh Canada.
Shiver.

the arm of the LORD

This is a "God-timing" thing for SURE!

Lately, I have been reading through the stories in 2 Chronicles / 2 Kings for my devotions. This morning I read 2 Chr 32, describing King Hezekiah's faith in the LORD despite the advance of the mighty army of Assyria.
I was especially struck by verses 7 and 8, which encourage the Israelites to be courageous and to trust in the LORD because His power is greater than that of Assyria.

Then for church tonight, we read parts of 2 Chronicles 31-32. The text was verse 8, and the message focused on how the real strength of believers is not measured by human power but by the presense of the LORD.

THEN when I arrived home and checked email, I had a prayer request. On the bottom of the email was (you guessed it) 2 Chronicles:8. Wow! God thing for sure! I think I am supposed to be learning this lesson quickly....
...that my strength and our strength as believers is in our heavenly Father!
...that our source of confidnece doesn't seem that impressive to the world and we may/will be mocked for it, but that it is a sure foundation.
...that God is with us!
...that we must be holy in an unholy world.

So then, I leave with you those verses from 2 Chronicles 32 and recommend that you read the whole chapter! :)

7 ' "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. 8 With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles." And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said. '

creation reflects the Creator!

URGENCY

Today I was blessed to be reminded of the URGENCY of the Kingdom of God. Based on Luke 16 (especially the second half), our pastor preached a challenging message about true righteousness. It is so easy to become like the Pharisees, living with a "check-list" kind of righteousness....but it is so wrong.

We don't like to admit it and we act like it isn't true on the surface, but it is easy...
- to lose social consciousness and become self-centered
- to strive after earthly comforts
- to include God in our earthly kingdom as a security blanket, rather than seeking the Kingdom of GOD first and foremost!
Again, we don't admit it...but we often don't look deep enough into our sinful humanity.

We need to see the picture of Christ, reaching out to the needy and loving without limit.
Christ, love become flesh.
We must repent of our self-centeredness and rely on the Lord to give us eyes to see and hands to serve.

So go, serve the Lord with great gusto and energy....
Be faithful to what God puts in your path!
The Kingdom of God is at hand!

PS - I haven't read John Piper's Don't Waste your Life, but I plan to...and some friends say it is along this topic in case you're interested...

¡¡¡ Increíble !!!

So much has entered my brain in the past week it is absolutely incredible! I have met my new "school family" (as in, fellow teachers), tried to learn all the school rules and procedures, done a tonne of work on my courses (with seemingly mountains still to do), etc. Thankfully my Hamilton buddies came to visit Thursday night to help me laugh and relax! :)

I'm very excited about this year and all of the opportunities that will arise! I'm especially excited to be working with the people that I do!

Out of ten staff members (yep, we're small!):
- one moved from BRITISH COLUMBIA
- one is from the U.S.A.
- one immigrated from HUNGARY (last January) and can speak HUNGARIAN
- one is from FINLAND (not sure when she came)
- one is ITALIAN and has lived in QUEBEC for a while and is fluent in FRENCH
- one (me) lived in HONDURAS for three years and can get by with SPANISH
- one has IRISH background
- and the other three are incredibly nice and are our official CANADIAN ONTARIO reps. Pretty cool, eh?

I love the culturally diverse backgrounds - it just adds so much depth and varied perspectives. Apart from that, though, they are really encouraging and supportive Christians. I really look forward to growing together as a staff this year as we serve each other and our students! :)

prayer (Piper)

"Prayer remains one of the great and glorious mysteries of the universe—that the all-knowing, all-wise, all-sovereign God should ordain to run his world in response to our prayers is mind-boggling. But that is the uniform witness of Scripture. God hears and answers the prayers of his people. O do not neglect this amazing way of influencing nations and movements and institutions and churches and people’s hearts, especially your own."
~ John Piper, What to Pray For November 2006
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/2006/1880_What_to_Pray_For/

This is a neat little article that gives a refreshing list of Biblical things to pray for that go beyond ourselves and encompass the "bigger picture" of life. I definitely recommend giving it a look! :)

happy birthday, dad! :)

Happy happy birthday, Dad!You're a blessing to me in many ways! May God continue to guide you in the years ahead.
ps - I feel like a new woman equipped with my screwdriver, my hammer, and nails. I've become quite handy...! :)

my new "babies"

day 1

we'll see how long they respond to my TLC.... :)

I love Northern Ontario!

The French River

family

I’m always super grateful that my parents let me crash at their place while I continue to do my “transition” thing. However, it’s always with mixed emotions that I go back there as a grown adult….In the end it was a huge blessing! Now that I’m “out,” here are some reflections….

Things I was reminded of while living with my family for a month this summer:
- No one can make me laugh quite as hard as my brothers (or at least they’re good competition for you, Sarah!)
- It’s much more fun to cook for a family (or a large group)…and even more rewarding when something I make passes the “brother taste test”
- I need my personal space / quiet time (which usually doesn’t happen there)
- I love having a piano available!!! (I miss it already here in my apartment)
- Family bonds run deep
- My parents are very generous
- I love playing games! Sports, card games, I’m in!
- My brothers affectionately consider me a true blonde
- Pets in the house aren’t my thing….but they still can be cute
- There isn’t always one “right” way….more often than not

I moved into my new place in London and love it! It’s a perfect size and a perfect location for me right now. I’ve spent a lot of time exploring the area, scoping out good rollerblade / bike trails, finding the bank, grocery stores, etc. After living up on the mountain for the past three years, living in the city is a welcome change! (I never thought I’d say that).

faithful GOD!!!

I have minimal time, but I just want to reiterate that
GOD is SOOO incredibly faithful!
I continue to be encouraged by those around me,
by His Word,
and by a host of other day-to-day things.

I stand in awe of that!

[I hope to eventually post some pictures! :)]

Growing

Growing.
Sometimes I think I've come so far...and somtimes I realize how far I have to go. Today I was humbled to realize how young I still am in my faith and in my knowledge in general. I'm a long way from where I was 5 years ago, but there is still so much ahead for me to learn.
I guess that is called the Christian's journey of life and discipleship, but it is humbling to be reminded.

I also noticed today that many of my thoughts and actions are reactionary (whether positively or negatively) - reactions to the cultures I've lived in, the churches I've attended, the people who have surrounded me, the books I have read, etc. I guess to a large extent, most people's lives and thoughts are based on their experience to a certain extent. But I also know I need to be grounded.
I want to be humble in my thoughts - less critical or "assumptionary."
And grounded in God's Word.

There will probably always be a hundred different reasons and rationales and ideas about things in the world and in the church...and we'll continue to live and work together...but the theme that keeps popping into my mind is the need for me to be humbly and prayerfully grounded.

"...and admit that I am not okay..."

Off.
I’ve been slightly emotionally “off” for a little while.
I know I need to give time to myself and to those around me.
I need to accept, to look deeper, and to not be judgmental.
I need to admit many things, to press forward, and to look for opportunities to serve (even in the small things) rather than to focus on myself and on my emotions.
Most importantly, I need to continue to trust in and cry out to God….to trust in His plan, to seek His will, and to find my identity in His Son. To wait on the Lord.

Still, I feel a strong need to verbalize that I’m not “all okay.”
Yes, in some ways it’s great to be “back” in Canada, but in other ways it’s not.
That’s not meant to be insulting, but it’s true…it’s not all okay. Not yet, anyhow.
I’m having to wrestle with and witness many things and that don’t “feel” good.
It’s unsettling.
Maybe that is a good thing. It’s definitely a growing thing!

Nichole Nordeman’s song Even Then (Woven and Spun) was playing earlier and it struck me and encouraged me. She doesn’t describe exactly what I’m feeling, but she displays the raw honesty and thankfulness that I need with Jesus right now!


It's a fear that keeps me wide awake
In the middle of the night
When the expectations are too great
And the bar gets raised too high
So I do the best with what I've got
And hope that no one knows
That I strain to see how high I can
Try to stand on these toes
Until I'm measured, but You know better

(Chorus)
So, thank-You, Jesus
Even when You see us just as we are
Fragile and frail and so far
From who we want to be
So, thank-You, Jesus
Even when the pieces are broken and small
Dreams shatter and scatter like the wind
Thank-You, even then

So I put aside the masquerade
And admit that I am not okay
Which may not be the thing to say
But I'm not ashamed to need You more each day
(Chorus)

We raise the standard and try to reach You
But we'll never make it, and we don't need to

Just for fun

Sometimes, it is good to do things just for fun.
Lourdes (my patient Spanish teacher) and I enjoying a moment together.




The sixth grade team (do people really trust them to teach their children?!!!) ;)

Snippets

I journaled the entire flight from Honduras to Miami. My mind and heart were so full of thoughts/wonder/thanksgiving/nerves/varied emotions that it was the only thing I felt like doing! My journal has Bible verses printed on some of the pages. Below are some of the encouaraging and challenging words that were on the pages as I journaled.

"A man's heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps."
Proverbs 16:9

"Through the LORD'S mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
Lamentations 3:22-23

"Call to me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know."
Jeremiah 33:3

What an encouragement!!! It has been a humbling and learning experience so far in my transition, with little joys and struggles along the way. I'm thankful that I can take comfort in the fact that Jehovah God is faithful!

ps - I will try to be a little more faithful in blogging! :)

on Canadian soil again!

After 11 months...I'm back in Ontario again...and it feels strange to think that I'm here "to stay" for a while rather than just being on a visit. It's been good to start catching up with family...!

I already miss the Spanish around me :(, and I guess I'll have to start reviewing my French. ;) Hopefully now that I'm here, my hair will stop falling out! (I didn't feel stressed, but my body sure acting stressed! Yikes.)

My comfort right now is that the Lord is faithful and that he has an incredible purpose for his people. I'm excited to see what that looks like this coming year for me and for those around me.

A Reflection of Beauty

hasta luego, miqueas

Hoy fue mi ultima dia con los muchachos de Proyeto Miqueas. Estoy un poco triste (ya - muy triste)...pero tambien muy contenta que yo pude conocerlos. Espero que su amor por Dios y por la gente de Tegucigalpa va a crecer cada dia.

For those not Spanish inclined....(although I know my Spanish above isn't perfect)....

Today was my last day with the Micah Project guys. I am a little sad (okay, a lot sad)...but also very happy that I could know them. I hope that their love for God and for the people of Tegucigalpa will continue to grow each day.

photos compliments of the Micah Project http://www.micahcentral.org/

**SURPRISE**

For all of you who know me well, it is relatively hard to successfully surprise me. But my great buddies here pulled it off - very well! Sarah A., the expert, "emocionada" theme-party planner, and Sarah L., the second-in-command, threw me a surprise TEA-birthday-party! :) I love tea and I really love socializing with my friends, so they brought the two together for a lovely evening. Surprise to me! I truly was blown away!!!

My close girlfriends were ready, the tea cups were gathered, the tea pots steeping, the finger food was lovingly prepared, and the distraction plan (Sarah L. worked wonderfully) was in place. Little to my knowledge, I "almost ruined" the surprise numerous times, but it all worked out beautifully! We had fun laughing, sharing, and even crying a little together.

I am so thankful for the way God has placed special people in my life every step of the way! The friendships that are rooted in Him are definitely to be cherished.

Thank you, dear friends, for showing me love! Thank you, Sarah x2, for being amazing!!!

Deep Breath of Sabbath

Whatever is forseen in joy
Must be lived out from day to day.
Vision held open in the dark
By our ten thousand days of work.
Harvest will fill the barn; for that
The hand must ache, the face must sweat.

And yet no leaf or grain is filled
By work of ours; the field is tilled
And left to grace. That we may reap,
Great work is done while we're asleep.

When we work well, a Sabbath mood
Rests on our day, and finds it good.

Wendell Berry, A Timbered Choir, The Sabbath Poems 1979-1997,
Washington DC: Counterpoint, 1998, 18

one long good-bye

It is hard to explain how I've felt lately; there are so many emotions as my time wraps up in Honduras! It would be incomplete to do it without using the word "sad," though.

Sad...

...that my time here is quickly ending...

...that I am saying good-bye to so many people here whom I love and who love me...

...that all that is familiar here and all that challenges me will be gone...

But with that sadness comes an incredible gratitude. I'm sooo thankful that I have had the opportunity to be here, to experience these things, to be drawn closer to the Lord, and to build relationships with these people.

Friday was my last day with my students. We had a beautiful time, and at the end of the day I started to thank them for the great year. I don't know who broke down first, them or I, but all but two students were all crying pretty hard. Their words to me were more than encouraging, and they emphasized my mission here: to be more than just a teacher, but to be a mentor, a friend, and a channel of God's love. Thankfully I have a few more opportunities to interact with them (promotion, a birthday party they're throwing me, etc).

I cherish my time here in Honduras and will always remember the unique ways that students and their families interact with teachers. I've attended birthday parties, gone for dinner, and slept over at my students' houses. Super special! The students really give their hearts to you, and it is both challenging and rewarding to "hold so many hearts." God is amazing in how He provides!!!

Yesterday I also said good-bye to my dear friend, Erin Sheehy. I didn't think I had any more tears to cry after saying bye to my students...little did I know....I guess I'll just have to get used to wearing waterproof mascara! ;) Erin is my good friend from church and the one who always goes to the Micah project with me. She is an inspiration to me and a model of true servanthood.

Wow - God is so good in how he places all of these people in my path to challenge and to encourage me!

So....what am I doing now that I don't teach?!

Ha! If only you knew.....all the preparation for promotion, hosting a good-bye reunion for all the students I ever taught (happened today - so precious and encouraging!), report cards and all sorts of other end-of-the-year paperwork, cleaning out my classroom and going through my stuff at home, writing good-bye and thank you cards, visiting the dentist way too many times, attending potlucks, and trying to sleep in a regular schedule, to name a few things!

:) Sorry for the long blog silence.

Hopefully it won't be quite so long next time, but when so much is happening it's hard to find the time to blog and to know what to choose to write about!!

Thanks for your continued prayers for my transition!

Victor Moises Salgado Zuniga

This fine young gentleman is very special to me! Victor is my sponsor child and is in the kindergarten class at Nueva Esperanza, a Christian school and day-care program here in Tegucigalpa. The program provides food, safety, and education to children from the community who are from needy families.

Since I live relatively closeby, I have the privilege of visiting Victor. His face totally lit up when I surprised him with a visit this past Monday! :) Precious! We had fun chatting (in Spanish), coloring, reading, and playing with a fire engine. :)

Last year I went to visit with his entire family. It was very eye-opening to see their living conditions - a small, three-sided house built of metal and wood with a dirt floor and a tin roof. Fortunately they have a house! They are even fortunate enough to have a small stove and a bed that is shared by his Mom and his three older siblings. It is very humbling to interact with this family and those in the community.

I am reminded again of the many needs in this world, which are so overwhelming. However, I'm also reminded of the importance of reaching out and doing what we can where we are.

I'm so thankful for Victor in my life! :)

Happy Birthday, Dear Sarah x2

This past week was FULL of activities, responsibilities, commitements, etc.

Two of the highlights of the week were the birthdays of my two great friends, Sarah and Sarah.

Sarah L. is my wonderfully joyful and ever-so-forgiving roommate! (May 14th)

Sarah A. is my dear friend and inspirational fellow sixth grade teacher. (May 18th)

I am truly so incredibly blessed to have both of these ladies in my life and praise God for their lives.

author's note: this was written April 19th but was unable to be posted until now due to delays in getting pictures.

Challenge Club Finale

This weekend was so awesome, and a great finale to the extremely busy week. Challenge club, the after school small-group Bible study for 5th and 6th grade, had its finale even this week - an "overnighter." :)

85 students were invited to sleep over at school Friday night for a mini-retreat. We did a huge variety of things: we did team building activities, played high-energy games, listened to a challenging message from God's Word, warmed up around a bonfire, enjoyed some local Christian artists perform, participated in a talent show, watched a movie, talked and encouraged and laughed hysterically.....!

Maybe the only thing that we didn't really do was sleep....ha ha ha!

The students had been anticipating this day for a long time, and God really just blessed us with a wonderful event. All the teachers were energetic, encouraging, and very emotionally "present," even after a busy week of teaching. The students were obviously challenged by the Scripture and the testimonies, and many were very open to sharing and praying with counsellors. Everyone was kept safe, and it just felt like the Holy Spirit was really among us creating a Spirit of unity!

I am going to miss these kiddos so incredibly much....but I just cherish all these moments I have to spend with them. Now my mission is to continue to pray for their impressionable lives....

Thank you, God!

wrestling and rest

Yesterday was a "wrestling" day.
Wrestling with myself and with doubts....about decisions, the future, my time here, etc.
Finally I realized the trouble - I was relying on my own abilities, knowledge, and efforts, which of course are insufficient!
God both humbled me and reassured me through His Word and through prayer.
I think the coming year may be a year of me learning to rely on Him rather than all of my own efforts, which is a dangerous tendency for me.

This morning in church we sang an old hymn, Day By Day and With Each Passing Moment, by Lina Sandell. The lyrics really encouraged me, so I wrote them down and typed out the first verse and a half below.

"Day by day and with each passing moment,
Strength I find to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment,
I've no cause for worry or for fear.
He whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best-
Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.

Every day the Lord Himself is near me
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me,
He whose name is Counsellor and Power."

I love sixth grade because.....

....they do crazy things with me and think it is totally cool!

Bug Soup

Centipedes scurrying in the shower,
ants parading purposefully on the counter,
cockroaches zinging around the living room (yes they fly).
June bugs crashing against the window screens,
mosquitoes humming in my eardrum,
and earwigs appearing from between the lettuce leaves.

At least the tarantulas and scorpions have stayed down the road...for now!

Bug soup anyone?!
:)

ps - I tried to add pics of them...but it didn't work - sorry!

Our God of Details

I am constantly amazed at how God works in the tiny details of life. I shouldn’t be surprised, but it’s an awesome reminder of His hand in all things!

I rarely receive snail-mail here in Honduras (read: almost never). However, on both of the two hardest days of my year, I received a card from two of my best friends!

The first hard day was when I handed in my letter of resignation to my school here in Honduras. That day, a mini-package arrived from Charlene with a letter, pictures, sweet mementos, etc. It was so uplifting!

Yesterday was the other hard day of the year; as you probably read, I told my students I would not be returning …and that night I also accepted a job. It was an emotionally draining day.
However, a card arrived from Christy. Wow!
Her card (in addition to be encouraging, as usual) had some Bible verses and quotes.
This one really spoke to me and encouraged me in my decision to step out and take the job in faith….

“Faith means striking out, with no clear end in sight and perhaps even no clear
view of the next step. It means following, trusting, holding out a hand to
an invisible Guide…faith is reason gone courageous.”
~ Philip Yancey

Thank you, God!

decisions

Dear friends,
Two major things happened today!

First, I told my students that I would be leaving Honduras! It was hard for them and for me (tears shed by both parties), but it was the right time to do it. I trust we will really enjoy our last few weeks together! :)

Second, I accepted a job contract! I will be teaching a variety of 9th grade courses at Providence Reformed Collegiate, a small Christian high school near London, Ontario. I'm excited about the decision and feel like God's hand was upon it. However, I am a little nervous about the big change and the large workload. I trust in the fact that God's purposes and ways are larger than I can know or understand.

I really appreciate all of your support and prayers thus far! Please pray for my final two months here in Honduras and for my transition to Ontario, as so much will be new (culture, community, teaching position). The Lord is good...!

Truly,
Theresa.

"I will bow down toward your holy temple
and will praise your name
for your love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word."
Psalm 138:2

What do you Want?

“What do you want?”
It’s a popular question today…and one of the most anticipated.
What do you want...to do…to eat…to read…to play…to learn…etc.
There was an important moment when Jesus asked this question too!
......

John the Baptist was active in declaring Jesus as the Lamb of God, and he took the opportunity to teach those around him (especially his disciples) about this Word-become-Flesh.

One day, John speaks to two of his disciples and points out Jesus (John 1:35).
Imagine the emotions those disciples must have experienced when Jesus passed by – the Lamb of God, the promised one! They immediately left their place with John and followed Jesus (vs 37).

What happens next is astounding!
First, Jesus “saw them” (vs 38) – beheld them, studied them (in the Greek).
Then he asked the two men, “What do you want?”
The King of the Universe asks these two men what they want….and their answer is beautiful.
“Rabbi…where are you staying?” (vs 38).
In essence, Where will you be so we can spend time with you? We want to get to know you. We want to be in your presence!

“So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him” (vs 39).

Do we really, truly crave and pray for a deeper relationship with Christ?
Do we long to spend time in his presence?
Let that be our daily prayer for ourselves and for one another, as the body of Christ!

“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Philippians 3:10).


These thoughts are summarized from a sermon by Rev. Darren Quilley, Sunday April 29/07.

Secret Providence of God

"Whenever we may wander in uncertainty through intricate windings, we must contemplate with eyes of faith, the secret providence of God which governs us and our affairs and leads us to unexpected results."

John Calvin

most recent adventure

My most recent adventure was being flown up to Washington State to surprise a college roommate for her wedding!!

It was SO wonderful to spend time with Stacy and Nick, not to mention other college friends: Lindsay, Jenae and David, and Jeff. Ah, sweet Dordt College memories!

Here are a few special pictures:

1) Lindsay and I (and Seattle in the background)

2) Myself, Jenae, Lindsay, and Stacy

3) Beautiful cherry blossoms! Wow.

Isaiah

I have been reading through the Old Testament in as much chronological order as possible. As I am currently in the stories of 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles, I read the prophets that prophesied at that time.

I am currently reading through Isaiah.
I love that book of the Bible for many reasons.
For now, I just wanted to share a passage that I like a lot (especially the italics part).

Isaiah 26:7-9

The path of the righteous is level;
O upright One, you make the way of the righteous smooth.

Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws,
we wait for you;
your name and renown
are the desire of our hearts.

My soul yearns for you in the night;
in the morning my spirit longs for you.
When your judgments come upon the earth,
the people of the world learn righteousness.

...only a matter of time....

well, it was only a matter of time until someone emailed me with the subject line, "still alive?"
it was bound to happen sooner rather than later.
this poor little blog has been neglected for over three weeks....thanks and much patience to all of the faithful blog checkers out there! :)





so, excuses?
well, i don't think they need to exist for blogs, but basically, it's a matter of time
my mom and sister from Canada came,
report cards came,
exams came,
Easter came,
parent conferences came,
creating substitute plans came,
looking for jobs came, etc.
i hope to catch up on blogging one day.
i definitely have been thinking of lots of things on this end!

but as evidence that i truly am alive and well, here are a few photos of when my my mom and bethany were here.
:) enjoy!

From top to bottom:
1) Mom and I - do you see any resemblances?
2) Mom and Bethany with two sisters who live at an orphanage
3) Sisses enjoying icecream on a hot day!

smile and say "tourist!"

I love this picture of Christy and me from this past December. The beautiful, bright colors...the joy of being together...the fun of playing "tourist" in "my own" country.... :)

a hard yesterday

Yesterday was hard…in a “stretching, growing” way.
I handed in my official letter stating that I will not be returning to Academia Los Pinares next year. Even though I have had peace about this since December, it was still difficult to do. It is hard to imagine saying good-bye to three years of students, a Christian fellowship, and a culture that I have come to love so dearly! I am very thankful for my time here, but good-byes are always difficult for me.

This has made me very aware of making the most of every opportunity in my short three months left in Honduras. I am also extremely thankful for the personal growth and global awareness that has happened in my life while I have been here! I pray that I will be able to use this in God-glorifying ways in the years to come!

Oh, and for those of you who are wondering…. “so what is next, Theresa?!”
I am still waiting on the Lord for that. Prayers for patience and direction are appreciated!

In memory

In memory of a fall that I haven't seen for many years....

...although it felt like fall here today - a chilly 18 C!

(I'm not kidding either - I was chilly!) :)

Waiting in the Lord

"There is no place for faith

if we expect God

to fulfill immediately

what he promises."

~ John Calvin

baby

I don't often post pictures of my friends here in Honduras, so here is one from Missy's recent baby shower. :)

From L to R: Sarah (my roommate), Bethanie, Missy - due in three short weeks! :) - me, and

Elizabeth.

Victory!

"Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?"

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:55-58

Channels of Mercy

Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration.
Most of you reading this will be familiar with that worldview and those terms.
However, it seems that we Christians often get “stuck” in the redemption phase and forget God’s command to be actively restoring his creation! Christ’s Kingdom is here and now, but we still live in the “not yet.” He is still at work restoring his creation to its original purposes…until His second coming!

In Isaiah 58, God chided His people for being outwardly religious but never going beyond their “churchy” things. Notice God’s reprimand in verses 1-3(a)

1 "Shout it aloud, do not hold back.

Raise your voice like a trumpet.

Declare to my people their rebellion

and to the house of Jacob their sins.
2 For day after day they seek me out;

they seem eager to know my ways,

as if they were a nation that does what is right

and has not forsaken the commands of its God.

They ask me for just decisions

and seem eager for God to come near them.
3 'Why have we fasted,' they say,

'and you have not seen it?

Why have we humbled ourselves,

and you have not noticed?'

Yet God is not pleased with their actions…!

3(b) "Yet on the day of your fasting,

you do as you please

and exploit all your workers.
4 Your fasting ends in quarrelling and strife,

and in striking each other with wicked fists.

You cannot fast as you do today

and expect your voice to be heard on high.
5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,

only a day for a man to humble himself?

Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed

and for lying on sackcloth and ashes?

Is that what you call a fast,

a day acceptable to the LORD?

Instead, he reminds them of his desire for them to show mercy to those around them…to bring about restoration and healing….again, for His sake.

6 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:

to loose the chains of injustice

and untie the cords of the yoke,

to set the oppressed free

and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry

and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—

when you see the naked, to clothe him,

and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;

then your righteousness will go before you,

and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

It’s kind of like breathing.
Breathe in…right now…deep…keep going...!
Now breathe out….all the way….keep exhaling….
They go together. You can’t do one without the other.

This isn’t a perfect analogy, but breathing in and breathing out is parallel to our Christian walk.
We, the church, the chosen and redeemed, “breathe in” the riches of Christ’s love, forgiveness, and guidance through His Word, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
It should be only natural that we “breathe out” Christ in physical, tangible ways to the world around us!
Both are necessary.

I’m not advocating social justice for the sake of social justice or so we can pride ourselves in what is being accomplished. Those are dangerous, sticky traps. I’m trying to understand how God clearly commanded us to live the gift of salvation as we restore creation (as I mentioned last week) for His worship and His Glory!

How do we fill our time…use our resources…offer our prayers? Are we, the purified, redeemed body of Christ, doing our part and using our blessing to bless? May God give us His mercy and His passion to do that!

(I’d love to have a discussion about this – I feel like I’m just learning little by little what this means. Your comments, corrections, questions, etc are always appreciated and valued!)

Greek Olympics!

Studying Ancient Greece ended in a very exciting Olympic competition!

Foot races...to get the correct coloured flag!








Modified tug-of-war and standing long jump.









"Javelin" throw (broom sticks come in handy!),





"chariot" races,


and encouragement cheers were just some of our other events. What a great day! :)