...more future possibilities

(just for summer internship or for longer...) (in no particular order)

1. Teaching ESL in the Ukraine at ZBCS.
2. Teaching ESL with Christar in the Middle East or Central Asia or Southern Asia.
3. Teaching ESL somewhere with SEND International.
4. Teaching ESL at an orphanage with OM in Central Asia.
(These are ones that I've made contact with and they are now making contact back with me!)

But I've also thought about...
5. Teaching ESL in the LAUSD.
6. Teaching ESL at Richland One (where I just finished my practicum teaching.)
7. Teaching ESL on a cruise liner to the international workers.

Prayer Requests

I've been feeling oddly and deeply lonely lately.

I continue to pray and seek the Lord's guidance for my future as I continue to look into different options. I listened to a sermon this morning from CW Smith who reminded to rest in the beautiful, amazing sovereignty of a gracious, loving, and good God. The characteristics of God make His sovereignty wonderful.

Some specifics:

1. I want to teach ESL.
2. I possibly want to do something else that involves linguistics/translation work.
3. I don't want to go back to school (at least not anytime soon).
4. I feel like I want to get settled someplace and start building relationships and a life but, on the other hand, I'm still young and single and maybe it would still be a good time to not make roots yet since I'm unsure as to where I would want those roots to be.
5. I tend to think that I want to live/work in a lower economic status area.
6. I tend to think that I want to teach children/youth.
7. I inquired with OM about teaching ESL at an orphanage in central Asia.
8. I love music.
9. I don't want to be alone.
10. I want to die praising God for the life that I've lived through Him, by Him, and for Him.

I think there's more but I got distracted by something so you can pray for these things for now. I'll keep you posted on what God does.

more beautiful flowers

Richland One ESL

Woohoo! 9 students today and we did restaurant skits. It was hilarious. I bit my tongue several times because I just wanted to laugh. So now we have...

Soonja - South Korea
Franz - Columbia
Pedro - Spain
Sandra, Mercedes, Primitiva, Maria, Ernesto, & Sandra - Mexico

I was dancing in my classroom after my last student left the room.

planting & carving

Pooh Bear!

Since Anita "stole" mine, I "stole" Donna's boys'... Yes, he actually spent the night with me last night after I had been over at Donna's house and holding him the entire time. You have to admit that he is adorable!

"Only Trust Him"

Come, ev'ry soul by sin oppressed,
There's mercy with the Lord,
And he will surely give you rest
By trusting in his word.
Only trust him, only trust him,
only trust him now;
He will save you, he will save you,
he will save you now.

For Jesus shed his precious blood
Rich blessings to bestow;
Plunge now into the crimson flood
That washes white as snow.
Only trust him, only trust him,
only trust him now;
He will save you, he will save you,
he will save you now.

Yes, Jesus is the truth, the way,
That leads you into rest;
Believe in him without delay
And you are fully blest.
Only trust him, only trust him,
only trust him now;
He will save you, he will save you,
he will save you now.

Come, then, and join this holy band,
And on to glory go,
To dwell in that celestial land
Where joys immortal flow.
Only trust him, only trust him,
only trust him now;
He will save you, he will save you,
he will save you now.

"At Calvary"

Years I spent in vanity and pride,
Caring not my Lord was crucifeid,
Knowing not it was for me he died
On Calvary.
Mercy there was great, and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There my burdened soul found liberty
At Calvary.

By God's Word at last my sin I learned;
Then I trembled at the law I'd spurned,
Till my guilty soul implorying turned
To Calvary.
Mercy there was great, and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There my burdened soul found liberty
At Calvary.

Now I've giv'n to Jesus ev'rything,
Now I gladly own him as my King,
Now my raptured soul can only sing
Of Calvary.
Mercy there was great, and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There my burdened soul found liberty
At Calvary.

Oh, the love that drew slavation's plan!
Oh, the grace that bro't it down to man!
Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span
At Clavary.
Mercy there was great, and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There my burdened soul found liberty
At Calvary.

fiesta time, fiesta time - boo yaw, boo yaw

8 out of 34 ...long story.

I actually had an absolutely wonderful time! The food was soooooo good (enchiladas, mexican rice, beans, guacamole, chips, salsa, sour cream, chocolate ice cream). I am sooooo full.

Guests:
Sam + a friend from First Pres, Sarah
Mika, my dear friend from CIU last year
Karen, my TEFL buddy from last year
Veronica, my TEFL buddy from last year and this year
Heather, my new TEFL buddy from this year
Mark, my new TEFL buddy from this year

And I made them play the three pieces of paper game! So fun! After the third round the teams were tied so we went ahead and did round four which is sound effects. Hilarious! At some point during the game, Mark was making fun and asked if the fifth round was facial expressions... hahahaha! Well there was going to be one now! No joke! It was soooo great! I almost wet my pants. Especially when Sam and Mark did them - so great!

Thank you, Lord, for good friends, yummy food, and laughter!!! Woohoo!

Scriptures

Paul had just been talking about not knowing where to go and preach...
"But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and amon those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, bu as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ." He continues... "Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of teh SPirit have even more glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. Forif what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory. Since we have such a hope, we are very bold.... Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." (2nd Corinthians 2:14-17; 3:1-12 & 17)
The whole of 2nd Corinthians chapters 4 and 5 are wonderful too.