Adorable!

For this entry, I figured I would take just a moment to share how adorable kids can be in class:

My first story comes from Lila on a day that I was teaching the second graders. It was a typical day and I was getting into the rhythm of teaching, moving right along in my lesson. The students were doing good staying with me and that's when we came to a counting activity. The students were to flip to the back of their books and take out the stickers labeled 11, 12, 13...20. Then they were to flip back to the page we were on and put them at the corresponding places (eleven crayons, 12 markers, and so on). Well, I was busy going around making sure the students were understanding the concept, when I came to a young boy who had decided he didn't want to keep flipping back and forth so he had taken the numbered stickers and put them all over his face. Then when he went to put them on the right page- he would pull them off one at a time to see if it was the number he was looking for, and if it wasn't he would put it back on his face and guess again. It definitely brought a smile to my face, so I walked over and tapped the sticker on his cheek and said 'eleven.' :)

My next story took place today at FFLS. I was teaching a group of preteens and we were reviewing a unit we had just finished on aquariums. I drew a picture of a big aquarium on the white board and asked them what goes inside. The first student raised his hand and said, "Jellyfish!" So I motioned him to come up to the board and draw it. We proceeded through this activity with students raising their hands and drawing different pictures of aquatic life. Then, one of my students raised his hand and said "Turtle"! When he came to the board to draw his picture, I was impressed with his ability to draw a turtle. Then after he fulfilled his requirement, he took it a step further and gave the turtle a mask and swords- turning it into a ninja turtle! I couldn't help but laugh and marvel at the thought that these students want to make school fun.

Many of them are giving up their free time after school, only to come back to a school and do more work! Some are even given money for snacks for supper because they're gone so long. They impress me. Sure because they're kids and not playing outside- I get pressured to take the class outside and go to a park, or to have a snack party, or to play longer games; but they also are willing to learn. And the more I teach, the more I realize that I'm not here to simply feed information to students- if that's the case, then the quieter they are the better. Don't get me wrong, quiet is good and appropriate much of the time... But they're kids. They don't just sit there like bumps on a log. Sometimes they talk or move or laugh or draw or try to kick my sandals off under the table. I want to take them for who they are and what they bring to class and channel that energy into active learning.

I also realize that I am teaching specific students- each with names and personalities that keep me on my toes and keep teaching enjoyable. How special it is to get to be the one who gets to spend this precious time with them and see how they live and enjoy their childhood- and not only that, but I also to have the privilege to train them and influence their future- It is my hope that I am able to push them appropriately, encourage them sufficiently, disciple them effectively, and bring out the best in them efficiently.

-To God be the Glory-

Happy Thanksgiving!

This past week, different circumstances have come up to challenge my ability to give thanks, but God has continued to remind me of His love and faithfulness, for which I give Him thanks. You may be wondering what Thanksgiving has been like in South Korea, and I'd love to share - from a foreigner's point of view.

This week at Lila, Ken and I decided to talk about the Thanksgiving story in many of our classes. I talked about how Christians were looking for religious freedom, how many traveled to America on pilgrimage, the role the Indians played and the Thanksgiving feast that was celebrated. It was good for me to be reminded of where this holiday comes from and how it still means so much for many people today. We also did Thanksgiving 'Word Finds' and mazes, and some students even got to color turkeys.
As for my own Thanksgiving Celebration, Ken invited me to a friend's house who hosted a Thanksgiving dinner. It was great! There was plenty of food and I even got to have turkey! (And oh how I've missed it!) I was glad to have gone and not only for the food; there still were a few people there and I was glad to make their acquaintance.
But my Thanksgiving festivities didn't stop there. This past Saturday I was able to attend a Thanksgiving celebration hosted by Ken's church. There, I got to watch different music performances, see the people from Thursday night again, put my knowledge of the Thanksgiving story to use during 'quiz time', and had even more bountiful food!
Some of the things I have been reminded of that I am thankful for, include: Being able to talk and pray with both of my grandparents on the phone at the same time; being able to see the Message of Jesus connect in the hearts of my students this week; having hours of conversation with Stephanie reminding each other just how thankful we are for one another; having family that lets me know I am missed; having a co-worker to do fun activities with; and most of all, having life so that I may enjoy all these things, and a relationship with the One who has given abundantly.

"Let everything that has breath praise the Lord."
Psalm 150:6

"It's a Wonderful Life!"

Today, I went into Lila Elementary School to teach the third graders. I usually start the 3rd grade classes with a quotation and today's was from Psalm 118 verse 24. "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!" As I stood there telling them how special they are to be alive- that God made them and gave them eyes to see and air to breathe- I then noticed the beauty of life outside. The sun was shining brightly as a cold breeze passed through the trees, grabbing leaves and blowing them all the way up past the 4th floor window where I observed speechlessly for a split second, overwhelmed by the moment. I then continued, "This very day God wants you to be alive! We can move and run, use our brains and muscles because we have life!" Then some of the students reminded me of our verse last week that God had also given us hearts and souls that we could use to love Him.

What a needed reminder when life seems to become monotonous or ordinary. We have an extraordinary God who has made life and given it to us to use and rejoice in. When was the last time you stopped and realized that you are at a unique point in the history of life on this planet? Why is THIS time unique you may ask? Because you are alive right now! Alive and able to rejoice or not rejoice; Make a difference in the lives of those around you or just be another person who has come walked this earth and died. The Bible tells us in Psalm 115:

The highest heavens belong to the LORD,
but the earth he has given to man.

It is not the dead who praise the LORD,
those who go down to silence;

it is we who extol the LORD,
both now and forevermore.
Praise the LORD.

This very day was created by God, and all those who are alive now make choices, overtly or subtly, about how they live. Ask youself, how am I using the life that has been given to me? Am I rejoicing or just letting another day pass, hoping my life would hurry up and get somewhere- thus missing the opportunities in the 'moments' of life. A day will come when we no longer have the choice to move and laugh and run, to love or hate, to trust or despair, or to rejoice or not rejoice. Our time will be completed and our life will be called to account. How have we lived each day? Life is truely a precious gift God has given- and I hope that you and I make the most of it.

I am reminded of George Bailey in the movie, It's a Wonderful Life. George was a man who had let life get him down, and God allowed him to see what life would be like without him. By seeing this, George finally realized that his life did matter, that he was touching the lives of other people, and that he'd been given another chance 'to live again'. And what did he do? He Rejoiced! He whooped and he hollered and he let the whole world know that he is now living in light of life-for the moments and the people around him. He ran home to kiss his wife and hold his children, where he also found his friends coming to show him he was no failure.

I hope that by living in the reality of the importance of our life we will stay motivated to get out of bed in the mornings, to stop and smell the flowers on the way to work, to slow down and let someone in our lane in traffic, to say hi to a complete stranger, to love someone when it hurts, to cry when needed, to say 'no' when its hard, to forgive and not hold grudges, to embrace and be embraced, to give something to someone who has less, to say 'yes' to the opportunites that come to our life specifically, to play in the leaves with children, to step out in faith, to seek our Creator, to pray to our Maker, to kiss our wife and hold our children, to simply take a deep breath, let life fill our lungs, and say 'Thank-You'. In short: to Live.. to Laugh.. to Love.. to Rejoice.

May you remember all the reasons you have for rejoicing and may you spread that joy to others. Remember, you've been given only one life to live- Now is your chance...

"I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." 2 Corinthians 6:2