On the way to class I ran into one of my sweet students, Alice. She is extremely artistic and had asked me to lunch last Saturday. When she never texted me, I realized she didn't have my new number since my phone was stolen during the holiday. I explained this to her and asked if she could come over this Saturday to work on art projects for a couple hours.
She looked a bit surprised but said yes. I guess it isn't often that students are asked a question like that... I am excited to see what we create and what conversations occur with her and her classmates this weekend.
In class, it was enough to be reliant on Him for the energy to give them energy! My job is part cheerleader, part teacher on these early mornings when they would rather not process a 2nd language and I would rather not be the language police. But YHWH gives mighty grace and I felt the joy and the unexpected jokes come out of my mouth and they were laughing and we were enjoying this time, talking about New York and the cities we would create if we were in charge.
The end of the first class, two of the sweetest girls came up to ask me to eat with them. Two weekends ago, they came and cooked with me and taught me how to make some of the best chinese dishes. I was heartily impressed with the head 'cook's' ability and knowledge of food chemistry. "This is cooking wine, if you put it on meat, it will make it more delicious. You can use lemon too, but then it will be a little sour,' she gravely instructed me. Now I am the proud owner of the recipe for goh bow roh- a bread pork dish that my whole team claims as favorite.
The second class went well. The kids were talkative and there was a sense of energy, not altogether focused or controlled, but energy nonetheless. Though I was tired, there was joy and again the jokes were coming from somewhere and I was thankful they were paying attention and we were laughing. Oh laughter is such a gift!
After class, two sweet girls invited me to go to the 'Natural History" museum near campus at 1pm. It has some dinosaur bones, butterflies and other exhibits. I was feeling a little pooped already but I gave the non-committal answer.
As happens often, my sweet friends had a meeting that lasted longer than anticipated so we cancelled and I felt the need to spend some time with the Lord. I have had a cold that has lasted over a week now and I needed a little recoup time with the sweet Presence.
Oh.. and I little nap did a lot of good.. :)
As a team, we are reading Acts and I feel like I am reading with new eyes. Never before have a I seen so many references to angels, to the beauty, necessity and power of the Holy Spirit and to the joy that is given by the Lord when we walk in his will. WOW! How did I miss that?
Right now we are reading Ch. 13-15. Paul and Barnabus went through some serious mafan (Ch. for trouble, annoyances) during their travels. And man did they travel. We drew out a timeline for the chapters and I had to carry it over to the back of the page. They were commissioned in the grace of Papa for the work and they went in the Power of the Holy Spirit and they relied on Him in the tough times.
Does this describe my current lifestyle? Yikes, that is challenging. I would say that I have grown leaps and bounds in my appreciation and reliance for and on the Holy Spirit since coming. However I haven't been put in prison, stoned, beat. I have lost a little sleep, been asked one too many times if I could use chopsticks or if I liked chinese food and I have missed my family, friends and boyfriend a lot. But do those compare to the trials that Paul and Barnie went through?
To be honest, I am not even willing to ask for trials. I started to this morning. The devotion was on the quality of being meek.
Alas, meekness does not grow in lush, green fields which are free of weeds, well-watered and full of nutrients. No, meekness grows in conditions opposite to those- among the rocks, bushes and weeds of struggle, opposition, hardship and failure.-Gunnar Dalseth in the Chaingmai Community Church Lent Devotional
This devotion defines meek as power under control. How refreshing! It isn't being a doormat, it isn't being silent or boring. It is walking in the power of the Lord, submitting to others in Love and submitting to the Lord above all. Can you see it in Paul and Barnabus? Can you see the power submitted to the One? I can see it in my teammates and their incredible walks with the Lord. I can see it in the way they love him and the way they use their words for healing.
I started to ask for tribulation but then stopped. I am not that brave. Tribulation will surely come and perhaps I can ask that He will make me ready to grow in it when it does?
Today it is enough to be thankful for His presence and how he pours out love just be allowing me to sing His praise.
-Thankful for a guitar to learn to praise his name.
-Thankful for funny students with great facial expressions who volunteer to help carry heavy pianos for my teammates all the way to their apartments from the gate!
-Thankful for long conversations with the most handsome cowboy in the whole world.
-Thankful for teammates.. to laugh with and watch cheesy movies with and eat pizza with... yum!
-Thankful for my beautifully odd and perfectly fitted family.
-Thankful for 36 degrees and sunny and my window open to breathe in the fresh air.
-Thankful for the fact that I am certainly not finished but He knows that and He simply loves that I am His.
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