Birthday Party and Some Student Art

Sorry for the lack of update last week; I struggled through that week and there really wasn't much to say about it. This last week was birthday party--a three day trial for teachers, and an interesting study in the absorption and reaction to sugar in children. The theme was Zambia, and my table's cake was a pineapple. No, I didn't make it; I was waaaay too busy on cake decorating day!

There was some lovely art as always decorating the dining hall; this is one of my student's pastel drawing of a lion.

This week in history class we tried out hands at writing in cuneiform; I am so fascinated by how intricate this photographic writing packed on little clay tablets was!

For St. Patrick's Day on Saturday, I made Celtic knots with my 3rd and 4th grade girls. It was a stretch for a few of them, but I was pretty pleased with the results as a whole.

Last week one of the 4th grade girls broke her arm; it's been a bit of a process, but as of today she's all casted and ready to finish off the last two weeks of school. It's really amazing, all things considered, how *few* injuries we have!

If you think about it, prayers for this weary, battered teacher as she tackles the last two weeks of a brutal term would be appreciated. I have so many challenges in my classroom right now that I feel overwhelmed and inadequate on a minutely basis; there is just so much need. I know I could never be all even one person needs, but it's hard to know where to lay down the sword in this oh so important fight for these young lives.

There is also a lot to think about in the next month--my taxes (always a fun challenge for someone living overseas and being self-employed!), buying my ticket for my trip home for my sister's wedding, a much needed trip to town to get new shoes, and continuing to think and plan for the future. I'm trying to be wise as well as trusting of the Lord, and once I have a free minute to think about something other than my students I expect things to hit a little harder.

Parting shot: Some more of the string art Ruthie and I did with the kids over half-term; a few more were finished up this weekend.

I life my eyes unto the hills

Last week was the kind of week that makes you reconsider your vocation, throw around the idea of changing your name and running away to a deserted island somewhere, or wonder if there would be enough parents or teachers on the jury to acquit you. A week where I was lied to by my students, stolen from by my students, had an unknown number of students cheat, had every last nerve and a few I didn't know I had stood on, endured way too much pre-school level behavior from my middle schoolers (you don't want to know), and basically was worn down till I wasn't sure I could face a weekend on. I spent almost the whole weekend supervising kids (thank goodness my longest weekend is on is now over!), and as I was taking my laundry home to hang it up Saturday evening (because I didn't have time before), I looked up and saw this:

One of the reasons I love my exercise time on the airstrip so much, is the wild skies here remind me to look up and marvel at the greatness of our God. While I love East Texas passionately, it is rare to get the kind of sweeping views of the sky and the fantastic cloud sculptures at home that we get out here. Looking up is a physical and a spiritual reminder that there is more to life than what is on the ground and bogging me down right now. It is a reminder that I serve a God who paints the sky with fire--because it's beautiful. I serve a God who sweeps the sky clean after a storm and adorns it with a double rainbow. I serve a God who is so much bigger than me, that whatever I've got on my plate, I can bear because of Him. Thankfully 'Jonah' weeks come to an end, students adjust their behavior, and teachers get a bit of desperately needed sleep. As we go into the back half of this very trying term, I'm going to keep working on looking up--looking above my struggle at my Savior who said that His yoke was easy, and His burden light. The One who has promised to never leave or forsake me, and who wants the best for these kids more than I ever could. Excelsior!