intense interactions with the instant and eternal.

Painting

2012-01-27T15:06:00.003-05:00

I have started painting. Meager novice expressions of things - concrete and not. I am trying to practice some skill-work (learning to paint landscapes etc.) but I find the most comfort in painting the things I am meditating on - like the fruit of the spirit. So here are a few of my recent paintings:

love

Patience

Joy

And this was for a friend for Christmas:

Volunteering

2012-01-27T14:13:00.002-05:00

Because I have time on my hands and I want to invest my time in profitable ways, I am currently volunteering on Fridays at 24-7 Prayer Room Charlotte. This place is beautiful, aesthetically and missionally. There is a diversity of visitors that makes my heart smile and the peaceful quietness of being here refocuses my heart and desires. This is a great place to intercede and seek guidance. I am thankful that for this season I have the opportunity to be here and that by doing so I know that each week will have quiet and focused time to re-center.

A few of my favorite things

2012-01-23T20:05:00.002-05:00

The salt and pepper pigs were given to me by my friend Liz last Christmas. The candle holder on the right I picked up in Thailand in 2001. The pineapple ornament was a house warming gift from my friend Jess in 2009.

These are my 2 favorite coffee mugs. The brown one is hand made and I picked it up at the farmer's market in 2011 for $5. The tigger mug my parents brought back from Disney World for me several years ago. It is extra big so it holds the right amount of coffee!

These are two of my favorite coasters. I bought them from the Z Gallery at Northlake 2 years ago for $1.20 or something a piece.

This is my dining room during the great carpet-pulling this past week. I pulled up the carpet in the dining room, living room and hallway to reveal these beautiful wood floors.

Welcome to Brooklyn

2010-04-09T14:01:00.005-04:00

My flight left at 6.30 this morning. All went extremely smoothly (it always seems to when you are not in a hurry) and I made it into Brooklyn a little after 9. I took the Airtrain to the E and transferred to the G and viola, here I am.

While waiting for the E @Jamaica I saw this fantastic sign:

Unfortunately I cannot read all the small print but it did make me laugh since last weeks episode of Bones (granted it was in DC) was about how they solved a murder in the DC Metro based on the content of a rat's stomach. IF rats are so useful in solving cases, is NYC sure they want to kill them all off?

My friend lives in the Polish portion of Brooklyn so I decided to try local food for lunch (always a better idea than visiting a chain imho.) This restaurant appealed to me, though I have no idea why.
I ordered some delish Pirogies.

Now I am back at N's house and about to lie down for a little mid-day nappage. Figured I would throw up these three pics before my weekend picked up speed and I didn't have time to keep up with all that was happening.

More later.

A year today - An Ebeneezer

2009-06-08T16:02:00.001-04:00

That I have been back in the United States from the Dominican Republic. A year today that I have been living with my parents.

I have been teaching part time for CPCC for 10 months! This is my third semester teaching with them, so that has been a good experience. (Trying at times, but overall I love what I do!)

And I have had my 'day job' for 3.5 months. (Gosh, it sure feels longer than that!)

I am scheduled to close on a small house off wilkinson on June 30th, and my roommate from the DR (rachel) is supposed to arrive that evening for a week stay.

It is a moment to be thankful. To consider how much life I have enjoyed in the past year and to prayerfully consider the opportunities of the coming year.

Thank you, Jesus.

8 years ago, but who is counting?

2009-03-23T08:41:00.002-04:00

Here are two entries from my first trip to Thailand in 2001. It is funny to read back and think about my time there. I remember well all of the experiences I described, and my friend, and the places I visited and my enthrallment with Thailand. I feel older and more humble now. I know better now how broken and difficult this life can be, but I am glad to go back to those moments of excitement and wonder and thank God for the amazing experiences I have lived!

From 10/04/01
Hello Everyone. I have received alot of questions, and I have alot I want to tell everyone, so please be patient with me if I missed something. This will probably be a long email (I am giving myself about an hour to write it) so if you do not have the time to read it, I am warning you now!

To those of you I have not yet heard from, Come on and write and let me know about life back in the states!!! To those of you who have written, and I have not yet responded, please accept my apologies. The internet here in Thailand is very unpredictable, and sometimes I will sit at the computer for an hour and accomplish reading 3 emails, and responding to none at all before I have to go do something else. (I don't have the patience to sit here for forever while the computer thinks so after about an hour I give up!) I hope that this will answer alot of your questions, and I will try to get more personal emails out soon!

Preface to my letter: This coming week is very very busy. I teach 16 classes. (That probably doesn't sound like alot, but they are spaced out. For example, today is not too bad, I had a 9am class and I have a 4pm class. It is about 11:15 now, and I have not yet eaten, and then this afternoon I MUST do laundry so until this evening I am pretty booked. Oh, and laundry for me this afternoon included exactly NO machines, so you can see that simple things take more time than what I am used to. Please pray for me as I prepare and as I adjust. I still do not have my own mode of transportation, so I rely on others to help me, or I have to use the bus or motorcycle taxi, and those things are just not my favorite. It is also a hard adjustment to not be able to leave when I want, or to find the supplies I want (for example, I am having a very hard time finding index cards -- go figure!) and these little things stress my brain.

Culture Shock: I was here for a whole week before I got my first good taste of embarrassment here that made me want to go hide! We were at a wedding (yes, even here I cannot get away from them) and were sitting at a table with another american missionary, and his family, and about half a dozen Thai persons; we were all eating dinner. Dinner was served in courses, and between courses people would get up and walk around and visit etc as is prone to happen at weddings. I left the table and when I got back I found my seat was taken. (No big deal, right?) Well, when the person who took my seat (who happened to be Thai, and I girl I know somewhat well as she has stayed with me a few times) offered to get up and give the chair to me. I (in good loud american fashion) told her "No No, sit down! I am fine, I will find my own seat." This was accompanied by the normal "sitdown" motion of waving your hand in in downward motion at the person you are talking to. I must have been too loud, or bossy, or gestured in an inappropriate way because the missionary who was sitting there said very loudly, "THAT WAS VERY RUDE" and gave me a look that made me want to shrink to the size of the individual grains of rice on my plate! I was mortified! I had no idea what I had done. I was just doing what was polite in America, but apparently, it was not polite here. I think it just all hit me in a wave then that people here do not know me, they don't know "how I am" and that I am just loud sometimes. They don't know that I was trying to be polite, and somehow offended them without meaning to. I told Jon later that night that it was the first time since I arrived here that I wanted to go home. I wanted my car so I could drive myself around, and I wanted my house that I had a key to, that I can leave or return to at my whim, I wanted my dog who loves me whether I am offensive or not, and I wanted a hot bath, dang it, which they just don't have here (at least not one I have access to.) That night I asked Jessica (an american student who has been studying here for a year and a half) what I did that was so bad etc. and we talked about what is acceptable and what is not. For example, here you DO NOT touch an adult on the head (or even really on their shoulders), you do not show the bottoms of your feet at people, you do not wear shoes into any building/room where there is an altar (and they are everywhere), you do not give the thumbs up sign because it is just slightly nicer than flipping someone off. (Now, this last one is often broken because Americans use that sign when they want to show approval, and Thai persons here watch ALOT of american tv, so they are familiar with some of our quirks.) And, lets not even start on how to greet people here. If I were polite I would greet all elders and strangers older than me by putting my hands together under my chin (like a child praying) and nodding my head. Can I tell you how not comfortable I am with that. It is just awkward. It does not sound bad, but you try to remember to do it all the time, not to mention that I often have things in my hands when I meet people in such a way. My mind was spinning! I just hate the thought of offending people when I am visiting THEIR country, but I know I will do so over and over again, and this is just a hard thing for me -- for my pride, and for my emotions, as I don't want to displease anyone. This happened Friday night, and as fate would have it, Jon left that night for a week to go on a trip with some other friends here in Thailand. I wanted to cry with frustration.
Thank God that Saturday morning when I got up I had to go straight to teaching class all morning, and by afternoon I felt somewhat back to normal. I think that the outcome of that situation is that I am much more aware of how much there is to learn, and that culture differences don't have as much to do with circumstances and surrounding as I thought they did, but alot more to do with human emotions (not just mine, but the people I am worrying about offending.) AND the PRIDE I have in being able to represent myself well -- I cannot represent myself well here, and it is humbling. I look like the stupid american everyone warns you about! Ack!

From 11/13/01
Well, my friends, it has been a while since I have written. News here comes in spurts and I am not as good at keeping you informed as I should be.
There is alot on my mind though, and I am not sure where to start. So I will start by saying that on the whole things here are going well. I really enjoy Thailand. There are many many great things about being here.

Great things about Thailand:
You can buy fresh pineapple on the street for 10 baht! It is so good. Unlike anything in the states. So sweet and juicy! How wonderful! And you can get these amazing fruit shakes for 10 baht! In the states the closest comparison would be those crazily expensive fruit smoothies they sell for 3.50 a piece. Here i pay $0.25. You cannot beat that.
Food here is good. I am still learning what I like, and sometimes I try things that just don't really tempt me at all, but on the other hand, if you get tired of new stuff, you can find pizza hut and KFC and Mcdonalds if you try hard enough.
The weather here right now is wonderful. It is in the 80's during the day, and the 70's in the evenings, and there is almost always a nice cool breeze. I am actually wearing pants and a long sleeve shirt today at 1pm! That is amazing considering how many days I was sweating gallons at noontime.
Life here is just more basic. There is not so much rushing around. You can walk to many things that you need, like food and most groceries. There are fabric strores and music shops and paper shops etc very close to the school. If you need to go further you can easily get a motorcycle taxi, or a taxi or take the bus. If you have to take an hour long taxi ride into bangkok you will probably pay 400 baht. (Approximatly 10.00) You tell me if you know of anyplace in the states where you can ride for an hour in a taxi for $10.00?
Family is very important here. In America if you do well financially you will probably move to a bigger house in a nicer "higher class" neighborhood. Here they just add to or build new houses right where they are living. Their community and family is more important than the physical "neighborhood". The result is that you will see straw huts and nice houses right next to each other. It seems to be ok though, because the people in the straw hut are your neighbors and you have probably known them for years. You also get to know your barber or hairdresser, the persons at the restaurants (or in most cases food stands) that you like to go to, you get to know some of the motorcycle taxi drivers, and my favorite, you get to know the lady who runs the internet cafe. She is adorable and makes us hot chocolate when we stay here til 1:30 am playing "Red Alert". She is supposed to close at 11pm. But when we are all here she will stay open til whenever, and if the internet cafe is full when we walk in, she will often kick kids out so we have a place to play. She is adorable! And it is not like she is making oodles off of us (at least not by american standards) - we pay approximately $0.50/hour to use her computers. so she might make 12.00 off of us in an evening! Doesn't seem worth staying up an extra 3 hours for, does it?
Which brings me to the number one thing that I love about Thailand. THE PEOPLE!!! They are just plain NICE. For example, at the food stands the girls ordered a bunch of food "to go" so the vendors put the food in bags etc so the girls could take it with them, then the girls decided to stay and eat at the tables there. In america they would have just eaten out of their take out dishes, but here the women rushed up with plates and forks and drinks etc and "served" the girls their food from their take out packages. Now, these women are not getting tips for their work! We don't tip them for serving or for cleaning up! They just do it because they are nice and they want to be our friends. Many of the vendors who are not as used to seeing "farangs" (Any foreigner not from asia) are excited when we want to order from them. There is a place on my walk back from the school I teach at in the mornings that sells these fried coconut things. They are really good and hard to describe, but anywho everytime I walk up they look like I have just "blessed them" and they smile and talk and say "thank you very much." They are just a very friendly sort of people and they love to practice their english.
It is strange sometimes to hear everyone talking about you. You learn pretty quickly what the word farang means, and so you hear it in the midst of all the other language you don't understand. I am beginning though to pick up on some of what they say. I think it is funny that I attract so much attention. I certainly don't think I am worth all the talking they do. (And I am sure I would not find all of it flattering) But for the most part people here are just so excited to get to know you, that they will go out of their way to make you feel welcome! They are wonderful!
They love it when you try Thai food. I will eat just about anything they give me just because it pleases them so much that I even care! So very different from America where we seem to have a "take it or leave it" mentality.

Jon took me to his "special place" out by the water on Monday. It was the quietest place I have been since I got to Thailand. There was no one around, we were in the middle of nowhere with the ocean on two sides of us. There was a wall you could walk along and look down in the water (no beach there at all) and you could see the little "walking fish" and crabs and snails that had attached themselves to the wall. There was a nice breeze. There is an old abandoned frame of a building. Just a concrete slab floor and concrete posts and a concrete slab roof. Just a big skeleton of what maybe was once an office or warehouse or something. It is littered with broken glass and dirt and such, but it was a wonderful place to me to just to get away. And it smelled GOOD out there. Not like the stinky city smell or the fishing boat smell that we have in mahachai. (It most often smells like rotting fish at the school where I live.) It was a wonderful time to just get away and think. And one of the most wonderful things was having time in the afternoon to just get away. In the states at about 1pm I would look longingly out my window and wish to be sitting on the grass in the sun enjoying the outdoors. I never had time to do so. Here jon and I just hopped on his bike and took a 15 minute ride out to no where and just sat for 3 hours. Amazing! It is one of the things I like about Thailand!!!! Life here is just so different.

More serious stuff:
Life here is not perfect. (Though sometimes to me it seems to be.) We visited a church this past week in Nontha Buri that is undergoing a big split. It seems the missionary that was working there and the national that started the church had some conflicts that could not be resolved. I have heard a little about them, and I have to say that there is (in my opnion) no good reason for the separation. I can only imagine the scathing letter that apostle Paul would write to these people were he given the responsibility of addressing their issues. It was a big dose of reality. And an excellent example of the kinds of things that send missionaries off the field and back home. It grieves me. The truth of the matter is that it is easy, it seems, to get so caught up in your own little sphere here that you lose all accountability and perspective. I have seen alot of problems with missionaries since I got here. Family problems, church problems, problems accepting the culture, but for the most part the missionaries don't see that they need any attitude changes, and their ministries suffer for lack of counsel!!! This is a HUGE problem. Please pray for the unity of missionaries around the world. I feel satan is just crippling the effectiveness of the missionaries I have seen, and he is using silly unimportant things to do so!!! On a personal note, I know I am not immune to the same stubborness and self-centeredness that I have seen here and it terrifies me. One thing that I see that often seems to hinder is the committment of the missionary to their ministry instead of their family. That means the one small piece of balance and counsel they do have they sacrifice and by doing so they damage the very ministry they are sacrificing for. I know that is not something that happens only to missionaries either. This is a big problem in the church and one that I feel we need to address. God set up a clear line of responsibility (at least as far as I can see.) We focus on Him first, on family second (as a reflection and example of God's relationship with us) and ministry 3rd!!!!! I do not believe it is God's will for family to be sacrificed to ministry!!!!
Sometimes teaching can get tiring. You have good days and bad days with the kids. You have good subjects and bad subjects. Some days other teachers are very encouraging and somedays they are infuriating. Sometimes you have enough money, sometimes you don't. Sometimes you like the food across the street, sometimes you just eat potatoe chips and soda. Some mornings you wake up feeling great and somedays you don't want to get out of bed at all. Pretty much it is exactly like life in the states. Only here everything seems bigger. You spend most of your time with the same 7 or so people. If you have a conflict with one then that makes a 20% or so difference in how your time is spent. This means little things can get way out of hand and it is easy to get disappointed or discontented with the way things are. This is something that I think God uses to teach us, but the learning is not always easy. Please pray for everyone here that we will learn to look at things from God's perspective and not our own. A big part of that is learning to think of someone else's interests before considering your own. THis is just not the normal human way to think, and it can be VERY DIFFICULT!!! Especially when our initial reaction is to protect ourselves from hurt or embarrassment. I have failed at this many times since I got here, and I have been very disappointed with myself on more than one occasion.

Plans:
I am heading to Chiang Mai this weekend. I fly out Friday and return Monday. Chiang Mai is about 12 hours north west by car. It is in the mountains. I am very excited about getting to see more of Thailand. I have not yet seen the beaches though, and I doubt I will get a chance to this trip, so I will just have to plan that when I get back. There is a missionary couple in Chiang Mai that I knew when I was at CIU. Since they left they have been in Vietnam and now are here. I am excited to hear their story and I look forward to getting to see their work in Chiang Mai. (Chang-MY) Please pray that I will be open to anything God wants to teach me, and that I will enjoy this brief time away from the good and bad things about Mahachai.
I am considering going to India for a week before my return home. The major factors are whether I can get my plane ticket changed, whether I can get a visa, and whether I can afford the trip at all. It will cost me about 500.00. Not bad at all!!! I really would like to go, but have been dragging my feet about getting it all worked out! I need to hurry up and decide and get task oriented. Please pray that I will be open to and aware of God's will in this decision.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I look forward to hearing from or seeing you all very soon!

Christy Rich

NYC Post 3

2009-03-02T11:41:00.000-05:00

Sorry that this post is long overdue, but Thank God for the snowday which allows me to get caught up! (Hint: Cursor over pics for additional info)

On Friday 2.13 I visited the MoMA for a few hours. It was free admission night (sponsored by target) and the place was packed!

I didn't get to hang out very long, but I did see a few things that I liked:

I am a sucker for modern furniture and this one really caught my fancy.
It is the Prince Chair by Louise Campbell 2002.

The cold, bare garden at MoMA:

One of the things I LOVE about NYC - the different kinds/eras/functions of architecture all crammed into such a small space!

More delightfully modern chairs:

More modern furniture:

In the background of the pictures you can see an exhibit that I really enjoyed and want to research more: Esquire covers from 1962-1972".
Several of the covers I would love to find prints of and hang on a wall someday as they have poignant social commentary.
Like this one:

and:

and:

I was fascinated!

I ever so briefly popped up to the 5th & 6th floor galleries and the first one I turned into had this in full view.

I have never figured out whether I am drawn to this painting because on some inner level I can relate to it, or because I CANNOT relate to it. But it mesmerizes me, never the less.

There were many fantastical things in those galleries: Matisse, Monet, Van Gogh, Picasso, Rousseau - etc. It was at this point that I realized that it was a dishonor to fly through these galleries for just a glimpse (and I was on my way to meet a friend for dinner) so I promised all these fantastic artists that I would return someday to stand, stunned, in front of their beautiful expressions. Until then, I would hold the MoMA in my mind as a bastion of all the things in life that I love - that draw me to tears and tear at my heart.

After dinner that night (which we ate at Havana which I would recommend b/c they have the best Mojitos in the world!) we visited the M&M store (which I posted about earlier.) Here are a few more images for those of you who could not see the first.

Liz and I teased b/c she came up with purple about thirsting for knowledge and mine came up pink about being sweet, etc. We think maybe the machine got us confused. ;-)

A few images of Time Square:

Natalie, my friend from CIU that was such a fantastic hostess, charmed with me valentines gifts!

Nat's place:

The Trains:

Union Square:

Seen around NYC:

Sometimes you see acts of compassion that make you thank God in this city so busy with the post-post-modern. People still have work to do.

Elizabeth and I were sitting on a park bench discussing 'everything' (books that is) when we saw a group of people lining up. I thought maybe they were waiting for a bus - but it seemed a long time (and a long line) for a bus. We found out that they were lining up for soup and bread and people who would speak to them a good Word of hope.

Street art:

while Liz and I were standing on a corner and she was using her handy-dandy fold-out map to figure out where we were, I noticed a vending machine unline any other I had seen. I could get Jesus on a ring for .50!!! I had to have one!

Found a new Japanese clothing store that I loved:

Everything in the store was clean lines, clean colors, clean textures. I was in uniqlo> in love!

NYC's eternal legacy

Bloomingdale's is celebrating Barbie's birthday!

Liz takes in the mini-display:

BUT if you want a more ethic feel to your delightful doll you can buy one of these:

Here:

NYC Police Dept.

Frogs in Chinatown:

Little Italy:

We stopped at ChaCha's for dinner in Little Italy. The ambience was nice, and the waiters were cute, but I sent back food for the first time in my life! I ordered stuffed shells, but the ricotta was soooo sour, I just couldn't believe it was good. It was like tasting 2 month old lumpy milk. I felt horrible. I am one of the most adventurous people I know regarding food, and I love all kinds, but I just cannot believe that is what my food was supposed to taste like! But I ended up with this (which was delicious!)

Liz makes her 'mmmm, this is yummy!' face:

worse for wear but very content (also, you can see my jesus ring on my right hand!)

Union Square at night:

Do you recognize where Liz and I ate our Breakfast Tuesday morning?

The service was FANTASTIC - no soup nazi here!!!
We had cute little glasses of OJ:

Coffee love - see my ring again?

A fanatastic and very affordable breakfast!

Sadly, this is the only Pic Elizabeth and I had taken of us together.

That pretty much covers it. The only thing I haven't talked much about is how fantastic BOTH church services I went to on Sunday were. Maybe I will get around to pondering that shortly. (Though, I have so much of that nature that I am pondering now that I don't know which to type up first!)

Whooooooo. That was some serious picture-age!

...its a wonderful town!

2009-02-19T10:01:00.002-05:00

Probably my first introduction to New York:

My trip was so full, and yet I didn't get to see 1% of what I want to see in NYC. NYC feels like an analogie of life - there is just so much more than you can even imagine and yet we miss most of it just trying to get from place to place.

Saturday morning I had an interview with the NYC Teaching Fellows. A great program really, but pretty competitive. The interview was interesting, and the people I met were very interesting.

After the interview I walked around Union Square a little, and then went back to Brooklyn. It was the first time I figured out the trains completely by myself and I remembered how to get where I was going without having to look in my 'everything' book for directions. I blogged a little when I got back to Natalie's and then Liz came over and met me at Natalie's (she was hanging out in Brooklyn anyway, 'cause that is how she rolls.) We went to a little place called The Habitat in Brooklyn. Natalie met us there on her way back from seeing a movie with friends. It was a nice quiet, relaxed evening. I had brocolli and cheese soup and a glass of sangria. It was a chilly night but the walk back to Natalie's wasn't so bad, and I slept well.

Sunday morning I got up and went to the Upper West Side to meet Liz and her roommate Mindy for church at Trinity Grace. The service was great, and I really enjoyed the message. I also like their motto, "Joining God in the renewal of all things."
Liz and I had bagels for lunch that day and then we put together a wardrobe she bought from Ikea. I really should have taken a picture of it because we did such a smashing good job! Then we went to All Angels Church for the evening service. It is where Natalie has been attending lately. (You might recognize the name if you have read "Girl meets God" by Lauren Winner - which I would highly recommend.) The service was half liturgical and half contemporary. I enjoyed it very much. Basically, they are discussing being bold in our witness, challenging us to be fully present in every moment to be aware and available in our lives. I felt encouraged greatly by their genuiness and humble spirit. The church has several homeless members that attend the Sunday night service and then they share a meal afterwards with all present.

However, we skipped the meal as I was craving pizza!!!! Liz and I went down to Arturo's on Houston. (That is House-ton btw, not Houston (like the city in Texas.) New Yorkers are weird.) Here is one review of the restaurant. I thought the food was pretty good, though the service was moderate to poor and the wait was long. It is a fun atmosphere though. Prices have gone up since the 2003 review I liked too - Now it is $18-$20 for a small pie. Youch! But we split it, so it wasn't so bad.

We parted ways after and again I made my way home via train and did not get lost. *does empowered dance*.

I think I will save Monday for a separate entry because I have alot of pictures I want to post.

If you can make it there, you'll make it anywhere!

2009-02-14T16:42:00.002-05:00

Ah, NYC, an enigma. A hodgepodge of cultural, linguistic and ethnic backgrounds. A city full of gargantuan sky scrapers and homey little brownstones. Marble terraces and warm, worn hardwoods. Street graffiti and some of the best known pieces of artwork in the world. I feel like my thoughts trill at the stretching point here - my soul sending off an electric hum, vibrating from the waves of emotional energy generated by so many busy, intelligent, artistic, fashionable people.

My flight from Charlotte was delayed because of wind and when we we descending to LGA I wondered whether, for the first time in all the flying I have done in the past decade, I was going to lose my lunch. After about 20 minutes tossing back and forth the plane landed. Thankfully, the terminal dumped me about 200 steps from the bus stop. I took the Q33 to the E which I took to Court Square where I caught the G and exited at Greenpoint. This is successfully navigated with my bookbag and bright blue carry-on (with wheels! PTL.) I arrived at Natalie's safely and quickly settled in. I hadn't seen her in about 6 years (since we had both moved from Columbia, SC.) I had a very comfortable and enjoyable Thursday evening just chatting with her. (We stayed up til 3 talking about life, and God and NYC. It was the perfect NY welcome.)
Friday I, errrr, slept kinda late. Then I went into Manhattan to meet Natalie for lunch. With my sister navigating NYC via the internet and a cell phone, she directed me around the city a bit and finally I ended up at MoMA for a few hours during Target's Free Friday nights. AMAZING.

I met my friend, Elizabeth, for dinner at a cuban restaurant off Time Square. Certainly there are many really expensive things here, but there are alot of really reasonable things too, you just have to look and be creative. I had a very very enjoyable time chatting with her about NYC life, and her job and where God has us and how wonderful it is to just accept where God puts you and to look for every opportunity to grab life and squeeze every drop from it. Drink it to the dreggs!

After dinner we walked into Time Square and went to the M&M store to see what color we were! (There is a little scanner gizmo on the 2nd floor that tells you your personality color!) We laughed at all of the M&M's (offered at 11.99/lb and up!) Ok, seriously, I think you can go to Eckerd and buy a 1 lb. bag for 2.99 -- I am pretty sure after christmas 07 I got bags for .64 each! And so, we laughed at how people will by the same old thing that they already know and like, but pay a ridiculous amount more just for the packaging. Pretty much like so many relationships. People already have a pretty good thing, or the opportunity at a pretty good thing, but they will toss it away just for a package upgrade. Now, I agree that the aesthetics of certain colors of M&M's are appealing, but seriously, are you buying them to look at them or to eat them? And if the latter, then do you want to pay $8 more just so that you can look at them for the 3 seconds it takes to get them from your hand to your mouth? Really? I often speculate that people are NOT the smartest creatures God created -- maybe the most intelligent but definitely not the smartest!

Some pics of M&M World, NYC:

Though I mocked it, it is fun to walk through the store (and free!) and you can take pictures of all the different colors which will last more than 3 seconds and can be viewed while munching on your 99cent bag from the 7-11. The best of all worlds.

The website for M&M World is Here.

I was trying to upload a video, but I am wiped after this morning/day so I need to go rest for a little while before dinner.

Meant to post these long ago....

2009-02-04T18:32:00.000-05:00

One of the fun things about being overseas is hearing what is popular radio there. I remember some horribly annoying songs from both Thailand and the Dominican Republic (I should post them sometime.) But here are two that were very popular during my time in Seoul.

This is the long version of this video but it is kinda funny AND I love the translation. Sometimes it makes you say, "hmmmmmmmm".

Some serious Korean girl pop here, but fun anyway. I would never condone such cuteness stateside, but somehow Asia makes it work.

some more

2009-01-21T07:54:00.023-05:00

The palace was very nice. It was a cloudy day, threatening rain (which it never did) and warmer than the previous 3 weeks. (I think it might have hit 40 F!)

I thought this was interesting since I had read about the traditional murals of the Joseon dynasty when I was in the Museum the previous week. (Refer to early post.) So to see it in this receiving or announcement hall was pretty neat.

One thing I love (and I think I have mentioned it before) is the detail of the buildings. Most traditional Korean architecture seems much simpler and less overt that south east asia, but the detail in the ceilings, on the metal work, etc. is very beautiful.

These are from an ancient water clock.

I heartily wish I could see this place during the spring and summer. I bet it is beautiful.

I also went into the art museums they have there on the palace grounds. I liked several of the pieces of artwork, but was horribly disappointed when I went to the museum shop and could find no postcards, posters or other prints.
I have done a little hunting on the internet but still cannot find them.

After leaving the palace I stopped for some yummy food.

Greasy gooey goodness and so hot. It was fantastic (I was finally chilly after walking around in the humid though warmer weather.)
I then got on the subway to go back to the National Museum to pick up a few things for friends.
The problem with exploring and sight seeing by yourself is that there is no one else to take pictures of you. I tried placing my camera on a bench and using the timer. Here is the result.

Afterwards rode the subway some more. I love it!

Went to the HRC to pick up something for my nephew and had dinner there.

Then I did a little more shopping and came home. Thus concluded Sunday night.
Monday I went to the Sauna. Very interesting, Korean Saunas. Disneyworld is supposed to be the happiest place on earth, but I beg to differ. These spas are like nothing I have ever seen before. You shower and scrub down, maybe lay around in several different temperature whirlpools. Redress (sexes are separated so the bath part is not co-ed) in little soft pajama type outfits that they give you. You walk out into a huge room that has all these different rooms off of it - Charcoal Room, Oxygen Room, Foot Bath Room, Salt Room. The one I was at had two snack bars and a restaurant. It also had an internet cafe. Most of my pictures turned out too blurry to be interesting (think I needed some different settings for my camera) but these few were ok.

One of the things I loved about it was that whole families go. There are kids playing everywhere. Not being disruptive, just being happy. Clean and happy. Families take naps together, read together, play games together. There is even a Karaoke room. It is such a happy, clean, relaxed place. If I move back here, it will become a weekly ritual for me.

The rest of the week has been hectic and sad. Saying goodbye to students today. I said goodbye to my M,W,F class. I really wasn't sure I would make it out without crying. I will miss them. I will miss the fun and excitement when I get back to charlotte and everything is so winter-blues and ho-hum. But, for the time being, I guess that is where I am supposed to be.

More later.

The super quick post

2009-01-20T19:03:00.000-05:00

Sorry about the quality, but at least it gives an idea.

Several Days of Catch Up Part A

2009-01-20T04:08:00.012-05:00

Saturday night Jess, Amanda and I went into Seoul to visit NamDaeMun and Myeong Dong again. Shop for a few things and enjoy the relatively warmer night (it was around 32 degrees, but so much warmer than it had been for the previous week!)

These little street markers are very helpful!

I bought something for my neice here.
We stopped and got some hot chinese bread - one was full of black beans and the other of pork and onions, etc. They were so good.

Sunday I was unable to get to church. I wanted to visit Life Church but realized it is only about 15 minutes from here - which would seem like a good thing, but the truth is that I can figure out how to get somewhere 2 hours from here, but getting around the Seoul suburbs is beyond my ability. I was disappointed. But the day turned out to be quite great!
I rode the 8100 into town and thought I would get off at the Lotte, but ended up getting off at the next stop which is basically in front of this building:

There is a bit of a story to tell about the building that you cannot see because it is behind a large construction wall. What you are not seeing is the #1 national treasure of Korea. Namdaemun (Sungnyemun) is the Great Southern Gate from the Joseon Dynasty. (I am learning that is a very important historic era for Koreans). The gate was damaged by arson in Feb. of 2008 and has remained hidden from the public since then. Apparently the fire was set by a man who was mad about a land deal gone bad. (You get to learn about so many interesting things when you travel!) I am sad that Korea lost the oldest wooden structure in Seoul but I have to admit there is another that looks just like it at Dongdaemun which I saw from a distance when I made a trip to that area last weekend to go shopping.

I decided not to go directly to the subway as I had originally intended and headed instead toward a sign that said something or other palace. On the way I saw this sign which made me giggle.

Just as I was approaching the Deoksugung Palace I heard what sounded like a marching band (drums, trumpets, etc.) turned out to be the changing of the guard. And I was there, just in time, on complete accident! How fantastic!

I have so much more I want to say, but I have to get to bed, so bear with me, another chapter will be included soon!

Some odds and ends

2009-01-16T08:17:00.025-05:00

I have a lot of odds and ends to post again. Lotsa pictures of things, stuff and other things.

First, I went to the stationary store today and bought some things for me and my nephew. A cute pencil box and some pens. Pens like these are usually $3 or $4 in the States, but here they are under $1. Stickers!!!! And a cat shaped 'sleep eye mask' for the plane. I giggled with glee.

This morning, when I left my aparment I found that it was snowing!

Of course, the kids loved it. It was so hard to get them all in a picture.

After lunch we played in the snow.

Lunch today was that weird, not-even-close-to-shrimp shrimp-shaped fried things. They taste good, but more like rice noodles than meat. We also had rice (of course) and soup and pasta salad and yogurt for dessert. Quite satisfying.

James had two bowls of soup. He is often a bottomless pit!

Laura was chatting me up at lunch.

This is Harry and I.

After work today (after my visit to the stationary store - my favorite consumer haunt) a hoard of us when to have dinner for Mark's birthday.

Jess and I at dinner.

We ate Sam Gyup Sal. Here is the meat on the grill and the fixings.

We also had green noodles that are made out of some kind of mountain plant. Not sure what I was eating but it tasted good.

It was a good day. Hard to believe I have less than a week left. Oh, Korea, how I will miss you!!!

Dr. Fish

2009-01-16T07:05:00.013-05:00

Last night, Thursday, we went to the Dr. Fish Cafe to have our feet cleaned by little doctor fish. The place was very nice, comfortable, warm and fun.

First, you order a cup of coffee, or some other delectable warm drink from the coffee bar. I had a lovely Sweet Potatoe Latte which was not that sweet, warm and very deliscious!

You also get to have all the bread you can eat from their little 'self bar' which means, you go toast your own bread. They also had soju snacks (like peanuts or pretzels at an American bar that would be served with beer, etc.)

We sat and enjoyed our hot drinks and toast, etc. for a while. It was very relaxing and comfortable.

Then, it was time to go soak our feet. First you wash your feet in nice hot water and then you stick them in the tank.

It is a little intimidating, the 3 girls I was sitting with were shreiking and giggling and having a hard time. The idea never really bothered me, but then, I don't think I have a big fish phobia. I am fine swimming in lakes and the ocean. The fish nibbling you does kind of tickle but after a little while you get used to it.

These are the beauticians that work so hard to make our feet nice and clean and smooth.

We left about 9 pm. 3 hours of food and fun for about 9,200 won (roughly $6.25).
After we wandered the street outside for a little while, then I came home. It was a good, fun, cheap evening!

some odds and ends

2009-01-14T05:16:00.021-05:00

What to do when you get off the subway in Seoul (ok, not all that unlike what you do when you get off the subway other places, but the signs are interesting.)
#1 figure out which stop you just got off at:

#2 figure out which exit you want to take to get out of the subway station and onto the street (which is rather important as there are usually at least 4 and often 6 or 8 choices that will put you on different street corners from which the view might be dramatically different.)

#3 figure out where you are trying to go. (This is the point at which you wonder why you left your warm room to try to explore the streets in a city where it hasn't been above freezing in close to two weeks!)

Another thing I love about the subways. There are no exit signs. Instead all the signs say:

Other things I enjoy include the different vending machines, like these which are at the building where I teach:

Some close ups for you to examine:
Here is a funny thing - you can go buy a can of soda like the skinny ones you see in the pictures in the 7-11, familymart or other convenience stores for 800 or you can get one from the machine for 500. Sometimes there are machines right outside the convenience stores. It took me a little while to catch onto this, but I am smart to their sneaky ways now!

I keep forgetting to take pictures of my lunch until after I have started eating it! Oops. So here are yesterday's and today's lunches.

Yesterday's lunch was just strange. They do these weird protein meat things that aren't really anything distinguishable. (I would be worried about what they are serving us except soy products etc. are much cheaper than any exotic meat that I wouldn't want to eat. I had already eaten the salad which was good before I remembered to take the picture. The frenchfries are always cold, so I usually pass them off to the kids or toss 'em.
Today's lunch, however, was fantastic. The rice had that spicy red sauce on it which was HOT but sweetish and totally yummy. Another one of those cases where my mouth is burning but I just keep eating it because I enjoy it so much. But the soup....oh, let me tell you about the soup. Udon soup has a lovely light broth, slightly sweet, lotsa yummy thick noodles, various seafood (looked like imitation crab to me) and fried something (not sure what it was, but it tasted vegetable like) and it was SO good. I always struggle because about every 4th day we have a new dish that I think must be the best thing we have had in the cafeteria. (As you know, I often get to eat really yummy stuff outside the cafeteria) but I think that Udon might be my favorite - though the spicy stuff was really good too. My ramen hybrid steeping next to me no longer sounds so appealing.

On Friday night I bought this dress:

And on Saturday these super warm leg warmers which I love (flattering they may not be, but fuction over form in this weather, I say!)I wore them both to school today.

I often get little gifts from my kids. You know, elementary school kid gifts -- the odd piece of candy, the gonggi, things they make, etc.
Here are a few examples:

Notice the stickers, etc. I also got a small card (which is inside my nametag and I forgot to pull it out and take a picture of it.) But, I have to admit my favorite is the drawing that Julie gave me. She is quite talented.

(the artist is on the left.) I have three Julies in my MWF class. They labeled themselves Julie 1, Julie 2 and Julie 3. Julie 2 is my drawer.

Oh, I cannot wait to take video of them doing their little performance of Calendar Girl by Neil Sedaka. We have motions and a little dance and everything. They are SO adorable.

And I forgot to mention that when I got up this morning I found that it had snowed just a little bit. It was already evaporating (so cold and dry here) but still, it was pretty.

And I am still infatuated with the magpies. This one was saying absolutely horrible things to me today as I passed it on my walk to school. I would have scolded it for the language it was using, but I was just too cold to do more than take its picture.

Ok, that is enough for now. I still have one more test to write before I can go to sleep, and I didn't sleep well last night! Sorry that it took a few days to post. I am sure to have a few more adventures before I leave!

I am preparing another post, but in case it doesn't get done tonight...

2009-01-14T04:55:00.001-05:00

I'm on my way, I don't know where I'm going. I'm taking my time, but I don't know where.

2009-01-11T07:33:00.002-05:00

It has been a busy weekend. Having 6 day work weeks really wipes you out! I have many little details about Fri, Sat. & today to share, so bear with me if I wander to and fro during this narration. (Scroll over pictures for captions.)

We had 'Halloween' for our special activity at school on Friday and Saturday. (Remember, I teach two different sets of classes, so it was not the same kids both days.) So from 2:30 to 4:00 (ish) in the afternoon the kids put on their costumes and went to different classroom for different activities in 15 minute increments. In my second hour class on Friday the kids wanted me to put on these silly glasses.

They got a good giggle out of it, and then we got back to class.
Here are a few pictures of the kids dressed in their costumes.

The days were fun, but exhausting. I also found another American product with a fun transliteration.

Original American Style Taste? What exactly is an American Style Taste? In this case it is Mountain Dew, I guess.

Saturday night Amanda and I went into the Myeong Dong market in Seoul. It was quite chilly, but we had alot of fun shopping. We took the 8100 bus straight in, got there about 6 - shopped and walked til 10ish and were home before 11.
There are many things to see there. This guy was selling potatoes fried in these weird spirals. They smelled good but he wanted 2,000 won for them. :-( Too expensive.

Some weird looking fish and octopus things:

The streets in Myeong Dong:

We ate fresh dimsun from a street vendor. Have I mentioned that eating from street vendors is one of my favorite things about traveling?

I like the fashion fads in Seoul this year. Largely inspired by the weather no doubt, but the girls still manage to look cute and feminine. Me, I look like a bundled up albino pimple, but at least I stay relatively warm.

At Myeong Dong I bought 4 pairs of earrings and a ring, and a little dress (which is a tad bit too small for me.) I spent around $15.00.

Sunday I went back into Seoul, this time by myself. I had thought that one of the girls was going in with me, but I ended up wandering the city alone and I had a great time. I am sufficiently tired now and am trying to get all this recorded before I zonk out for the night. I left Dankook about noon and arrived in Seoul at about 5 til 1. I jumped on the subway and road to Dongdaemun to walk along their market. I don't think I ever found the real market there, just some side and back streets.

The sandwich was yummy. They have a kind of ketchup-y stuff here that is sweetish. I like it on things like this (especially since I like ketchup on my eggs, etc.) It was 1,500 won and it made me warmer in the bitter coldness of the market.

So, I left Dongdaemun (well, really I was trying to find the real market but got turned around and headed the wrong way, which is easy to do around here since I don't read Korean and there is alot of construction. After about 15 very cold minutes I stumbled upon a fish market. I was in many different fish markets in s.e. asia so I am not at all a-feared of them, so I thought I would see what this one contained. (Sidenote: fish markets are MUCH more pleasant in this bitter cold than in the 100 degree tropical sun.)

(I paused for a moment in the midst of writing this to retrieve my laundry from the washingmachine and hang it to dry, and to run downstairs to the chinese restaurant and order some black beans and noodles for dinner. YUM! Most Korean restaurants do not have doggy bags, so since I wanted the food to go, I took down my ziploc plastic bowls and had them fill them up. Which worked quite nicely as they filled one with noodles and the other with sauce (giving me LOTS of sauce) so that I have extra sauce for rice tomorrow night. Life is sweet!)

When I emerged from the fish market it was bitterly cold and I was no longer on a main street so there were no big department stores etc. to duck into. I realized I HAD to get out of the cold soon. (My thighs were so cold I couldn't feel them anymore.) Within 10 minutes I reached a subway station so I went down to try to figure out where I was. I took the subway to Ichon (which was NOT what I thought it was) but ended up right at the National Museum of Korea. I took it as a sign from God. *smile*

The museum was free and very warm and comfortable. I am sure I would have gotten more out of it had I actually known anything about Korean history prior to the 20th century. The biggest problem with not knowing things is not knowing that you don't know until you realize that you don't know because you didn't know that you didn't know. Anyway, it was still very interesting. Here are a few pictures.

We weren't allowed to use a flash in the museum so the pictures of the artwork are a little dark. Hopefully though you will still see how relaxing it was.

Neat puzzles in the gift shop.

After the museum, I got back on the subway and went to Namdaemun market. I was getting really tired by this point, the cold wears me out, but the things there were still funny. I laughed outloud when I saw these boxers.

I bought some gifts from this store.

Someday I want to buy one of these.

Lots of wrapping paper:

Now we come to the most important part of today! Look what I found!!!!

Here are some of my kids playing Gonggi in class on Saturday.

From Korea

I got home safely tonight about 7.30 but I am wiped, so I am going to go to bed now.
Hope you all are well! *hugs*

On my own

2009-01-10T20:28:00.001-05:00

Looks like I am on my own today. One of the girls said she would go with me into town, but she has disappeared and made plans with other friends. There has been alot of that on this trip. It is all ok though. I figure I will take my camera and my cell phone (which works here but costs a fortune) and go see what I can see. The intimidating thing is that it is 10:00 am and still only about 16 degrees outside with a high of 22 and a 20% chance of snow!

Anyway, hopefully this evening you will get a nice full update with lots of pictures and good stories!

Oh! The places you'll go!

2009-01-08T06:22:00.015-05:00

I have so many thoughts that I want to share, and so many ideas big and small about my time here that I have been loath to sit down and try to sort through them, but here I go.

First, I have a sad confession to make. *deep breath* I don't like kimchi. I know! How horrid! How could such a thing be? The truth of the matter is that it tastes exactly like it is described - Rotten Cabbage It is pungent and usually fishy and it just tastes like 10 day old garbage. There, I said it. I am sorry, Korea! I love so very many things about you and I will continue to love you for all of your amazing qualities, but I have to admit, I love you inspite of your kimchi.

In happier news, one of my students, Sara, gave me some gonggi of my very own!

I made the little paper box for them right away and I am cherishing them as I write this (looking aside at the box where they lay nestled waiting for me to practice some more.) Last night Amber and I went into the hall about 10:00 and tried to play. News flash, Gonggi is not so easy. The kids make it look simple. I am old hence I am slow. It will take some practice, but I was making progress last night. I will have to take myself back out into the hall so my Korean neighbors can laugh at me some more. But maybe, someday, I will be able to pick up all 4 and do the hand flip thing. (See previous post.)

I wanted to tell you about the water coolers in the cafeteria. They are really neat and make alot of sense. There are sanitizing containers and you pick up a little metal cup, get water, then when you are finished you put the cup in one of the holes in the bottom of the cupboard (and presumably, they are taken away, washed and replaced.)

More on the Bungeoppang: the nice seller who gives me extras. When I bought them on Tuesday, he gave me a banana cream one as well as the sweet red beans.

Yesterday, Gillian (one of the Korean English teachers) and I had dinner. The bowl is Bi Bim Bop which was amazingly yummy. The other is kimbap which is kind of like a sushi roll. There was also amazing soup and the obligatory side of kimchi which thankfully Gillian doesn't like either, so I did not have to feel a complete traitor when I admitted I didn't like it.

This evenings I took the #40 bus to Emart.

As mentioned before it is like a grocery store, departments store and mini-mall all rolled into one. I went by myself and had time to walk around and look at things at my leisure. It seems a little overpriced compared to other places I have shopped, so my total bill this time was only about $7.00. I bought some Korean 'cider' which is very popular here. This would be an Inigo Montoya moment where "I do not think that means what you think it means" is appropriate. It is not 'cider' at all but rather a clear carbonated drink somewhere between gingerale, 7-up and something else.

I also bought some DimSum freshly made:

and proceded to eat it all *ugg*.

I also bought some of the yogurt drink the kids have everyday at school. I bought a package of 20 (it cost me about 1.50) and intend to drink half of them and bring the other half home for my family to try.

I was going to take the bus back to my apartment, but when I got down to the street level I saw the bus I needed go flying by. It was terribly cold tonight (about 25 F) but cold enough that I did not want to stand on the corner for another 20 minutes waiting for the next bus, so I walked back. The walk would have been darling on a warm summer night, but in the cold it was a little uncomfortable (especially with all my groceries in my backpack.) Also, about 2/3rds of the walk is a pretty steep uphill climb. But, I like walking, and I also like exploring by myself AND I was glad that I had learned the way of getting to Emart on the bus ride over, so I just embraced the half an hour walk and thanked God that the uphill climb kept me warm enough to keep my mind off the cold.

On the way back I pass what must be a hospital or a medical center and there is a statue of Christ that always catches my attention.

His face looks rather reminiscent of the statues of the greek gods, and not so much Semitic. This is probably a result of scholasticism (the Catholic church's daliance with Greco-Roman culture that emerged just prior to the Rennaisance in an attempt to reconcile Aristotilian/Greek philosophies to the teachings of the Catholic church.)
Anyway, it is attractive but not very accurate.

I am now over half-way through my time here. I am a muddle of emotions. I love it here. The thought of going home, settling down and not getting to return breaks my heart, but the thought of another year away from home is also heart breaking. I don't have an answer.

There are many other things I could share, but I need to get settled for bed.

The not so important stuff

2009-01-05T07:14:00.005-05:00

Sunday I went to the DMZ. I want to post about that, but I need to think on it a little longer and do a little more research. So, for the not so important stuff:

Before the DMZ tour on Sunday we walked around a Namdaemun market in Seoul for about an hour. I liked the little metal disk in the street that told us where we were.

We saw a shop where they sell traditional Korean outfits for children.

The tour bus was scheduled to pick us up at the Hilton at 11:00 am so we wandered around the lobby a little. This was the huge christmas tree dominating the lobby. It was quite beautiful.

The nativity there was very pretty.

Can you find the KitKat bar?

After the DMZ we went to Seoul Tower. It has a beautiful view of the city.
The tower:

The night view:

Afterward I ended up walking through the city for about 40 minutes by myself. It wasn't so bad. I always feel like you never really get to know a city until you walk or drive around it by yourself. I never really got to do that in the big cities in the DR (a little bit in the colonial section of Santo Domingo), but it was nice to have a chance to do so here. It is like Seoul and I kept passing each other at parties but we formally met last night, though the encounter was brief. I hope to rub shoulders with Seoul more in the future.

From DMZ Trip and 1-5-09

Here are a few other odds and ends. A stop sign in Korea (this one is at the corner up in the University where I teach.)

Our Korean Dorm mother. She is so sweet and cooks for us sometimes and is just generally kind, patient and helpful even though her American tenants can sometimes be quite annoying!

North Korean Soju - ummm, ick.

One of my favorite Korean Snacks:

How I am wasting my time (but a handy skill to keep kids entertained in odd times of nothing to do.)

Tonight's snack (and tomorrow's):

The frozen version of Bungeopang has icecream inside instead of red beans. I am addicted to Milkis and allow myself to drink one (almost every day) only because I know in less than three weeks I won't be able to get it anymore.

Alright, that is enough for now. I am still trying to get rested from yesterday's excursion.

Friday, Jan 2, 2009 (and a little from Jan 1)

2009-01-02T05:44:00.000-05:00

First, the big news! We had a cake decorating contest today. I had so much fun! It was hysterical and adorable and whimsical and care-free.

Watch the video here!

Now for news mostly about food:

The food was ok, but it has been my least favorite lunch so far.

Our 'dorm mother' made a traditional new years soup for us yesterday evening. Wow, so good. Beef, rice noodles, onions. Amazing.

Here are Sarah, Amber, Michelle, Mark and Diana enjoying the yumminess!

A few hours later we went out to dinner for Amanda's 23rd birthday. We found a Chinese restaurant on the 2nd floor of the building I live in (I am on the 7th floor) which had really amazing prices and some incredible food.

Brandon ordered fried rice and got a serving of black bean sause as well.

Amanda ordered seafood and rice in some kind of red sauce. Apparently it was very spicy!

The restaurant was having a special last night for new year's. Black beans and noodles which were only 1,000 won instead of 2,000 and very delicious.(I am about to eat my left overs for dinner tonight.) Apparently, this dish is somewhat traditional (we had it at school today too.)

Eating noodles with chopsticks is a little bit of a challenge (at least, if you don't want to wear sauce home with you) but apparently I did fairly well since the Korean girl who was with us asked where I had learned to use chopsticks. I have actually had a few Koreans compliment me on my use of chopsticks. It makes me laugh since I remember the first time I ate at a Thai restaurant where we had to use chopsticks (most of the time in Thailand you use a spoon) and I made a HUGE mess. I guess that was enough to encourage me to perfect my skills. Now I practice picking every piece of rice off my plate when I go to eat sushi. I guessed it finally paid off.

Brandon, Amber, myself and Brianna at dinner.

And lastly, because I know some of Michelle's friends have been reading this blog and because a few people have asked me about who I am here teaching with, this is Michelle in her room. She is next door to me, but teaches in the lower school building, and I teach in the upper school building. She is from Concord and I am from Charlotte. She is also the only other believer I know of in the American staff that is here.

God's love

2009-01-02T05:11:00.001-05:00

feels like a hot shower. When you first step in it seems uncomfortable, and maybe your skin turns a little red, but after you get used to it, you know that you will never try to get clean any other way.

5 Random Things to Love about Korea

2008-12-31T05:17:00.018-05:00

1. Gonggi

When I walked into two different classes today the children were playing this game. I hadn't seen them play before, but it could be that before I just wasn't paying attention.

These are my four teachers who taught me about the game. Their names are Lynn, Maria, Sara & Lucy. The game is played kind of like jacks. Here is a you tube example. These are NOT the kids I teach (just to avoid confusion) but they do give a good example of how the game is played.

I went out this afternoon to try to find the game pieces for myself and my newphew but struck out, which brings me to:

2. The Stationary Store
This is NOT Hallmark that we are talking about. The stationary store (where supposedly I could by Gonggi) is a veritable treasure trove of wonderfulness.
First, the one closest to us is hidden in a very unlikely place (further the treasure analogy.) Once you find the entrance you go down a twisty dark stairwell, but behold at the bottom, there is a veritable cornucopia of unexpected color, light and plastic!

I LOVE the Stationary store! There is paper (of course) but also art supplies, toys, hardware, gifts, party supplies, convenience store items, hair clips, glue guns, candy, etc. So many little things I want to bring home! I only made one purchase which brings me to:

3. face warmers/hygenic mask
This much disputed item either breeds sympathy or repulsion. On the flight over a girl was wearing a normal clinical white mask like a construction worker or dental assistant might sport. I think in her case it was a fear of being sick. Around here, however, you will see random people on the street with what look like doctor's masks except in different colors, fabrics and patterns. One of my students had one on today. I asked her about it and she said it keeps her face warm. I was beginning to get the picture that this was the idea anyway, because I don't generally see them on people walking around the Emart or hanging out in the classroom. They get put on when walking outside. My nose often turns so red on the long walk to the cafeteria that my students tell me I look like rudolph or like I have a strawberry nose. Anyone who knows me knows that I hate the cold. So, I invested in a facewarmer today. I am excited about wearing it tomorrow.

4. Maxim & Hallabong - Hot Drinks
Maxim - It isn't a raunchy men's magazine, and it isn't a feminine product. It is S. Korea's instant coffee! While I will always prefer pressed or brewed coffee, this is not an entirely bad stand in if you don't mind your coffee sweet. I found some in the Stationary store (of course!).

Hallabong Tea - Created from the Dekopon citris fruit and grown on Hallasan Mountain in S. Korea, Hallabong Tea is a native specialty. The tea is sold in a jar and looks like orange marmalade but it is a mixture of Dekopon and honey. You ladel two spoonfuls into a cup of steaming hot water and stir. Delectable does not begin to describe this sweet soothing liquid. This is definitely something I will be bringing back to the States with me. Michelle was nice enough to buy a jar and leave it in the kitchen for us all to enjoy and I have a steaming mug of it sitting here to sustain me as I create this post.

5. Korean Labels and signs
I just never tire of how fun it is to see things in a different language. It is not so noticeable in Spanish or other languages that use the same characters that English does, but in languages with a completely different alphabet, even the most 'normal' things look interesting.

There is ALOT of English around here even though we are surrounded by Korean. There are Dunkin Donuts, 7-11's, Outback Steakhouse, Baskin Robbins, Smoothie King, etc. Many Koreans speak English. Sometimes though, it still ends up making you wonder who exactly is in charge of translating and marketing.

Short update

2008-12-30T07:53:00.006-05:00

Today was largely uneventful. Woke up at 6am and could not get back to sleep so I posted the second half of Sunday to the blog. Went to school. School was fine but tiring. T, Th, Sat classes are just a little tougher. They are a little younger, speak a little less english, are a little less prepared and just make you work a little harder. They are still very cute though.

Last night we went to Emart and I bought a pillow. I was looking for something cheap, small and comfortable. Now don't be jealous, but this is what I found for just over 4,000 won: (the little gold one, not the pink one.)

The pink one was they one they gave us, but it is like a rock and oddly shaped for sleeping.

When I was in Seoul on Sunday I bought this book at a bookstore. It looks like a fairly good book, but I think I would learn any language faster in a classroom.

Lastly, two pictures from today's lunch.

See, they are cute, but so full of mischief!

Sunday Part Two

2008-12-29T16:40:00.002-05:00

This is Michelle and Emily standing in the upstairs foyer of Samil Church.

After church, the bookstore and passing the American Embassy we walked toward the Cheongwadae but kind of veered right in front of that strange building. We walked toward the Gyeongbok Palace which houses the Korean Folk Museum.

On the way in we passed some food stands. This one was selling chesnuts (roasted on a small propane burner) and the bugs (which I have now learned to smell from a block away. Not sure I am happy about that.) and something that looks like frenchfries but I think might be fish or something different (honestly, I didn't have time to stop and look.)

We tried some chesnuts. They were pretty good. Softer than I had thought. I don't know that I have had fresh roasted chesnuts before. Maybe, a long time ago...?

The details on the buildings are incredible. It is one thing I have noted and loved about the many different asian cultures that I feel shames much western culture and that is the intricacies of the details. Yes, in Europe and older buildings there are the carved beams and more ornate ornamentation, but traditional asian architecture (in my opinion) is far more striking.

We see these birds commonly. They are quite large, like an American crow, but so pretty. I don't remember seeing something exactly like this in the states. I asked Emily and she said it was a Magpie. I looked it up and here is a page with many different myths, legends and stories about the Korean Magpie.
The ones we see look like this one:
Apparently Magpies are common all over the world, but I do not remember seeing them on the east coast. *shrug* Maybe I don't know what I am looking for.

Here is a picture of Michelle and me standing outside of the Korean Folk Museum (it is located under this amazing structure.)

I liked this picture even though the banner is backward so the Korean is backwards. It was outside a representation of a traditional Korean pharmacy where herbs were hung to dry, etc.

The outside of the building, looking up from the left side outside the entrance to the Folk Museum.

More Details:

Inside the museum was an example of the paintings that were used on the interior roofs of many traditional structures. If I ever own a house again, maybe I should try this in some room.

I thought this was interesting:

I have not researched this but I remember catching the blurb on a tabloid as I was leaving the states about how Matthew McConaughey saved his son's placenta to replant it. I will have to research this more.

This is how the Koreans used to iron their clothes/cloth:
I thought it was interesting. They heated the iron, the placed the fabric on it and rolled it out with the wooden rods. Makes sense.

Michelle and I standing in front of a lighted display inside the museum.

After the museum Emily took us to a famous area in Seoul called Samcheong-dong which is littered with cafes, bistros and boutiques. It is very architecturally diverse and intersting. Things are trendy and eclectic and slightly eccentric. I would love to spend more time puttering around, but it was cold and we were needing to head home.

Lastly a few pictures of Seoul near Seoul Station. Blurry because I was walking and it was dusk.

Alright. I gotta get dressed for class, clean up the room a little and get outa here! Sleep well America. See you in the morning!

what I need to do, and what I am going to do

2008-12-29T06:43:00.002-05:00

what I need to do is finish posting about Sunday. i should probably put in a load of laundry, and maybe write some more post cards.

what i am going to do is briefly recap today and go to bed.

to start the morning, i forgot my nametag. that meant I had to come back down the mountain and run back up it which put me about 5 minutes late to class. (not really a problem because my CA was there, mostly just hugely annoying because it is cold and running up a mountain twice in half an hour makes me tired.)

at the end of lunch it started snowing. not alot, just small wet flakes. it snowed for about an hour. I was worse than any of the kids. i think it has been 3(?) years since i have seen snow. sometimes I would stop the lesson and be like 'ok, now we are going to go to the window and look at the snow!' it didn't really stick. just for a very little while. then it melted in and has in some places made slippery ice patches.

my classes are doing a song for their final program.

i think it will be fun.

after school some friends and I went to Emart. (Read previous post.)

I came home, showered and ate. now i should be writing about sunday, but I am going to watch a tv show online and go to bed. i am wiped.

You can Hate me if you want to

2008-12-29T05:55:00.009-05:00

***warning, this is a food post. Do not read if you are already hungry***

Tonight's aperitif:

After class today (Mon, 12-29) a few of the teachers and I went to Emart which is like a SuperWalmart, a Sears and a small mall all in one humongeous building.
This is Amanda, Amber, Brandon, Gillian and Bess. (There were 4 others, but I am not sure where they were at the time.)

The supermarket portion of this store is amazing. All kinds of things. It was probably smaller than many American grocery stores, but of course it was far more interesting to look at. There were people sampling different things all over the place (kind of like they do at Costco.)

Here you can buy Sushi by the piece.

Which is what I did.

Eventually, this was my dinner:

Dec 28th, 2008 - Church & Seoul Part 1

2008-12-28T07:14:00.001-05:00

Wow. So much I want to say about today, but I know my eyes won't stay open long enough to get it all out, so I am just going to give you some highlights that come to mind right away.

First, I broke into the can of Pine Bud Drink tonight. Wacky weird, I tell ya! It smells like Pinesol but the taste is sweet and vaguely reminiscent of the green nyquil (only without being nasty). I would like to tell you it is like Christmas in a can but that would be misleading, however, it does smell like a freshly cut pine tree. Wacky thing, it grows on you. I am half way through the can and I find myself picking it up more frequently.

This morning Michelle Cox and I went to Samil Church in Seoul. It is one of (I think) 6 locations where services are held for this church since there are over 30,000 members. ( Here is the web page translated.) I tried to video the choreographed praise song, but I couldn't figure out the camera in time. Oh well, maybe next week. They had translation available for us through wireless headsets which was great. The pastor (Jeon, Byung Wook) spoke on 1 Corinthians 13:4 - 7. I want to write some thoughts on his message, but I will save that for another post.

I did learn an interested cultural tidbit. I had asked our friend Emily, who took us to church, to write down the pastor's name for me. I handed her my copy of the bulletin and a red pen (because it was the only one I had with me, and the one which I had used to take notes throughout the service.) She kind of paused and said, "Just so you know, in Korea we only use red pen to write a name when the person is dead. Most younger people will understand, but elders still think about that and it will not be good." Oh, well, um....*frantically searches head for whether I used my red pen in any of my classes this week* Good to know. She did go ahead and use the pen to write the pastor's name, but I felt as though I was disrespecting him by even asking her to do so. As though such an action would threaten him in some way. So silly, but once you know that is the superstition, it is hard not to feel strange.

After church we went and ate lunch with some friends of hers and then had coffee. We went to a bookstore and I bought a beginners book to teach me how to write Korean letters. I should mention that we road the bus for an hour to get into Seoul then walked to the subway and rode it to a station close to the church. When we left we walked to lunch then took the subway to the bookstore then walked to the street level and ended up heading toward Cheongwadae, or The Blue House, so named for its blue roofs. It is the Korean equivalent of the White House in the United States as it is supposed to be the residence of the S. Korean president. We did not get to see it (even from a distance) as it was hidden behind this strange building.

On our way we passed the U.S. Embassy (which was closed) but it was nice to see where it is. I would like to take this moment to comment on how unhospitable and frankly ugly the U.S. Embassies seem to be in every country I have visited. In Bangkok you could walk right up the lawn and into most of the embassies. The U.S. Embassy however had barbed wire around the top of 8-10 foot high fences. This one was the same. They even had this complex gate system to search cars.

This picture is of a frozen fountain. Just to show that it really IS that cold here.

I have much more I want to tell, but I am so tired that I am going to stop making sense soon, so I will leave you with this picture as a teaser.

P.S. I finally found postcards so hopefully I will get them out this week!

P.S.2 - Sorry for the formatting craziness. It is hard to read and not aesthetically pleasing, but I am too tired to continue to tweek my html.

Day 2 of school

2008-12-27T05:05:00.000-05:00

I met my T, TH, Sat classes today. One of the 4 is phenominal. Good students, work hard, listened, participated. The other 3 classes were more difficult than the M, W, F group was. But that is ok. I know that sometimes a class that starts out rough gets better and vice versa.

Since the slide show I put together yesterday didn't work so well, and because I don't have a ton of pictures, here are some photoes from today.

This is my homeroom class and my 4th period class on T, Th & Sat.

This is the class I have 1st period on T, Th & Sat. There were a few that were a little behind, but overall they are pretty good.

This is my second period class and they are AWESOME!!!! Smart, great English skills, attentive. Well behaved.

Yesterday we got into the cafeteria early. Today we were one of the last classes and the line took forever. Hundreds of hungry kids do not make for patient and well-ordered lines. But we survived.

Our cafeteria lunches have been great! Yesterday and today we had the same thing - Fried Fish with tartar sauce, rice with carrots and corn cooked in and a thin layer of egg laid across the top with some sweet brown gravy, and a cabbage salad on the side.
They always serve some kimchi and a tangerine and the yellow on the right is some kind of root - but I am not sure what. And there is always some chicken broth.

This is my homeroom class eating lunch. My Assistant is the one standing with the weird animal earmuffs on her head. Her name is YeaJi. She is very sweet and very capable! A great assistant.

This is the walk down the steps from the cafeteria. There is a really pretty fountain running down the middle, though at the moment it has no water in it, just the remnants from some snow a week ago.

This is the view up the steps. We climb all those steps everyday to get to the cafeteria. (And it is really even worse than it looks because the top two flights look like one flight in this picture and about half of them you cannot see because of the angle.)

This is my 3rd period class T, Th & Sat. They were very well behaved as well. We are studying the Age of Inventions in their class.

This is my locker just inside the entrance across from the elevator on the 7th floor where my tiny room is. I am learning to utilize it since A.) we cannot wear our shoes inside and carrying them back and forth is a pain and B.) my room is so tiny, that any way to keep things organized and neat is very appreciated. I have a key so I can lock it. So I keep some gloves, shoes, scarf, hat, etc. in there (since I have to put all that stuff on every time I go outside!)

Yesterday I did not spend any money at all. Today I spent about 10,000 won (roughly $7.50). I bought a can of coffee and a bottle of tea in the morning and this afternoon I bought a slice of pizza, a cream filled 'cookie bread' and a small loaf of mocha cream bread. The container on the right I was hoping was drinkable yogurt for breakfast but it turns out it is actually banana flavored milk, so I think I will eat it on my cereal tomorrow morning. I also bought a small pair of scissors so I can cut the yarn I am using to crochet.

I went to sleep about 10.30 last night but work up about 4.30 this morning so I am pretty tired (it is 7 pm right now.) I *think* I have found a friend to go to church with in the morning! I am very excited. Then maybe we will get to see something of Seoul. I just hope we don't have to leave TOO early in the morning, though I probably will be awake anyway.

Dec 26th, Day 3 - My first day of class

2008-12-26T04:55:00.000-05:00

I have put together a small slide show for my first day of class. I have a homeroom (which I also teach 4th period) and 3 other classes. The fifth period I rotate and make paper airplanes and do a paper airplane contest with whichever class I am in. The 5th Period is for my homeroom class to work on the 5 minute presentation that we will do for the closing ceremony. Most of my students are 10 or 11.
I teach one group of classes M, W, F (so that is today's classes) and a different group Tues, Thurs, Sat. (which you will see pictures of tomorrow.)

Their English is incredible! I really enjoy my classes. I like our text books. The kids are smart and fairly well behaved. It is so different teaching here than in the DR. In the Dominican teachers are often treated like expensive child servants and excelling at education is often not very important. Here the students are motivated, educated, respectful. They are still kids so they still do things they shouldn't but they respond quickly and they are expected to learn and make an effort.

So far, I am very satisfied with everything here. Yes, there are still moments of chaos, but it is not unmanageable. Everyone is very nice, the living accomodations are comfortable and I really enjoy teaching.

Christmas Day - Day 2

2008-12-25T08:21:00.000-05:00

I forced myself to get up and out of bed this morning at 8am. I wanted to sleep for a lot longer, but I know that I have to get on the schedule here so I made myself get up and eat breakfast (the yogurt I bought yesterday.)

I spent this morning in my room. Some folks went into Seoul, but after carefully thinking about it I decided not to join them this trip. I want to wait until I understand things here a little better. Also, money is tight and so I wasn't sure I wanted to spend so much right out the gate. (Individually, things are not as expensive in the states, but I am also trying hard to live on 200.00 this month, and so I need to be careful!)

I went to meet some friends at about 2pm. We walked into town, checked some prices and wandered around. It is really cold here and expected to be even colder tomorrow. It is not so bad when the air is still, but when the wind is blowing it is pretty miserable.

Prices here are a little bit cheaper on most things. Currency is roughly 1300 Won to the Dollar and many things are around 1000 won. I spent 32,000 won at the grocery store today because I bought shampoo, conditioner, a multi-plug so I could plug in many things at once, cereal, milk, several different juices and teas to try, lotion, etc. Right now I am wishing I had bought icecream.

We at Korean food tonight. Noodles in a spicy red sauce served cold with lots of veggies. It was good. I then got some bungeopang on the way home since it is my new favorite food. :-)

Here are a few observations on how S. Korea (so far) compares to Thailand:

There are not nearly as many motocycles. I see 2 or 3 for every 50 cars I see. And those are mostly errand runners delivering pizza etc.
This country feels far more western. The food is still very different, and of course the language is currently outside of my comprehension, but the way peopple dress, the cars they drive, the stores we visited, etc. all feel very western.
Everything seems very modern. (At least in the area we are in.)

I wanted to take more pictures of the area around me but my camera died. I managed to trick it into taking one more picture of dinner, but that was as far as I got.

One of the things I regret in hindsight about my trips to Thailand (and to a lesser extent the DR) is that I did not leave myself tools for remembering things. So, I have decided to keep a digital food diary. (With Pictures.)

Today I ate the vegetable cream soup (the powder that came in a package) for breakfast. A korean couple was in the kitchen when I went in to fix it and she very kindly helped me. All you do to the soup is add water. It came out wonderfully thick and creamy, and tasted fattening and yummy.

Currently I am sipping on some Chesnut Milk and eating a package of Oreos that came with one of our meals on the plane. It is very yummy but since I cannot read Korean I cannot tell if it is actual milk made from chesnuts (like almond milk, or rice milk or soy milk) or if it is just a chesnut flavored dairy product. I tend to think it is the former and not the latter because of the texture but who knows. The Oreos are, of course, as always, delicious. I have been resisting them for 3 days and finally I caved in.

I also tried (but have not finished) a bottle of apple lychee juice and guess what? It tastes like apples and lychee! I really enjoyed fresh lychee when I was in Thailand.

I also was given a bottle of soju which is a little like sake. The brand I was given is Jinro. I have drank only a few swallows of it. It is strong, and I am not sure I like it. The folks I went to dinner with had mentioned wanting to try it, so when they went and bought some they sent some over to my building for me to try. (Their apartments are across the street.) The funny thing about the Soju is that in most stores it is cheaper than a soda. So weird! It kind of reminds me of vodka.

Well, I am about to crash! Luckily, I am exhausted and it is only 9.20 so hopefully I will get a full 9 hours of sleep tonight!

I start classes tomorrow so look forward to a nice lengthy post about school and the kids and all of my fun adventures there.

The end of the wait

2008-12-24T18:44:00.005-05:00

Advent is a season of waiting. A time to recall how long the children of God did not know the answers to the prophecies. To consider how discouraged we get with waiting and how faithlessly impatient. Children understand waiting for Christmas. They are often obsessed with what they will get when on Christmas morning they rush to the tree to see what Santa or parents have left them. They understand anticipation and they live in a state of expectation.

As a believer I too often mimic the antagonist in Malachi 3:14 - "You have said, 'It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD Almighty? 15 But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.' " I don't live in a state of expectation but one of discouragement and disappointment. I understand the negativity shown by the Israelites. They had been awaiting a savior for a millenia and still they were oppressed and in bondage. Those who were righteous were outcast and those who sought their own good were exalted. Believing in justice must have seemed about as sensible for them as believing in Santa Claus is to adults. Sure, we would LIKE there to be a jolly old man who delivers our heart's desire once a year. We would like to be Virginia and believe there really is a Santa. We want to find, like George Bailey, that our lives really are wonderful and purposeful and precious. However, reality swoops in to remind us that there is no such person to 'fix' all our problems, we don't meet Clarences running around to remind us about angels and purpose and thankfulness. We come, as adults, to recognize there is no savior to deliver us from our oppressions.

The Israelites must have felt the same thing but so much more strongly. They had built their lives, their past-glories, their system of laws, their menus, their houses on the idea that following God's law would give them all their heart's desires. Their inability to abide by that law, to overcome their humaness led to constant oppression, enslavement, exile. Those who followed the law were lumped with those who didn't and continued obedience seemed guaranteed to reap more disappointment.

My heart aches for those faithful few who clung fast to their beliefs - those who wrote the scroll and pressed on towards the end of the waiting.
16 Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name.
17 "They will be mine," says the LORD Almighty, "in the day when I make up my treasured possession. [a] I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. 18 And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.

They would wait 400 years more through the Greek Empire, the conquests of Julius Caesar and into the Pax Romana before there was an inkling of fulfillment, and when it did come, it came not as a mighty warrior but as a small baby in a time when Herod was bitterly jealous and killing children who would rival his throne. In a time when the Roman government demanded that Caesar be recognized as the god-head of the empire and the political organization of Judea was changing through deposement and reassignment.

What seems important to me is that God was answering their prayers in a way far different than what they expected and 30 years before the slightest idea of a following was existant. A child is hardly an answer to centuries of injustice. A child doesn't make oppression cease. A child doesn't re-establish a kingdom, fill an old throne or promise justice and righteousness from that time forth and forever more. When God did fulfill his promise and a messiah was born, he looked nothing like a messiah. More waiting. The child would have to grow into a man.

Christ began his ministry at 30 years of age. He was a political dissident, questioned the religious authorities, and was alternately hated and adored by the fickle following drawn to spectacular stories and revolutionary teachings. The disciples did not get it at all. They were still looking for a warrior messiah, but this man rode into Jerusalem on a borrowed donkey. He stood before Pilate with neither bravado nor beligerance. He stopped Peter from physically protecting him when he was arrested. He was beaten beyond recognition and led to the cross without complaint. Like a lamb before the slaughter he was quiet and helpless. He died. This was the end to the waiting?

Three days the disciples cowered in fear, scurrying from place to place during the end of passover. Hiding in upper rooms with closed doors. The man who had taught to turn the other cheek had given up and what had turning the other cheek left them? Rending unto Caesar what was Caesar's, loving their enemies, living in humility - these had profited them no more than their ancestors in Malachi. The wicked prospered now more than ever. What now? More waiting?

A crowded room, a doubting Thomas. A reappearance. A risen Christ. Does this mean the end of the waiting? Many people saw Christ after his resurrection. More miracles. Then he left. The disciples almost to a person, church legend tells us, were slaughtered for their belief. The Roman empire sacked Jerusalem and burned it. The Israelites were physically exiled for another 1,879 years. Still, the nation waits for its warrior king.

At what point did the waiting end? We know that Christ's birth heralded the new kingdom. We know that His death fulfilled prophecy. We know that his resurrection sealed the new convenant that promised hope and deliverance to all who believe. But we, like children after all presents are unwrapped on Christmas morning, live in a state of disappointed expectation. The anticipation is no longer exciting, but wearying. We resign ourselves to wait until the emotion is renewed during the next Christmas season. But the truth is that regardless of our emotions or anticipations, the waiting IS over.

The waiting is over, and it has just begun. Where are our eyes? Like the faithless in Malachi do we live doubting the promise of justice. Are we discouraged as we plod through day after day of corruption? Are we the faithful few that write on the scroll of remembrance and hold fast to His return?

"Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire," says the LORD Almighty. "Not a root or a branch will be left to them. But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall. Then you will trample down the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I do these things," says the LORD Almighty.

"Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel.

"See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse."

We live knowing that the waiting is over, and so we wait.

He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son." Rev. 21:5-7

Day One - Yay Korea!!!

2008-12-24T04:19:00.002-05:00

I slept from about 6 am til a little after noon. (10 pm est). At 2 we had an orientation meeting. There are real benefits to working for people who speak english as a second language - meetings are short! They showed us the buildings we will be teaching in, where the cafeteria was, etc. My TA's name is YeaJi (like yedge-y) and seems very sweet. Her English is pretty good because she went to an international school outside Bejing for 5 years.

The campus we are teaching at is built along the rise of a mountain, so it is a straight walk uphill from the apartments we are staying in. The campus is very pretty and looks down over the city. I will be taking many more photos. The buildings and landscaping are very pleasing. I am teaching the second level classes (so older elem. school kids) and I am using a National Geographic Text which I really like! This is one of the books I am using:

I also have one called Money and You, one about Columbus and the Americas and one about exploring the Northeast of the US (the Erie Canal, etc.) I think this will be fun material to teach (it is certainly fun for me to read.)
This is a view of one of the science buildings that the lower level classes are being taught in.

Here is a composite picture from the view of the Social Sciences Building where I am teaching.

This is not Seoul. Apparently we are about 2 hours away from Seoul by bus. I do not know (yet) the name of the city we are in or the name of the University that we will be teaching at.

The picture is not a good one of me, but it does prove I was here.

After our meeting a few of us walked into the city (with one of the bilingual Korean teachers named Jillian) to find a converter for our plugs. We thought it would be a quick trip but ended up being a 20 minute walk or so one way. It gave us a chance to begin to assess our surroundings. Here is my confession: I love Asia. This is not new news to many of you. I wanted to love Latin America as much but I just don't. I wish I knew why. It makes so much more sense to learn spanish. It is closer to home. The DR was warm and beautiful. It should have been perfect.

I walk around Asian cities and my blood just races. The writing, the smells, the colors, the excitement. I cannot explain why it always seems so wonderful. I get that in part it is just the excitement of being here, but I never felt this way about the DR. I wish, wish, wish I knew why this feels so much better to me.We'll see if I enjoy Korea as much as I did Thailand.

On our walk we stopped at one of the food stands along the road. Unfortunately, my camera somehow deleted a few pics while I was transfering them to the computer. (I am sure it was operator error. I have had this happen before. Not sure what I do to keep them from transfering correctly.) But I did get a few pictures.
These are some kind of Larva. One of the guys wanted to try them and so we all had one. (Yes, I ate it. I never would try the bugs in Thailand, but I recognize the older I get how short life is, so I went ahead and tried one.)

Here is Jonathan tasting his:

He actually ate about 20 of them before he decided he had enough. He was in mid chew when I snapped the shot; his expression was not as unenthusiastic as it looks right here.
They taste like a cross between shrimp, asparagus but a little more earthy. Kind of like there is a hint of bean sprouts. I only ate the one. I could eat more if it was necessary. They weren't horrible, but the thought is just too unappetizing. I had a pic of me eating them, but it is one of the ones that I lost!

We also had these fish shaped pasteries that have beans inside. (Another pic I lost). But here is an article about them (and a picture.) They were very tasty! Right up my alley! They pour the batter from a metal teapot into something like a waffle iron then with a spoon they drop some of the red bean paste inside. The batter is kind of like a waffle batter, but a little more on the funnel cake-flavor side. A little sweetish. They were a great hot treat on a cold and cloudy day.

Before our meeting this morning I ran across to one of the convenience stores. I have a fascination with asian convenience stores. It reminds me of walking into Toys R Us when I was a kid! Everything is colorful and there are so many fun things to look at. Here are this morning's purchases.

Some soup, some yogurt, a diet coke, some mint-hydrangea tea, hangers and a small notebook. They cost me 11,000 won ($8.50) I figured that would give me a little supplimental sustenance for the times when I don't want to track down food elsewhere. Side note: in every convenience store in every country I have visited you can always find Pringles and Oreos. I need to find out if they have them in Africa too!

This was one of this afternoons purchases. I am not sure how to describe it. There were yogurt sodas in Thailand that I love and that is what it reminds me of. According to wikipedia it was very popular in the early 90's but its popularity has since waned. I like it. I will probably drink it some more -- though I am hoping I can find different flavors.

I also purchased some flavored milk to try. It was satisfying. Like very milky coffee but not as sweet as the bottled coffees you get in the States.

Tonight some of the teachers are going to go into Seoul. While I would love to say that I partied in Seoul on Christmas Eve, I am not sure I am up for 4 more hours in the bus (2 there and 2 back) after the 4 hours we spent in a bus last night. I am still struggling to stay awake and think I might nap for a little while, try to find dinner around 8:30 and then call it a night.
All in all, I am well pleased. It will be alot of work, and I am sure I will be tired at the end of the day, but I like the area we are in, I am excited about learning more about the culture. I am happy to be gaining another teaching experience and I am just so thrilled to be back in Asia.

Have a Merry Christmas Eve -- and Stay Warm

2008-12-23T15:57:00.002-05:00

My flight left Charlotte at 7am on 12/22. I arrived in Memphis to find that my flight from Memphis to Seattle had been cancelled due to the snow, so I was rerouted through Detroit, then on to Tokyo and finally Seoul. Every flight was packed to capacity, every flight was late taking off. Every connection I had to run to catch, but it could have been so much worse. The flight from Detroit to Tokyo is just too long no matter how you think about it, and I am sure I will be sore and achy tomorrow but it is done so the pain of that portion of the experience is quickly wearing off.

The real fun started when we got here. Several people do not have their luggage due to all of the chaos with the flights. I, ever sooooo gratefully, do have my luggage. I praise God because I know that if I didn't have it, I would be so stressed right now.

I had already met several of the teachers as I had journeyed through the different legs of my trip so it was easy to all get together at the airport. There was a man holding a sign that said "English Camp" so we all gathered. Our flights (scheduled to get in at 9.10) didn't arrive until after 10pm and we were not all on the bus until 11.30.

Our group was 21 people (I think) and we dropped off the first two people (to go to wherever they are staying) at about 11.50. It was strange. The bus pulled up, a few semi-bilingual Koreans met the bus, whisked away the teachers and then we drove off. A little disconcerting since no one knows where anyone is or how to get there.

Then... the bus broke down. I kid you not! There we sat in the middle of traffic in a broken bus at midnight! It gets better folks!
It is bitterly cold must be in the teens at night. The bus starts to cool down (before it was comfortable climate wise).

After 45 minutes many of us decided we needed a bathroom. Our first authentic Korean bathroom experience. I am an old pro at squattie potties. This was the one in my room in Thailand:

However, this was the one at the seedy gas station tonight:

Uggggg. But it is still better than sitting in a bus that was approaching freezing while trying not to allow your shivering to cause you to pee in your pants!

Finally, another bus came to pick us up. It had NO working heat. But it was 'festive' as shown in the picture here:

Why do asians (sorry to generalize) seem to think that cute is always ok. Side note Cute is NOT always in good taste. Especially in freezing cold, old, worn out busses at 2 in the morning!)

We dropped off the next two sets of people. By now it was almost 3am.

(If you look closely you can see the time on the clock on the upper right side of the picture.)

Finally, only a few of us remained. We started off on the last 45 minute leg of our journey. The bus was so cold I actually wondered if it was possible to pass out from too much cold!!!!

We arrived at our destination about 4 am. I know the girls I am traveling with are a little disappointed at accomodations. They are small, but they are clean and pretty. I am satisfied and grateful

Seriously, the room cannot be more than 6' x 8' which wouldn't be bad except the shower/bathroom takes up a good 4' x 4' hunk.

These are our shoes stacked by the elevator. (We are on the 7th floor.)

But it is a cute little building. Patterned (yes, cute) tiles. A nice little kitchen. My bedroom door.

Woooo so much more to tell, but I was only able to sleep about two hours total on the plane, which means in the past 70 hours or so, I have slept about 7.
Look for more pics and stories tomorrow!

New Glasses, New bangs.

2008-12-20T22:29:00.000-05:00

So, everytime I prepare to leave the country I realize that normal things I know I will be able to get might become suddenly unavailable - like what if I need new glasses. This usually means a last minute run to see if I can find anything on sale. I always go to the Walmart Vision Center (because I seem to perpetually be without insurance, and they are cheap and fast.) The same ladies have helped me out prior to my last trip to Thailand, last year's trip to the DR and this current adventure to Seoul. They always oooo and ahhhhh over my travel experiences and send wishes that they could go, etc. I appreciate this because it helps remind me that I am blessed (not burdened) to have these opportunities. They are some fantastic ladies and they made my Thursday and Friday a bit brighter!

So, here are the new glasses:

This morning without bangs and with fresh makeup and natural sunlight :-).

This is in my car in the garage.

What do you think?

Expectations - Reducing Miscommunications

2008-12-09T00:45:00.001-05:00

After Grubbs’ note about what women and men want, and after a long pondering of life, and relationships and the price of eggs in China I have come up with this thought:

90% of all of our relationship confusion, whether romantic or familial or professional, is a matter of unmet expectations. Either others do not meet our expectations, or we fail to meet the expectations of others. Professionally we can fail to ask the right questions about others’ expectations. Maybe we didn’t know what questions to ask? Perhaps we simply were too passive, tired or lazy to find out. Often we do not take the time to tell others what we expect of them, and when they fail to live up to the standard we have mentally but silently assigned we find our work experience to be frustrating and dissatisfying.

Undoubtedly, family can start, reinforce or structure our communication on both sides of an expectation. On occasions I have experienced expectations that were impossible for me to attain. I have often assumed expectations that did not exist. I have also had expectations of others that were not communicated or otherwise unrealistic. Sadly, unmet expectations have lead to arguments, hurtful words, alienation and emotional scarring.

By our late 20’s and 30’s we have grown accustomed to the pains of unmet expectations, particularly from those with whom we are most familiar. Most of us have been working over a decade. We have had horribly embarrassing situations where we did not meet the expectations of our employers. We are still working. We have learned to cope (healthily or not) with our families, our supervisors and our peers. We tend to nurture friendships that meet our expectations. We tend to avoid people whose expectations we do not meet.

New romantic relationships are the trump card. Even the possibility of new romantic relationships makes everything blurry. When you meet someone for the first time you have no idea what expectations they have of you, and you are just forming your expectations of them. Often you don’t even know you have expectations until you realize that your expectations are not being met. Because of the emotional power of romantic relationships and because of the emphasis society puts on sex (which seems to be a chicken/egg scenario), even the possibility of expectations being unmet seems to paralyze and dominate our actions. The simple word for this fear is rejection.

How do we change this discouraging scenario? How do we minimize misunderstanding and promote confidence and security in our relationships? How do we become satisfied employees and caring relatives? My answer: communicate expectations clearly! This is not simple. This will not happen by just thinking happy, cherry-pink, fluffy thoughts. Intention and practice will have to be applied consistently and honestly; an extra portion of kindness will have to be incorporated as well. But consider, once an expectation is clearly stated the listener has clear options.

The first is to unreservedly try to meet the expectation. For example, a friend calls after a horrible day at work. She states clearly at the beginning of the conversation that she just needs to vent. At that point I understand that my role is to listen not to criticize, repair or reconstruct the situation. I can decide at that moment to suspend all other emotional reactions and focus on receiving the information without considering what my next sentence needs to be. Alternately, when expectations are clearly stated from the beginning we have the opportunity to express our inability to meet those expectations or perhaps our lack of desire to fulfill them. If a telemarketer calls my house and tells me as soon as I get on the phone that they are trying to raise money for XYZ organization I know immediately whether I want to continue the dialogue. I usually try to courteously disengage. Sometimes we need to be able to do that with our relationships.

There are limitless examples of the complications of unclear expectations between the sexes. A man buys a woman a drink. She feels attractive. He feels empowered. She feels adored. He is thinking sex. She is thinking relationship. This is a hyperbole but makes the point. Among Christian singles a parallel situation exists. A guy is hanging out with a girl. He is thinking, “she is keeping me entertained until the real thing comes along” and she is thinking, “finally, this guy might be ‘the One’.” How can such a situation end anyway but badly?

So, here is my suggestion – practice stating (with kindness and humility) your expectations whenever possible. State clearly how the other person can meet your expectations or state what your expectations of yourself are in a way that allows other people to protect themselves’. Instead of passively-aggressively hinting at what you want, tell the other person. For example, “I hope I am not alone on my birthday” is less clear than, “Would you have dinner with me on my birthday.”

To all the men: please do not ask what a girl is doing tomorrow/next Friday/this weekend if you are just trying to waste conversational space. She interprets this as “he is interested because he wants to spend time with me.” When she tells you and you say, “That sounds like fun. I am going to the movies with my girlfriend” you have just rejected her by raising her expectations and then not following though. Strange, I know, but true. And that begs the question why you asked her such a thing in the first place. Why does it matter what she is doing with her time if you are not interested in spending more time with her? Think about your expectations before you raise hers.

Conversely, girls, don’t flirt just to have your egos stroked and then make up nonsensical excuses when he asks to see you again. You have created an expectation that you are incapable of following through on. This is not kind; it is manipulative and leads to passivity. If you are interested in him, and he asks you out then respond with graciousness. If you are not interested then say something considerate and edifying, but don’t lead him on.

Wives, clarify for your husbands what you expect out of the 32-minute detailed narrative that meets them when they walk in the door of the house after they have worked all day. Do you need help? Do you just need him to listen? What is his role and how can he fulfill it. When he has satisfied your expectation, thank him! Don’t expect him to read your mind – he cannot.

Men, don’t expect your girl friends (romantic or platonic) to know you appreciate them. They won’t know unless you tell them. Friends, be kind and sensitive to one another. Treat another person the way you want to be treated. Don’t expect more from them than you are willing to do yourself, and don’t expect less than what you want others to expect from you.

Basic, I know, but how much easier was it as kindergarteners at the park when you ran up to a new person and said, “do you wanna be my friend?” Or when you went to your mom and held out your arms for her to hug you. Expectations were clear then. And you responded without reservation because you hadn’t yet learned rejection. You were just beginning to feel the effects of unmet expectations. As adults we bear the full burden of all of our failures so let us try to reduce the confusion they cause. The more clearly you express expectation the less rejection you will give and receive, and less rejection would do us all a world of good.

For Real Now

2008-12-01T07:27:00.003-05:00

The email of my itinerary came in last night about 11.30pm EST. (That is Monday afternoon in Korea.) So, now I have my flight itinerary, my visa (in my passport), a real winter coat and a mound of paperwork here for cpcc to get through by this Friday. BUT, it all looks legit and is a done deal. Wow.

My flight going out looks like it will be a bit of a headache. Charlotte to Memphis to Seattle to Seoul. Coming back it is Seoul to Narita to Minneapolis to Charlotte. BUT the good thing is that all of my layovers look shortish (1-2 hours). So, as long as there is no snow to back up the airports, it should be fine.

I fly out Dec 22 and come back Jan 23 - so a month, exactly.
I leave at 7 am Dec 22nd from Charlotte and get into Seoul at 9:10 PM Dec. 23rd! What is WHACK is that I leave Seoul at 11:05 Jan 23rd and get to Minneapolis at 11:05 the same day. (but will be flying 13 hours in between!) I am scheduled to arrive in Charlotte at 4:51 PM but will have been traveling for around 19 hours. Time Zones are amazing.

Anyway, I am sure you will see and hear much more over the following 2 months of my exciting travels. :-) I leave in 21 days. 3 weeks from today!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posting MP3's

2008-11-29T19:28:00.002-05:00

I have a little mp3 player that records audio (my voice for example.) I am very excited about this since it will allow me to dictate thoughts, descriptions, etc. at times when it might not be convenient to write them out. (This happens alot when I am driving or traveling). If I can figure out a way to post them, then I can 'talk' along with the pictures I post, or create powerpoints (with audio narration) to accompany my experiences in Korea. We'll see if I can make it work. :-)

selfishness v. self-awareness v. self protection

2008-11-17T15:38:00.002-05:00

The message this past Sunday at Warehouse was about Envy. (We are going through the 7 deadly sins.) The simple definition was that envy seeks pain or negativity in the positive experiences or situations of others. Wanting what someone else has and then wishing them ill because they have it (and not us.) It was an appropriate message since so much of American society seems to be based around comparing ourselves to our neighbors. Often the "american dream" becomes 'keeping up with the Jonses".

Obviously wanting what someone else has and being resentful when we don't have what we want is not healthy or godly. But at what point do you recognize your weaknesses and try to keep yourself from walking down the path that you know tempts your selfishness? I ask because as I talk with more and more women (married, single, mothers, or women without children. Well off (or at least comfortable) or desperately trying to make ends meet - we all can find outselves disappointed with our situation and envious of someone else's situation.

Some sins seem easy to avoid or combat. If lust is something you struggle with, you are advised to stay away from provocative movies, books, situations, etc. If sloth is your vice you find ways to encourage motivation. If gluttony is your worry (whether in the traditional sense of food, or with any excess) you learn to avoid those situations in which you are most likely to indulge that temptation. But envy....how do you avoid envy without avoiding the people that you are guilty of envying? Certainly all any of us have to do is walk through the door of a church to be confronted with a situation that could provoke in us dissatisfaction. (Men can struggle with this too, I think. Perhaps someone has a better job, drives a nicer car or has a thinner wife. *shrug* One can hardly stop seeing those people.)

Obviously the solution runs deeper than avoidance. And certainly focusing on truth, practicing trust, reiterating blessings, taking moments throughout our day to be thankful can help. But, my friends, emotions are so intractable. You can reprimand, you can chastise, you can heap guilt and you can feign ignorance, but changing the emotional response (especially to issues that have slowly over time worn away at your confidence in God) seems impossible. For us, from our own power it certainly is impossible.

One suggestion made for combatting envy is service. Instead of focussing on what we wish we had, but do not, we should focus on giving what we have to others. Perhaps for the person who struggles with materialism, they practice giving away their money or limiting their possessions. Or maybe a person who struggles with insecurity about their physical appearance goes and spends time at a battered women's shelter helping to make clothes or fix their hair to encourage self confidence in others. Maybe single women focus on serving in the nursery or as a big sister in a community center. Maybe through these ways we are reoriented to receive the goodness God has brought into our lives instead of focusing on the things we do not have that we desire.

But let me bring to light the sticking point. What if the things we desire are GOOD things? What if they are things that are pleasing to God. For a single woman, perhaps that is marriage. For a childless wife, perhaps that is a chance to raise a godly family. For the struggling marriage, perhaps that is a desire for a closer intimacy. Even career wise - perhaps you are looking for a job that allows you to give back to the community, like a non-profit position, or an opportunity to teach. What if these godly desires are the things you crave and still have no received. How do you mark the line between self-awareness (and affirmation of the validity of such desires) and selfishness or envy?

Going even a step further, once you have determined that having your desires met has become a priority and usurped your focus on God, how do you fight against them? What if your desire for acknowledgement has led to anorexia, do you place yourself amongst models to combat your envy? If you desire children, do you spend all your time at babyshowers for others? If you desire marriage, do you become everyone's favorite bride's maid? If you want a healthier marriage, do you spend all your time with couples you preceive to have a perfect intimacy? Obviously sometimes the answer is yes. For some of us, sometimes, that is exactly what we need to do. Walk with the wise and grow wise. Serve and learn humility. Sacrifice and learn appreciation. But sometimes there needs to be a healthy boundary that says to the lust-er to avoid provocation. To the materialistic - avoid the mall. Does it say to the lonely to avoid community? To the single to avoid weddings? Where is the line between selfishness and self-protection? Where is the godly answer in guarding our hearts and avoiding the hope deferred? At what point do you have to recognize that being selfless requires a certain amount of selfishness?

A mishmash of mentally motivating moments

2008-11-15T22:13:00.003-05:00

I have but a few minutes before the desperate need for sleep replaces regular cognition. So, I am spitting them out here like too hot soup:

I happened upon a blog that I think I might start reading with some regularity.
Sprit21 are writings by a muslim woman living in the U.K. who reflects upon different aspects of her faith much as Christians reflect on their own. I have only scratched the surface of her blogging, but I feel it might have some significant contributions to make in my daily considerings of this quickly spinning globe that is hurling through space with such accuracy the stars quiver with joy.

Ok, second random thought:
If you find Boxer Rebellion under Wikipedia and scroll down toward the bottom, on the right hand you will find THIS picture.

I am not sure why the picture struck me so strongly, but I have a few good guesses and here they are: Did you see how the father had submitted himself to take on the traditional chinese appreance? This makes me think he was genuine about relating to the Chinese as equals (instead of trying to westernize them). It was the middle daughter, not he eldest that was killed (I believe) when her parents were murdered during the Boxer Rebellion. Now, I have no idea what they were missionaries of, who sent them, or why they died (outside of the obvious) but when I studied that picture, the un-knowness of their story made my heart cry out. I want to know these people and why they did what they did and why they died for what they did.

Deut. 4:15-30

2008-11-10T23:23:00.002-05:00

Part One - Idolatry Forbidden

Idolatry seems such a silly idea to most, we the intellectually enlightened who grasp that an infinite being certainly could not be contained in a block of wood or a pile of stone. How do we translate ancient scriptures about idolatry into our modern (or post modern)existence?

There are two things that stand out to me initially after a quick read of the text:
First, God was careful not to mislead the Israelites. Second, He promises hope even when they fail.

In verses 15 & 16 Moses reminds the wanderers that God did not reveal Himself to them at Mt. Horeb in a particular guise. Rather, he chose something without form or substance. Smoke and fire are what are referred to with the ascension of God to Mt. Sinai. (Ex. 19:18) And, as I think through the Old Testament, rare were the times that God took on any specific form as His representation. As I think, the one exception that appears clearly to me was the creation of the bronze serpent (there appears to be some arguement whether Nehushtan or the rod of Asclepius is the original symbol for medicine, btw, though I personally feel the legend of Asclepius' rod is because Nehushtan was already recognized as a healing symbol) Numbers 21. Interestingly, Hezekiah destroys the snake ( 2 kings 18:4) because the Israelites had been burning incess to it. The point is that God, through Moses, reminds the Israelites that He is not bound to a form nor has He chosen to represent Himself regularly through one form (the exception perhaps being a lamb.)
Furthermore, they are to watch themselves carefully that they do not slip into the habit of worshiping things instead of the creator. And Moses gets specific: not man, not animal, not bird and not even a heavenly body (perhaps specified because of the Egyptians religious preferences for the sun and moon, etc. especially since Moses then says "those [things] which the Lord your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven" as though to remind them of others who worship the sun and stars as though they alone had ownership of their existence.
v. 20 - a direct reference to Israel's removal from Egypt; calling Egypt the iron furnace. (My NASB cross references this with 1 Ki 8:51 & Jer. 11:4)Why was Egypt referred to as an iron or iron-smelting furnace? (an interesting article here) I guess it is the idea of the 'refiner's fire' coming into play again.(Also interesting is that the article places iron smelting in the 8th century B.C. but Moses might have lived in the 1600's B.C. and it is likely that Thothmes I could have brought iron-smelting from Asia...but I digress...)

v 21-22 seems to be Moses revisiting AGAIN his frustration (maybe even anger) at the Israelites over him not being allowed into the promise land. Having thought through this before I will continue on.)

V 23 - a reiteration of warning.

A double endeavor

2008-10-18T18:28:00.005-04:00

I am hoping to start blogging again more frequently after a 2 month break. One new project is to blog some of my ESL lesson plans and ideas (including pdf's of worksheets I have created, etc.) That will be located at www.eslchristina.blogspot.com
Check in there to see what teaching resources, etc. I have collected or created in/for my recent ESL classes.

Deuteronomy 4: 9-14

2008-07-07T10:32:00.003-04:00

I am not going to lie, sometimes getting started on these passages of 'remember the law' seems a tedious undertaking, and such is this morning's portion.

In the previous passage Moses has just reminded the Israelites that keeping the law is key to keeping the land, and that through the law nations around them will recognize Israel's unique relationship with God.

V. 9 - "Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them."
I think it is interesting that remembering 'what their eyes have seen' or their experiences is such a vital part of the command to keep the law. It is important enough that they are supposed to pass it down generation to generation so that those who did not share in the experience have the experience so firmly passed down that it becomes personal to them as well...emotional DNA, built into their government, culture and religion.
It reminds me of the lyrics (themesong, if you will) from the Fantastiks - "try to remember and if you remember, then follow, follow, follow." There is no doubt that remembrance of our human experiences affects how we react to our circumstamces and doubtless Moses (by way of God) knew this truth.

V. 10-13 - Moses then tells them a specific thing to remember - the giving of the Ten Commandments. He reminds them with specifics like the location, and the reason.
Mt. Horeb (Mt. Sinai) was the location where God gave the Israelites the 10 commandments. Moses reminds them what it looked like, sounded like, felt like, and perhaps even smelled like ("blazed with fire to the very heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness...You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice.") This was one of the defining moments for the nation of Israel - the giving of the law which would set them apart and mark them as God's chosen people. It was following this law which identified them to the nations around them and throughout the ancient world. God wrote these laws down for them (providing a tangible reminder.)
At this point it seemed pertinent to read the passage where the Law was given : Exodus 19 & 20. I smile a little because while reading the passage Moses seems like the ringmaster at some grand three ring circus production. There was smoke and fire and trumpets and thunder and lightening. This was certainly a spectacle to be remembered. This was not some quiet Sunday morning gathering to be shuffled into the back of collective memory and grouped with a thousand other like experiences. This was a once in a lifetime (ok, once in a world's lifetime) event and it was going to be remembered! (Except that often it wasn't because humans are resillient forgetters.)
Which causes me to ponder how absolutely God has intervened in my life and how those moments have changed me and yet how easily I forget them when trouble comes.

V 14 - Then Moses reminds them that God instructed Moses to teach them the laws "you are to follow in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess." The giving of the Law was always focused on the possession of the Land and the fulfillment of the promise. Lately (the past two decades or so) it seems there has been a large focus on the Bible as narrative (a cohesive story that reads from beginning to end with God's overarching theme of redemption always as the lead story.) Passages like this remind me that God never forgets the subplots; never forgets the smaller promises and prepared Israel thoroughly not just for the day when the coming Messiah would return, but for every other step along the way: the law -> the land -> the Love.

TWO sidenotes that struck me deeply while reading through this passage. First, a reference to my discussion of the first verses from my Torah Portion where God again denies Moses entry to the land. In re-reading the events leading up to the giving of the Ten Commandments I found the passage where Moses DOES strike the rock at God's command (which seems to be different from the Numbers 20 passage.) Exodus 17: 1-7 which I have to admit does seem more God focused than Moses focused. So, there is more to ponder there - since the concept of God denying Moses what appeared to be a desire of Moses' heart does cause me to want more understanding than I currently have. (And, I might have to accept that not entering the land was part of Moses' story and not mine, so I might not get all the answers, though it seems that Biblical characters are there for our instruction and therefore perhaps we are to consider their portions and our portions with some comparison??? I dunno....)

The second sidenote was a 'you've got to be kidding me' moment. These occur regularly as I start to study more about Jewish commentaries and the New Testament. In looking up the Mt. Sinai situation (the multiple names for the same place, location disputes, etc.) I found an odd reference to a Jewish commentary about the mountain on Wikipedia. This phrase stuck out to me: "In Classical rabbinical literature, Mount Sinai became synonymous with holiness; indeed, it was said that when the Messiah arrives, God will bring Sinai together with Mount Carmel and Mount Tabor, rebuild the Temple upon the combined mountain, and the peaks would sing a chorus of praise to God." Little bells started going off in my head. Mt. Sinai - the mountain of the Law where Moses had gone to meet God. Mt. Carmel - where God again appears as fire to decimate the bull, the rocks and even the water in the ditch where Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to a 'greatness of the gods' contest. And Mount Tabor - any guesses? Well, first and less significant: "In the days of Second Temple, Mount Tabor was one of the mountain peaks on which it was the customed to light beacons in order to inform the northern villages of holidays and of beginnings of new months." (According to Wikipedia.) But here is what you are going to find most significant. This is the mountain where God appeared as a cloud and again spoke to what we might consider a remnant of Israel regarding His plan for their salvation.
Here is where I made another important discovery - contrary to popular opinion, not everything is yet on the internet! Search as I may I could never find the Yalkut Shimoni in English. (There was one site that seemed to offer it for 29.95 but I am not sure in what language.) Here it is in Hebrew; make of it what you will. I need 391 which is the reference for the aforementioned commentary of the three mountains. The Yalkut appears to be a compilation of commentary from previous Hebrew scholars. I want to know if this prophecy or commentary originally predates Christ and whether it would have been common knowledge among scribes and Jewish scholars in the first century. (As it appears the prophecy was in fact fulfilled. Comments, anyone?)

Ok. Enough exploration for now. More to follow certainly! Grace and Peace.

Deut. 4:1-8

2008-07-01T00:31:00.003-04:00

It seems curious and yet appropriate that following the passage where Moses was forbidden to enter the land (again) and God told him to stop asking, that Moses instructs the Israelites in obedience.

1 - following the commands seems to be a condition upon which Israel will take possession of the land.

2 - Moses warns against adding or subtracting to the law
Matthew Henry's commentary has this to say about v. 2:

He charges them to preserve the divine law pure and entire among them, v. 2. Keep it pure, and do not add to it; keep it entire, and do not diminish from it. Not in practice, so some: "You shall not add by committing the evil which the law forbids, nor diminish by omitting the good which the law requires." Not in opinion, so others: "You shall not add your own inventions, as if the divine institutions were defective, nor introduce, much less impose, any rites of religious worship other than what God has appointed; nor shall you diminish, or set aside, any thing that is appointed, as needless or superfluous." God's work is perfect, nothing can be put to it, nor taken from it, without making it the worse. See Eccl. 3:14. The Jews understand it as prohibiting the alteration of the text or letter of the law, even in the least jot or tittle; and to their great care and exactness herein we are very much indebted, under God, for the purity and integrity of the Hebrew code. We find a fence like this made about the New Testament in the close of it, Rev. 22:18, 19.

This instruction is repeated through out scripture in several places:
Deuteronomy 12:32
"See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it."
Ecclesiastes 3:14
"I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him."
Galatians 3:15
"Brothers, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case."
What God has given us is perfect and holy. Perhaps if I can finally get to the point that I believe that all instruction necessary for righteousness has already been given me and that I cannot add to or take away from my inheritance in both the Law and the fulfillment of the Law, I would learn to live a life not constantly plagued with self doubt. Ultimately, as Paul mentions in the Galatians passage, the totality of the covenant is contained in the promise given to Abraham and its fulfillment in Christ.

3,4 - Reminds the Israelites about the consquences of turning to idols and the rewards of remaining faithful. (Numbers 25:1-9)
There entire remained of the old testament seems a proof text for this verse.

5 - Moses taught the Israelites God's law so they would know His law when they entered the land.
It seems that an assumption could be made the this passage implies that if the Israelites could not learn the Law while wandering in the desert with food and water supplied for them, then they certainly wouldn't get it through their skulls once the reached the point of fighting for and maintaining their land. What if they hadn't wasted their time in the desert? Personal life application....proably!

6 - By keeping the Law the Israelites would show to the other nations how wise and understanding they are.
This I find interesting...in the Old Testament it was through obedience to the Law that Israel would glorify their God and draw the attention of the Nations. In the New Testament the Law has been replaced by Love as the medium through which a lost world will find redemption.

7 - Moses reminds the Israelites how special they are to have a God who is near to them whenever they pray unlike any other nation.

8 - And that the laws and decrees show the greatness of the Israeli nation.
Not their land, not their amazing victories, not their wealth or fame but their law.

It amazes me that no matter what area of scripture I dive into, or how opaque the text is at first reading, it is always so rich upon contemplation and study, and I know I have just scratched the surface of the knowledge and revelation it contains for me.

So today's lyrics are from Hillsong:
From the Inside Out

A thousand times I've failed
Still your mercy remains
And should I stumble again
Still I'm caught in your grace

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
In my heart, in my soul, Lord I give you control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Your will above all else, my purpose remains
The art of losing myself in bringing you praise

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
In my heart, in my soul, Lord I give you control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Chorus 2x
Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
And the cry of my heart is to bring You praise
From the inside out Lord, my soul cries out

His portion

2008-06-30T22:25:00.003-04:00

He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realise just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us so

Yeah, He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.

We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
So Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss,
And the heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…

He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.

Well, I thought about You the day Stephen died,
And You met me between my breaking.
I know that I still love You, God, despite the agony.
...They want to tell me You're cruel,
But if Stephen could sing, he'd say it's not true, cause...

Cause He loves us,
Oh how He loves us.
Oh how He loves us.
Oh how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.*

-- John Mark MacMillan

my portion thoughts, findable later

2008-06-30T10:19:00.005-04:00

Deut 3:21-29

v 21 - the two kings were Sihon, King of Heshbon (Deut. 2:24-32) & Og, King of Bashan (Deut. 3:1-11).

With Sihon, Moses offered peace for safe passage through the land, but Sihon refused because God had made his spirit stubborn. (v 29) I find this interesting because Moses offered the 'right' or peaceful alternative but God arranged the spirit of his advesary to offer war instead. Then Israel passed through the land and destroyed everything - men, women, children. The saved the livestock and took it with them. They did not touch the land of the Ammonites.

Og's kingdom met with the same fate and again Israel took the livestock with them.

Both victories were examples of God's provision for Israel in the face of unthinkable odds. 3:5 mentions that the cities were fortified - not easily conquerable as nomadic settlements might be.

v 22 - "Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God himself will fight for you."

v 23-25 - Moses pleads with God for entry into the promise land.

v 26-29 - God told Moses that he should stop asking; however, God did grant Moses a view of the land and told him where to go to see it. He instructed Moses to commission Joshua to lead the people to inherit the land that God had promised them.

In the early 1700's Matthew Henry wrote a commentary on the Old Testament, The Gospels and Acts. Here is what he had to say about the text:

Verses 21-29 Moses encouraged Joshua, who was to succeed him. Thus the aged and experienced in the service of God, should do all they can to strengthen the hands of those who are young, and setting out in religion. Consider what God has done, what God has promised. If God be for us, who can be against us, so as to prevail? We reproach our Leader if we follow him trembling. Moses prayed, that, if it were God's will, he might go before Israel, over Jordan into Canaan. We should never allow any desires in our hearts, which we cannot in faith offer up to God by prayer. God's answer to this prayer had a mixture of mercy and judgment. God sees it good to deny many things we desire. He may accept our prayers, yet not grant us the very things we pray for. It God does not by his providence give us what we desire, yet if by his grace he makes us content without, it comes to much the same. Let it suffice thee to have God for thy Father, and heaven for thy portion, though thou hast not every thing thou wouldst have in the world. God promised Moses a sight of Canaan from the top of Pisgah. Though he should not have the possession of it, he should have the prospect of it. Even great believers, in this present state, see heaven but at a distance. God provided him a successor. It is a comfort to the friends of the church of Christ, to see God's work likely to be carried on by others, when they are silent in the dust. And if we have the earnest and prospect of heaven, let these suffice us; let us submit to the Lord's will, and speak no more to Him of matters which he sees good to refuse us.

The part that puzzles me here is why Moses is told to stop asking for what we assume is the desire of his heart - to enter the land. After leading the Israelites out of Egypt and then wandering for 40 years, you would think that Moses 'deserved' to enter the Promised Land. But Moses had disobeyed God's instruction because of lack of trust (stated by the text) so God denied him entry into the Promised Land. (Numbers 20:1-13). I do not understand why Moses striking the rock instead of speaking to it as commanded levied upon him such punishment. God's accusation against Moses is that Moses did not trust God enough to honor Him as holy in the sight of the Israelites. (v. 12) Matthew Henry's commentary points us back to v. 10 and the pride of Moses:

Verses 1-13 After thirty-eight years' tedious abode in the wilderness, the armies of Israel advanced towards Canaan again. There was no water for the congregation. We live in a wanting world, and wherever we are, must expect to meet with something to put us out. It is a great mercy to have plenty of water, a mercy which, if we found the want of, we should more own the worth of. Hereupon they murmured against Moses and Aaron. They spake the same absurd and brutish language their fathers had done. It made their crime the worse, that they had smarted so long for the discontent and distrusts of their fathers, yet they venture in the same steps. Moses must again, in God's name, command water out of a rock for them; God is as able as ever to supply his people with what is needful for them. But Moses and Aaron acted wrong. They took much of the glory of this work of wonder to themselves; "Must we fetch water?" As if it were done by some power or worthiness of their own. They were to speak to the rock, but they smote it. Therefore it is charged upon them, that they did not sanctify God, that is, they did not give to him alone that glory of this miracle which was due unto his name. And being provoked by the people, Moses spake unadvisedly with his lips. The same pride of man would still usurp the office of the appointed Mediator; and become to ourselves wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. Such a state of sinful independence, such a rebellion of the soul against its Saviour, the voice of God condemns in every page of the gospel.

Perhaps Moses was told to stop making his request to enter the land because it was in response to a punishment handed down by God because of Moses' pride and lack of faith. We are told to bring all things to God in prayer and make all requests and petitions known to Him, but perhaps once He has spoken definitively on the issue we are to accept His answer.

I appreciate Matthew Henry's summary of the Deut. text. This beginning of my Torah Portion reminds me again of the provision of God and the necessity that I accept my portion even when it does not appear to be what I desire. God still provided hope for Moses - though not of actual entry. Moses saw the land that God promised to give to Israel. Moses' eyes beheld the fulfillment of that promise, and in faith He believed that God would do all that He said that He would.

Hebrews 11:26 says,

"He[Moses] regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.

And he saw his perceived reward (if only from a distance) but did not receive his reward (in a sense) because his story (his portion) was bigger than his single life. His portion stretched through the kingship of David, the captivity in Babylon, the time of the prophets, the promise in Malachi 4 and the promise of a Messiah, the Mount of Transfiguration, all the way through Hebrews 11:40 where the writer says, "God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect." And in some sense, I share my portion with Moses and he with I in the inheritance we have been promised that has not yet seen fulfillment.

dedicated to many pains in the DR

2008-06-25T15:24:00.001-04:00

Song Lyrics

Possessing my Portion

2008-06-21T23:12:00.005-04:00

Have you ever noticed that when you learn a new word it seems to pop up everywhere? I have found in my life that often when I hear a new Word it works this same. This week's Word was Psalm 73. Kurt spoke about this passage at Warehouse 242 this past Sunday. His focus was to impress upon us all the significance of the portion which God has given to us, and the loss we experience when we consider the portion of others with envy and ignorance. He gave two beautiful examples of portion (one positive and one humblingly relate-able negative example)and how our portion and our inheritance is certain and it is enough. (You can hear Kurt's message here.)
This past year has provided a lot of time to reflect on my portion. To recognize that my portion may not be 'large' by the standards of others, but it is enough. There are so many 'criteria' that I impose upon God about what portion I will accept - perhaps I can only accept my portion if it includes marriage or if it includes the right job, or if it includes recognition, etc. When all my regular comforts and identifiers were distanced from me (my eloquence, my independence, my friendships, my social position, my material possessions)I realized that although those 'portions' might mean something to me, or to my peers they meant nothing to God. The portion that concerns Him is that which He has given me. My comfort should come in my certainty that my portion (regardless of how it may appear) is enough!
Asaph's Psalm more perfectly expresses my year than anything I can write here. I was at the end of my spiritual rope. I felt I had tied a knot and was hanging on with my fingernails to the belief that God would provide for me. With self-loathing and bitterness I watched the wicked around me prosper while I felt left behind and forgotten by the Savior around whom my life had been shaped. Asaph felt the same thing as a Levite relying on the obedience of the tribes of Israel for his 'portion' or his provision; as an obedient follower, he felt he had followed fruitlessly and was bitter and frustrated with God. Asaph realized, however, that although he could not change the world around him he could rely on God to remain faithful and hold onto him whether he [Asaph] understood his circumstances or not.
"As for me, it is good to be near God." God has given me a portion far greater than any I could compare myself to in shallow envy. I can seek self-satisfaction and find myself always oppressed by my circumstances, or I can recognize that God has a portion for me that is enough that I will never lack.
Tuesday night I attended a city-wide singles worship service called Charlotte One and the passage shared was Psalm 139 which seemed the perfect next step to my ponderings about my 'portion'. My portion is mine because God knows me! He knows me intimately down to the words on my tongue! He has prepared my portion for me because His heart is good; because he is the only one who has the right to do so - because He is God and He is the only one who knows me fully, the only one who ever would have the ability to know me fully, even so much better than I know myself.
As I ponder this word 'portion' I have a conversation with a friend about Messianic Judaism and she mentions to me that when she was in Jerusalem over her 30th birthday, she learned what her Torah 'portion' was. Every year the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers & Deuteronomy) is read (in weekly readings) during services and the same reading falls on the same week every year (according to the Jewish not he Gregorian calendar). The portion read during your brithday is your Torah Portion. There is also a corresponding Haftarah (the scriptures from the prophets, etc.) Before I muddle this too greatly, let me point you to a few sites where you can find your Torah portion:
The one that my friend Kaite suggested to me is found here,but I also found a site that provided a little more information on Jewish Birthdays here and some additional information on how your birthday and portion is determined here.
My Torah portion is VaEtchanan, Deuteronomy : 3:23-7:11 and my Haftarah portion is Isaiah 40:1 - 40:26. I have not had time to really ponder the Torah portion - it is the section where God forbids Moses to cross the Jordan, gives Israel the Ten Commandments, restates the authority of God, sets aside cities of refuge and gives instruction for entering the land.( here is some info about the passage and the Jewish holidays, etc. surrounding it.) The Haftarah portion is the very famous passage in Isaiah about Comforting Israel & God's greatness. (Which, incidentally leads me to ponder a message I heard by N.T. Wright talking about that passage.)
There will be more postings about portions as I practice possessing my portion and considering it with thankfulness. (and possibly some electronic media artwork as ponderance and practice.)

returning to time away at home

2008-06-20T00:09:00.004-04:00

it was a long year away, of that i am sure. in hindsight, i see that it is true that a person can endure almost anything for a year; and despite the unbelievable frustrations, i don't feel that i just survived - i feel i learned.

a lesson is only as good as the length of time that its knowledge is retained. if it took 10 months for me to begin to hold the information God was heaping upon me, how horrible will it be to forget it as soon as the familiar again becomes comfortable.

life comes at you so quickly, especially stateside. media images are everywhere -- i had to ask my parents (who run the t.v. most of the time - watching FOX News) if i could please turn the t.v. off -- music is fine; but the visual images become noise in my brain.
sometimes people and places can become the same kind of noise. sometimes my thoughts alone crowd my head to the point that i am over stimulated (which might answer why i am up writing this blog after midnight.) the t.v. i can turn off - people and my thoughts...that is a bit harder. where is the balance between accepting too much input and holing yourself away and experiencing none.

this is a critical thing to ponder when i put it in real context - that of my quiet time and my prayer life. when there are so many people and so much stimulation it is hard to get away and consider prayer. friends are so much 'easier' to talk to than God. o.k. - i get it, that is a funny thing to say...but my external processing mechanism seems to work with people, where it seems to just be additional internal processing when i pray UNLESS i can stop the other input and focus on the Father. but will i take the time to do so?

one thing is certain to me about the lessons i learned in the D.R. - i will only retain them as long as God remains my focus and my anchor. input and images become idols as soon as they de-seat the Father from the throne He deserves. one of the ways that happens in my life is through over-socialization. being busy socially fills my felt need for quality time with the Father. i recognize that not everyone is built the same way i am; some folks do not replace God with other folks. maybe it is the particular burden of external processors to seek advice from others when they should be spending time with the Father. *shrug* i dunno, but i do know that people, in some form or other, often become my idols.

it is an amazing testimony to my sinfulness that i can known this, and still choose to do what i know is not good for me, nor best, nor most pleasing to God. even as I type this i can think of half a dozen things that i would rather do than quiet my heart and go before the Father. it is really all about instant gratification - talking to others makes whatever issue or topic i am discussing seem more manageable and meaningful. i think this is a valuable tool but i also think it can keep me from what 'feels' like a less prompt pay-off, namely prayer.

God has not shown Himself to be on my schedule so far in my life. usually when i bring something to Him he does not provide an apparent(ly positive) answer to my inquiry in anything that would look to me like a timely fashion. God works according to His own schedule, and that makes me want to dig in my heels and chat with folks who (if from no other reason than politeness) have to respond to me in some way immediately. in fairness, however, were God to write on my wall the answer to whatever inquiry i have brought before Him undoubtedly i would have rationalized it away or argued its interpretation to the point that it was no longer divine at all -- but just as mundane and unknowable as the future always feels from the present.

time management is the beast i have yet to slay. the land i have yet to conquer. (more on the 'land' idea later.) perhaps, how i handle my time is the thing i need to be spending the most time handling -- especially in prayer. so here i go - with less than worthy excitement but more than priceless need to take my concerns (from lesson retention to time management) before the Father to ask Him to bless me though I am undeserving and teach me though I am slow to change.

Our light and momentary afflictions

2008-05-23T09:27:00.003-04:00

sometimes we have moments in our lives that we realize that the frustrations and even the sincere pains that we experience are really just moments of inconvenience in the perspective of eternity. we are surrounded by a world of pain and hopelessness; situations so far past our ability to understand and cope with that we shake our head speechless with wonder. we know that these things pass and that new struggles will replace them. we know that sometimes our struggles leave deep scars or spaced of emptiness in our lives and in our stories. this knowledge does not lessen the pain, but it also does not have to increase it. and I am thankful for the times that I realize that the cross that I have taken up willingly is the exact one crafted to fit most easily on my back and shoulders and that there is no shame in carrying with humility and with intention. I have been given only what God intends to provide for and no matter the horror of it, or the disappointment or the incomprehensible pain - whatever the trial, it is but a momentary and light affliction compared to the glory of walking in relationship with my Savior.

The last three weeks

2008-05-22T10:06:00.002-04:00

I won't bore all 5 of you with the details of the difficulties of life here, it is just more of the same. The immediate effect is that I had to change the address of my blog because certain people in positions of authority have been using their ability to access it to harrass me about my struggles and prayer requests etc.

The election was last Friday, and it went very smoothly. I have taken pictures and want to write more, but am swamped with finishing school.

I also want to update about my classes, how much I love my kids here, etc. But that too will have to wait! So check back later and I will describe all in more detail.

The History Post -- the old things that used to be on my blog

2008-05-15T21:55:00.000-04:00

Accumulated on June 19, 2008, but backdated to May of 08 for viewing ease.

Some of the old blog-works that used to decorate the page of my experiences.

Jarabacoa is in the mountains in the middle of the island of Hispaniola. The weather here is generally warm and mild. The scenary is beautiful with tropical foliage as well as pine trees and other higher elevation flora. Jarabacoa is about a 45 minute car ride up the mountain from Santiago (which is the closest metropolitan area.)

Basic Information

Current Weather Conditions

USA address:
Christina Rich c/o Sara Rich
11533 Five Cedars Rd.
Charlotte, NC 28226
Phone (available in DR)
704-323-5589
Email: Trisket876@gmail.com

For Financial Support please send monies to:
New Horizons Youth Foundation
Jarabacoa Christian School Staff Fund (Christina Rich)
701 S. Clinton Street, Suite 112
Fort Wayne, Indiana
46802

Packages and Mail can be sent to:
Jarabacoa Christian School
Christina RichUnit # 3039-ECDR
3170 Airmans Drive
Fort Pierce, Florida
34946

Vacation in Sosua

2008-04-26T17:53:00.003-04:00

12 friends of mine from Charlotte came down to Sosua for a long weekend April 10th-14th and we had alot of fun. It was great to see everyone and nice to spend 3 days with no school work, no tests to grade, and not having to worry about the multitude of strange things that happen here in Jarabacoa. We played in the pool, layed on the beach, went snorkling, ate food, drank yummy tropical drinks and laughed alot. Here is a small piece of the fun.
The second morning I was there I went and found a hammock by myself, curled up with a copy of "The Book Thief" and enjoyed the sun and the sound of surf while I sat in silent contemplation. I took a picture of the hammock so that when I need to visualize a safe and quiet place, I can think of my time sitting there.
We saw the most beautiful sunsets there. Pictures do not do them justice.

Later that night we had seafood. I had snapper stuffed with salmon maybe...(???) I cannot remember, but it was very good. Probably didn't help that I had eaten quite a large snack at another resort restaurant 2 hours earlier.
Pool fun:

Our last night there we had italian and much fun occurred. Afterward Kyle and Jenn sang Karaoke. Then fooze ball then some time at the discotheque.

Our temporary visitor...

2008-04-26T17:33:00.000-04:00

Rachel, Christy Elmer and I were eating leftovers on Thursday night during a thunderstorm. As the rain slowed we kept hearing a cat (sounded like a kitten) but could not figure out where the noise was coming from. Finally, after half an hour I went out to track down the mewing that was pathetic and insistent. I looked and looked and could not find the culprit. After about 10 minutes I found this:

So, we rescued it:

It appears to be ok. It is hanging out on our front porch and gets to come inside for an hour or two a day. A family here is supposed to take it (I told them God sent it to us in a rainstorm with instructions attached to pass it along to them) but they are being slow. We will find it a home at school on Monday. It will NOT remain with us. But, for the time being, it is cute.

being in the light

2008-04-07T08:24:00.004-04:00

Last night I spent several hours awake gripped by fear and worry. While I have often struggled with worry, I do not often feel inhibited by fear. I am usually rather gregarious and willing to jump on a plane, a bus, a bike, whatever the adventure calls for. I am far more likely to pass up an adventure for fear of embarrassment than I am for fear of physical harm. The older I get, the more readily I sleep without concern for noises in the house, or concerns for personal safety. (I think this is in part because I have come to trust the wisdom of doing all that a person can do to be safe - lock doors, know your space, have emergency phone numbers, wear your seatbelt, etc. and past that to recognize the sovereignty of God.)
Last night I was gripped with an ominous foreboding. A fear of things that don't ever even cross my mind - silly things like losing a limb or car accidents or serious illness. Then, of course, it moved on to fear for my family, worries about getting home, concern for world events, etc. I recognize the power of night and darkness in confusing our perceptions and muddling our clear thinking. This was oppressive though. I spent several hours praying and listened to an 80 minute message by N.T. Wright twice. (That was a good thing, as I think I learned some apologetics I had not considered before.)
I don't know how to explain how oppressive this was. I thought several times of waking my roommate, of calling home...something, anything to reach out to someone else. I still feel groggy and hesitant today. Since daylight I have been trying to figure out what provoked these worries, these irrational, faithless concerns that caused me to shake with fear. These are the few conclusions I have reached:
1. Satan is attacking the JCS staff. I don't want to sound all Frank Peretti on anyone, but seriously, weird problems without apparent motives have been surfacing all over. The is a lack of willingness to take personal responsibility and a justifying of actions by misquoted biblical texts and the apparent blanket excuse of "I prayed about it". I think we can all fall prey to this kind of deception when we are under this much stress and confusion. 1 John talks about being in the light, and taking responsibility for our sins - asking forgiveness. I feel like many things here are in darkness. The need for secrecy in the body is a good example of darkness abiding, and when that is seen as normal and necessary, it makes me cringe for the evil we invite when we cloak our activities with darkness. But I also know that God is the one who brings things from darkness into light. (Job 12:21-23) And God has called us from darkness into light. (1 Peter 2:9). I do not quote these verses to imply that I am in the light, more to confess how often I find myself acting under the shadow of darkness, or of hopelessness and how urgently I desire the garbage to be scooped out of my soul and to be made clean by the purifying light of God's presence and love. But Satan, the father of lies, has been using the darkness here to his great advantage and turning believer against believer - making things that are circumstantial appear personal and blinding us to our true motives. It is painful and sad and humbling.

2. This past week was difficult. I had a difficult meeting on Wednesday which 'brought into the light' the inability for reconciliation to occur in some areas here. It grieves me, but still I have to check my own motives. I feel emotionally worn out and bleeding.
On Thursday we had a storm with power surges (apparently) and my computer power supply was fried. I hope that the computer itself was not damaged, but I will not know until I can obtain a new powersupply (which by God's grace will happen in the next week.) That same power surge, it appears, blew the compressor to our refrigerator. (Remember, this is the 3rd refrigerator we have had here.) So, no food - nothing that can spoil. No cold drinks, no jam even for peanut butter and jelly. We cannot keep leftovers and cannot have much fresh fruits or veggies (everything in our house molds so quickly.) It should not be a big deal, but it does really discourage on a daily basis.
On Friday a new and dear friend resigned her position at JCS. We NEED all the staff, and her leaving will be deeply felt. The amount of deception that occurred to let Satan pull this off has be baffled. We are one quarter from done with the school year and for the second time the administration has lost a math teacher. Something is seriously wrong. This is not how things are supposed to be done. Both of these math teachers were bilingual and knowledgeable. Yes, teaching at JCS takes some adjustment, but when personal grudges or preconceptions take the place of what is best for the students, it is hard to continue to respect those responsible for the lack of effective communication.
Yesterday (Sunday) I dropped the motorcycle in the road on the way to a friends house. I sustained a minorly skinned knee (Thank God I had on jeans!!!) and a bruised hand. The greatest damage was done to my ego, but I have to admit that I am in no hurry to get back on that horse (see again my normally gregariousness...this is unusual for me.)

I trust that God is good. That even if some great harm should befall me that He would be in control, but I felt last night that the angel of death was hovering at my shoulder or that the tribulation was upon me, and my ability to rationally and prayerfully consider things 'in the light' seemed to be withheld from me. In the daylight it should seem silly, but even so the fear lingers.

2 Timothy 1:7-10
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

The sin of cynicism

2008-03-30T00:11:00.004-04:00

We live in a world fraught with examples of dishonesty, ill-intentions and hopeless attempts at self-definition. All you need to do is visit the front page of any newspaper to re-enforce your distrust of fellow human beings. The war in Iraq, AIDS in Africa, Global Warming, Russian cave cults, violence in Somalia, serial-killers, mines collapsing, North Korean missile tests...the list goes on and on.

Discouragement doesn't only exist in lands across an ocean or in cities far away; we experience it personally in every aspect of our days. Try to maintain any sense of innocence or optimism if you live in a city with traffic. And if you actually get to your office without losing your faith in humanity, it will probably not be more than a half an hour until a coworker has squashed all of your hope of human kindness. Let's not even start discussing calling a customer service hotline (can we just say Suncom doesn't 'get it') or visiting the DMV!

I wish that I could blame all of my lack of faith in humanity on the news or on driving in Charlotte. I am sure we all wish we could point to things too distant and separate from our hearts, but the things that really discourage us tend to be alot closer to home. Friendships that have been ruined because of misunderstandings, betrayals by those we trusted with the secrets of our hearts, peers who have waged war against our well being instead of guarding our souls against the deceits of the devil. Rejection, alienation, criticisms, withholding of forgiveness, gossip, slander and self-righteousness all separate us from each other. There is not one of us who hasn't experienced this side of human nature and not one of us who hasn't suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. The question is, how do we respond?

I am so tired of the pithy cliches about human suffering. It is not that 'turning the other cheek' or 'give them your tunic too' isn't great advice, or that I question the rightness of such a response, but honestly, how often are our disappointments as clear-cut as a slap on the cheek or the stealing of your cloak? Most of the time our wounds are inflicted much more subtly. It is not that we are not able to turn the other cheek when we are slapped, it is just that after being slapped around so many times it is hard not to flinch every time someone raises their hand (even if it is just to high-five us.)

We are cynical. Jaded. Cynicism is defined as:
An attitude of scornful or jaded negativity, especially a general distrust of the integrity or professed motives of others. A scornfully or jadedly negative comment or act: "She arrived at a philosophy of her own, all made up of her private notations and cynicisms" (Henry James).

After being smacked around so many times it is hard not to have an attitude of morbid expectation. When you feel you have constantly received the worst from people it is hard not to prepare for it. Through a series of events recently I have really come to ponder the sadness of self-fulfilled prophecy; when you expect people to disappoint you and to treat you poorly they usually do. How much of this is just a result of living in a sinful world and how much of it is predicated by our expectations? Where is God in the midst of our experiences of the world, and what is the response we should have toward these constant reminders of the failings of sinful humans?

Worldy wisdom says that understanding the pitfalls of the world you live in should help you avoid being hurt. I looked up quotes about cynicism and found the following:
The cynics are right nine times out of ten. or
Idealism is what precedes experience, cynicism is what follows. or
It's hard to argue against cynics - they always sound smarter than optimists because they have so much evidence on their side.
Cynics regarded everybody as equally corrupt... Idealists regarded everybody as equally corrupt, except themselves. or
Cynic, n: a blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be.

Against such overwhelming experiential truths how do we respond with anything other than satisfaction when we have learned that life really is as bad as everyone else says? But the Bible warns us against worldly wisdom and sets it up as the opposite of God's grace, and warns us that God makes foolish the wisdom of this world. What then should our response be? How then do we live with wisdom in a world that repeatedly displays its unholiness; when even believers (and sometimes especially believers) seek to justify their own wrong doing by the sins of others?

I am far from being resolved in this issue and have a multitude of questions about how to address the deeply imbedded impulse to be cynical (particularly regarding the integrity of motives of my fellow Christians.) But, I have a few ideas that I am pondering:

1.) Recognize that cynicism is a sin. All of my intellectual training rebels against this conviction. Cynicism is my hiding place; it is my ability to keep the world at arms length and to stand back and laugh at the jerks that hurt me. Admitting that my cynicism is a sin means that I cannot justify myself in believing the worst of others (even perhaps when that worst is true).

There are several verses that have backed me into this corner. The first is the obvious 1 Corinthians passage (which I have visited and revisited so often this year.) Love believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things and it never fails. "always hopes" is the opposite of expecting disappointment. Biblical hope is not the crossing of fingers behind one's back while asking santa for a pony. Faith and hope are tied inextricably together throughout the New Testament, and faith is not 'wishful thinking' but certainty. Additionally, Hebrews 6 says that the promise of God's blessing is the hope that anchors our soul. I cannot (though I wish I could) see anyway that cynicism can co-exist with such a great and powerful hope.

2. Recognizing our own sins. Christ warns us about trying to remove the splinter from someone else's eye while ignoring the plank in our own. Personally, I know that it is easiest for me to point out the sins in another's life if they are the same ones that I struggle with myself. (Perhaps an intimate knowledge of those sins makes it so easy to recognize them in others, but also somehow seeing it in others makes it so much easier to justify it in myself.) I do not believe that one can deal with the sin of cynicism without addressing the sin of pride that assumes that while I believe the worst in others I am somehow spiritually evolved enough not to fall into the same traps myself. Clearly that justification is rubbish. We see in others what we are most afraid of addressing in ourselves. (ie: My certainty of the unteachableness (the intractableness) in others is almost always a sure sign that I am currently being stubborn and unyielding myself.)

3. Cynicism thrives on deception. Without the existence of deceit there would be no need for cynicism. While I can do nothing about the state of the world around me, I can most certainly pray for wisdom in recognizing the deceit in my own life. James 3 defines wisdom:
17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
To eliminate deception (and we know that Satan is the father of lies) we have to make sure that we are not holding on to the very lack of integrity we expect to see in others. 1 Peter 2:1 says, "1Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation." I cannot remain hopeful in a world fraught with dishonesty if I continue to harbor malice, hypocrisy and slander in my heart (especially towards those who have wronged me.)

I am still working through and thinking through these things, and I am struggling in a very tangible way with how to apply these thoughts to the broken life I lead. The selfish and insecure part of me wants to stand back triumphantly everytime the world disappoints me, wagging my finger and saying, "I told you so." But the part of me that cries out to praise God for my redemption cannot worship him euphorically while I continually doubt his ability to redeem others. This is no small platitude. Learning to address this sin that runs to the very core of my identity and taints everything I put my hand to is not simply a case of wearing a WWJD wristband. This sin is so huge and so pervasive that I feel hopelss in ever rooting it all out, but I have to believe in my new found commitment to hope that God is just as capable of cleaning the garbage out of my soul as He is in saving me from the pit of hell. I have to believe it, because otherwise I have no anchor.

I don't know what I will think tomorrow when I check the news, or when I walk into staff meeting, or watch my students in their struggle to become young adults. I do know that tomorrow I will wake up in the same broken and twisted world that I fell asleep in tonight, but I pray with the deepest gut-wrenching, bowel-aching soul-pain I have felt in a long time that I will choose not to shield myself from the perils of life with my sinful cynicism, but that I will embrace this broken world with the confidence that God is not finished with His work of redemption and that the blessings He has promised are true and imminent, and that I will (and am) see(ing) the
goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

And while I was hunting...

2008-03-19T20:58:00.002-04:00

the old videos I found this:

I have tried to find out when it is/was coming out. The latest date I could find regarding press releases was something that said it was held up because of the writers' strike. I wrote to the poster of the vid and asked when it is scheduled for release...we'll see if I hear back and I will keep you posted.

this is Ash Greyson's blog but it has not been updated in a while....(I guess a new kid could put a damper on blog time.....*shrug*.)

(I really hope I said 'writers' strike' in my note to him, not 'writers' block' -- LOL. I need more sleep!)

Blast from the Past

2008-03-17T14:42:00.005-04:00

I saw on another blog some folks reliving 80's and early 90's Christian Rock. SWEET! So, I have searched the youtube and selected some of my favorites for your remembering pleasure.

The first I select because not only do I love the song, but I am pretty sure my dad edited the video when he was working at Park Road Productions in the 80's. I have great memories of being at those studious and I vague recollections of the peptobismal pink headboard in this video. The ironic thing was that years later when Forest Hill had bought the property and had remodeled the studio area into a glorified gymnasium where they held services (before they built the sanctuary) we saw Randy Stonehill in concert. I guess the world does keep turnin' round.

Here is another oldy. I remember going to Mylon & Brokenhearts concert in Ohio in 88? with my friend Lisa. She was way into the Christian music stuff then, and I was more of a newbie since in 88 I was 12 and just starting to pick out music for myself. And apparently, this is what I picked:

Remember, these were the times when popular christian eschatology was determined by "Thief in the Night" and whatever far-fetched drama Hal Lindsey was promoting. (LaHaye and Jenkins, eat your heart out!) But even more funny is the computer the guy is using and the 45" floppy...wtf? Though I remember those - we had some great video games for our Commodore 64, and don'tcha forget it!

We sang this one in youth choir. I am pretty sure that was when everyone was rocking the 3" high teased and hairsprayed bangs. I should dig up those pics.

And if you stuck it this long, I will leave you something a little less crunchy and more old school:

(you have to click the link and I will personally take you out to dinner and worship at your feet if you can tell me who sang it - not the band (its in the ID on the song) but who was IN the band at that time.....)

***updated to see if that link works better***

what books tell me about who I am

2008-03-08T06:30:00.004-05:00

i have always loved to read. I don't remember a time when reading wasn't one of my favorite things to do. It is built into my routine: i read before going to sleep every night, i read during quiet lunches at home when I can enjoy 20 minutes of solitude, i read whenever traveling, and any time i have to wait in line or can justify the gratuitous action by the obligation to some other space occupying activity. it is my escape, my alone-time carved out of time occupied by other people and responsibilities.

usually i read a mixture of classics, with sci-fi and biographies (often of a historic nature). this year, of course, i have read many textbooks spanning world history from top to bottom. lately, however, i have noticed a trend of weariness in my reading. usually i love the artsy philosophical works of fiction that define certain era's of our existence. my three most recent are: The Fountainhead (which I just finished last night), Invitation to a Beheading (which I am still trying to finish) and To Kill a Mockingbird (which I am reading with my 8th grade class). I had never read The Fountainhead before, and find Rand's characters' long speeches to be tedious and overwritten. (I might just be feeling that way because the book was 687 pages of small type). The story itself was interesting, (though I still have a hard time stomaching the rape scene no matter how symbolic it was) but the message seemed philosophically shallow to me. This is perhaps where I am disappointed. Rand's work is supposed to be this great treatise on individualism and the rightness of the aspirations of man, and even a hand-up to capitalism, but the 100% humanistic basis to me made all of ther characters lack depth. I would be interested to discuss with my friend, Suzanna, what her thoughts on the book are, since she is an avowed communist. I just cannot buy for a moment that putting the integrity of one's own selfishness above vows and sacrifice is a philosophy to be embraced - though I did appreciate the willingness of Roark's character to invalidate other's selfish criticisms in favor of maintaining his integrity. I am conflicted over this book.

Nabokov's book caught my attention when it was mentioned in "Reading Lolita in Tehran" by Azar Nafisi. Nafisi quotes Nabokov in several places and piqued my interests through her explaination of oppression and human endeavors to quench the spirit. I generally enjoy Russian literature (such as I can get my hands on in English: Tolstoy, Chekov, and Dostoyevsky to a lesser extent) and I think under other circumstances I would enjoy this book also. The sticking point for me is the change in my physical location since I read "Reading Lolita in Tehran" - I was happily and expectantly enscounced in my life in Charlotte when I read Nafisi and all of her lofty and inspiring tales of freeing the human spirit through literature and art were very appealing. Here, in my developing country circumstances, I find my brain absorbed with understanding survival skills just to inhabit my day without feeling defeated. I have less sympathy for Cincinnatus C. and his self-imposed prison. I guess what I am trying to say is that whatever part of my brain that passionately loved the intangible realm of mental calesthenics finds itself worn out by the sheer effort of existing here.

Harper Lee's work has long been one of my top 5 favorite books. She writes about big ideas simply and with colorful and real language. I sympathize with the tomboy Scout on her journey toward maturity and understanding of the prejudiced and unfair world we live in. As a history teacher reading it with my 8th grade class, I appreciate that Lee has added texture, shape, depth, sensation to the things that I have been trying to explain to my students from rather dry and biased textbooks. But, I recognize that part of the appeal for me is the familiarity of Lee's writing. Not only have I read the book at least half a dozen times, but the story takes place in a setting I am familiar with and language I am comfortable with - namely that of the South. As I travel and consider differences between cultures (not only abroad, but inside the U.S. also) I find a growing fondness for the South and the traditions it holds. To read Lee's book, rought with the struggles of Depression Era Mississippi is still to be taken back to familiar territory, not to try to wade through a mythical land of imprisonment or the pre-WWII high 'intellectual' society of NYC. I think I crave the familiar.

And this all makes sense, I suppose. Far from home. Tired and sick I want to feel comforted. The excitement which normally drives me towards books outside of my experience is also causing me to criticize their characters and the obsessions they embody. As I consider my reaction to the things I read I think I get a clearer picture of my own experiences. I want to allow these insights to soften my edges and allow the affection for home and the familiar to feed my love for my peers, family and home. I strive for the unknown, and in doing so I am often critical of the familiar. I want to be understanding of the familiar and hesitantly expectant of the unknown.

All of this is just me vomitting onto my blog in an attempt to capture some piece of the internal experience here to ponder later when the novelty of being comfortable has worn off and the weariness of the mundane has set in again.

Have I mentioned I would really like to live in Australia or New Zealand for a year?

Drama at school & magnanimity

2008-03-07T06:02:00.002-05:00

This school week has been full of drama. I write about it for two reasons:
1. so that those of you who read this can offer a prayer for the JCS staff and students that God will come and intersect our lives with His refocusing power so that the problems that distract us from eternity will fade away.
2. so that when I have left this place and am no longer burdened by these issues, that I will remember that 'this too shall pass' and that the entirely different problems I face then are just a reminder of the fact that God renews and changes both us and our circumstances.

The thing about drama is that it always seems to be about things blown way out of proportion to their real significance or severity in the course of our lives. I had a friend say to me the other week, and I think she was entirely correct, that even though I might not always 'cause' the drama, I am by nature a dramatic person. That I am sure feeds into things. Also, I realize that when I get passionate about something (which is almost always) I tend to use imperative language which offends or at the very least makes defensive those with whom I am disagreeing. Which brings me to my college-level word - magnanimity.

There are many words I have and can use to describe myself: intense, passionate, determined, opinionated, insightful, perseverant, adventurous, committed, responsible, inteligent, etc. I do not think that these are bad quailities...but I do think that while most of you read them you will agree that they are not the 'gentler' or quieter qualities. I have long since given up on being a 'quiet' person. Even when I speak very little I feel that my words are loud. So, I am praying for a new quality to be added to these: magnanimity. I want people to say, "yes, Magnanimous should be added to that list of attributes."

Dictionary.com defines magnanimous as:

1.
generous in forgiving an insult or injury; free from petty resentfulness or vindictiveness: to be magnanimous toward one's enemies.
2.
high-minded; noble: a just and magnanimous ruler.
3.
proceeding from or revealing generosity or nobility of mind, character, etc.: a magnanimous gesture of forgiveness.

I think, in my search for what is loving, that I can strive to embrace this word. I am going to write it on several sheets of paper and staple or tape it on my gradebook, my notebook, my bedroom wall, my 6th grade classroom. I want to be reminded to let my perceived injuries roll off my back, to not take people personally, to not feel the need for revenge. I want to be high-minded and noble. I want to be generous and forgiving. I want my students to look back and say, "Wow, Ms. Rich sure changed. She WAS magnanimous and fair in all her dealings." I know this might not happen in this year. I know that change is a slow process and we are all subject to set backs. having received a rather sharp reminder that my striving has yet produced perfection or even understanding I have to return again to a more simplistic attempt to pursue and convey love so today, for this week, for the month of March I want to work on magnanimity in the face of all the drama and conflict at school. I want to keep my mouth shut, my ears open, my mind willing to see another's perspective and most of all I want to be generous, kind and forgiving; selfless because I do not take things personally.

May God find my efforts humble and an offering to Him in His mighty greatness and may He be pleased to lift me up and support my ineptitude and inabilities so that HIS love might shine through me, and I might decrease.

2008-03-02T17:37:00.005-05:00

Here is the brief synopsis of Holly’s trip from my perspective. There will be gaps, etc. but hopefully this will provide enough info to jog my memory when I start forgetting the details of our experiences. 2/22 – Holly arrived in Santiago Friday afternoon. Karen Speciale and I picked her up at the airport and brought her up to Jarabacoa. (2 cities visited) Holly, Rachel and I had dinner together at El Rancho down by the Caribe Tours station (both Holls and I had chicken crepes and they were yummiliscious.) We watched Luther that night and went to sleep to prepare for our beach trip in the morning.

2/23 – We got a late start due to my ineptness at gathering things together quickly. I am not nearly as efficient down here as I am at home (though I procrastinate and run late regardless of my geographical location) so we missed the 10 am bus to La Vega. We took a Gua-gua (sp?) from Jarabacoa to La Vega. (More about that interesting form of Dominican Transportation later.) We arrived in La Vega just after noon.

We thought there would be a bus to Sosua within 20 minutes according to the schedule, but we waited over 2 hours. Had a few miscommunications with the bus ticket person and the eventual bus driver but fought our way onto the bus and arrived in Sosua about 3 hours later where we took a taxi to Cabarete and checked into our hotel. Cabarete is on the North coast of the DR about 45 minutes from Puerto Plata. We had dinner on the beach where we ran into a few other teachers from JCS (they were kind enough to reserve our hotel room and save us some stress – Thanks Katie!)

I did not take any pictures of the hotel room we were in the first two nights, but it was nice. 2/24 - The next morning we got up and ate breakfast at a bakery called "Dick" (no 's as proper English would seem to imply - errrr..... anyway....)
and then laid on the beach and soaked up rays. Very gratifying. Beautiful day.

That night we went and sat at a nice little bistro and had mojito's and hummus while writing in our journals and just enjoying the warmth of the evening breeze. I like this picture of holly:

Later we ate and Jose O'shay's where we met a guy named Mike who was enjoying a long weekend away from the snow and bustle of New York. Though neither Holly nor I had the presence of mind to take a picture of him, he did take this one of us at the end of the night.

2/25 - We got up and bummed around for a few hours that morning. Sat by the pool and read, etc. Very nice and relaxing. Then we headed off for Sosua to see the beach down there.

We took a gua-gua again - this time a much shorter ride and quite funny. Catching a gua-gua requires standing on the side of the road and looking expectantly at the over-packed 13 passenger vans that come barrelling down the road overflowing with people. On our 5 rides, 21 passengers was the highest denisity we experienced. We wandered around and ended up at (unbeknownst to us) the beach that many of my friends will be visiting in April at the Casa Marina Resort:

These pictures do not do the beach justice. The water was so clear. It was gorgeous.

2/26 - We came back to Jarabacoa on the bus, etc. (5 cities so far) and then went to a dinner at the house of the parents of one of my 6th graders.

2/27-2/28 - I was horrendously sick and do not remember anything really other than the fever and the vomitting. UGGGGG! But Holls went to school and hung out with the kidlets.

2/29 - We went on the school field trip to Santo Domingo and visited the National Museum of Natural History, The Mercy Gate and The House of Diego Columbus (Christopher's son.) All very fun. Here are excerpts:

3/1 - We went and watched some of my 6th and 7th graders at baseball practice:

Then we went into town and Holly went to a concery and I babysay for some friends.
Which brings us to today, 3/2, when I am blogging all of the fun and excitement. Today we went to church then I went to school this afternoon to do some work. Holly flies back tomorrow morning and I will miss her ALOT. It has been fun! Too bad about my camera though. Mourning will begin tomorrow in the morning as is appropriate. And I will teach classes for the first time in a week and try not to murder my childrens.
Hasta Luego!

The Unbearable Awfulness of Being

2008-03-02T12:09:00.003-05:00

Instead of pondering how short life is and how inconsequential (because we all know that on my darker days I can certainly go to that place) I instead offer you the truth of how easily we lose those things we value.

Friday I was on a field trip with the highschoolers in Santo Domingo. Although the day was quite nice, the museum was horrendously hot. I was carrying my bookbag, my camera and a bulletin I was using to fan myself with hopes of overcoming the nausea of stagnant air and second-rate displays. We were not allowed to tour the museum independently (though all we could have done was look since the Dominican distaste for reading extended to their displays so one probably would not have known what one was looking at anyway...except that the tour guide didn't really help answer that question either, but I digress) and the tourguide has gone down in my mind as the museum-nazi trying to enforce from her 5'4" 115 lbs stature the silence of 50 tremendously uncomfortable students who had just been cooped up on mini-vans for 3 hours. Museum-Nazi was rude if anyone even looked like they were going to make noise or move a step away (for a breath of air) from the person they were crammed next to. One of my students asked me to hold her notebook while she shifted some stuff around and in an effort to take her notebook and not drop what I was holding without awakening the dragon; I dropped my digital camera. The cord slipped right through my fingers and it his the floor with an obviously fatal smack - so far I have not been able to get it to turn on again.

Woe is me!!! I need a camera and my heart is broken into pieces inside because I can no longer send you picture and crappy videos via my blog. Please address all letters of sympathy and appropriate floral bouquets to my Dominican abode where I will be in deep mourning for at least a week (which will begin promptly as soon as Holly has taken her leave of me, for a hostess should not neglect her guest due to a loss; even one of such magnitude!)

Adios mi amor, mi cámara digital! I shall miss you!

So much to say

2008-02-20T21:16:00.002-05:00

I have so much that I want to update. I have pictures from trips and visits and things that I want to say and show and tell about, but all that will have to wait for the moment.

The past two weeks have been extremely busy. Right now I am teaching 7 classes, and at the moment in 4 of them I am teaching areas of history that I do not have extensive knowledge in which makes preparation more tedious and time consuming. Tutoring, entertaining and household responsibilities have filled up the remainder of my schedule. Additionally, I am very excitedly anticipating the arrive of my friend, Holly, from the states. I am so excited about the encouragement and solace I expect to find in her time here with us. Both she and I have spoken of how excited we are to spend time in the Word and in prayer for each other during her time here. I look forward to what God is planning on teaching us through our fellowship.

School politics combined with the 'letters of intent' that are due next week have most of the American teaching staff on edge. We were told in this morning's meeting that there is a MANDITORY meeting of all JCS employees (really, they mean all American teaching staff) tomorrow night. Rachel and I have had plans for tomorrow night for over two weeks now and are really struggling with the question of whether to cancel them and go to the meeting or stand our ground and insist that the Board give to the American teachers the same respect they would expect from us. I have mentioned before that teachers here are little more than children's servants, expected that for a few measley dollars a month we should subject ourselves to all forms of inconsideration and humiliation. The bottom line to the whole issue is that although we all signed on to teach at a 'Christian school' what we are really teaching at is a school with Christian teachers, but a secular board. I have really struggled with not wanting to label the Dominican board members as 'non-believers' as only God knows their hearts and the relationship which they have with Him. The problem is that people will know we are Christians by our fruit and by the love we have for each other. With few notable exceptions what I have seen from the board are a lot of nice people who are pleasant to speak with, but who have no real substance or genuine desire to seek God's will for our lives. That being stated, is it even necessary to indulge in conjecture about their spiritual inheritance? Is it not enough to recognize that they are not pursuing a program of facilitating their teachers to more effectively spread the gospel and Word of God?

In summary, please please please pray for the staff and teachers at JCS. Please pray for the Board members and the students. Please pray that God will provide wisdom and will redeem what has been the greatest struggle since we arrived in the fall - disunity and miscommunication. Students watch our example without the discernment to understand who is speaking from right motives and who is self-seeking and they don't see the reasons behind the discord, just the noise from the discord itself. Please pray for us all!

in peace,

More thoughts on love, and our greatest Reward

2008-02-10T19:33:00.000-05:00

Rachel and I listened to Tim Keller's sermon on Luke 15- Keller points out that 'the prodigal' son is a misnomer because the parable is about two sons and the father's love and forgiveness of them both; the first for disobedience and the second perhaps for pride.
I have often related better to the elder son - the one who served faithfully and felt unrewarded. Many of us have 'followed the rules' and served without feeling like we have received the reward or affirmation we have earned. From the 'reward' perspective the father in the parable (and by interpretation God) seems unjust and unconcerned about obedience. I have a hard time reconciling 'what you sow you will reap' or the parable of the talents to this rewarded delinquent scenario; it seems like the younger son had his cake and ate it too! My sympathy has always been with the older brother, and from man's perspective the story isn't fair! Why doesn't the older brother receive his reward?
Keller explains that both sons were guilty of a lack of love for the father. The first through rebellion, the second through a false righteousness that sought reward not relationship. They both missed out on relationship with their father and it was that relationship which was the true reward.
Perhaps the church in Corinth was not unlike these two brothers. The church struggled with corruption and immorality not unlike the younger brother but it also contained the older brother, arguing over whose gifts were greater and worth more recognition. The Apostle John makes a case for the first son lacking love (John 5:3-4) and Paul clearly addresses the lack of love of the second in 1 Cor. 13. Both the elder and the youger as well as the church in Corinth were missing out on the blessing of obedience because obedience without love is profitless and love without obedience is false.
I also consider the older brother's motivation. One could easily imagine him to be disdainful or bitter because his compassion is not for his brother who has humiliated his family through his folly. Instead of running to embrace his brother and inquire about his well being and welcome him home; the elder immediately takes offense at the father's display of affection. Regardless of any hypothetical history between the siblings, the clear answer is that the motive of the elder was not love. Nor was his confrontation of his father in such a public and ridiculous way. Perhaps the younger did not return from a motive of love, but he did present himself with humility. The self-justification of the elder might have been justified in the harm done him, but he forfeit the reward he claimed through the very way he claimed it.
Which brings us back to the application - the ultimate reward is our relationship with the Father who has given us all good things. It seems obvious that rebellion would hinder that relationship, but less obvious to the 20th century reader is the understanding that the older brother through rightness had distanced himself as far from the father as the younger. One might speculate that because the actions of the elder were done without love he missed out on the joy of the giving, and because love was not his motive, he could not accept the goodness with which his prodigal brother was received. Myself, similarly must wrestle with the motivation of my obedience and the recognition that my bitterness toward others I deem to be less deserving of good fortune only indicates my lack of love. I am not suggesting that we will accept every slight with no pang of frustration, nor that we place ourselves in situations where our temptations toward selfishness might draw us away from love, but that we consider how similar we all are in our sinfulness and that we refocus on our relationship with the Father as our greatest reward and that we judge our opinions of deserved reward by the measure of love, not gifting or self-sacrifice, etc.

what my dad said

2008-02-09T20:24:00.000-05:00

Jay: I just got back from dinner at ryan's which reminded me of when you worked at quency's. And retail clothing, and up at wee hours to make bread, and managing million $ moves, and handling complex scheduling, and now endurng third world country conditions in an under-appreciated situation...sticking it out because you said you would. i THINK i HAVE FAILED to tell you often enough how proud I am of you and what you have done and continue to do. I love you.

that was worth more than a thousand dollar check! I think I can float through the next week now.

'the most excellent way'

2008-01-29T22:44:00.000-05:00

It cannot be by mistake that Paul wrote the passage about the necessity of love in the middle of his explanation of spiritual gifts and their place in the body. I like the way that my NIV has the chapters sub-divided in 1 Corinthians; the passage on love starts with 1 Cor. 12:31b, "And now I will show you the most excellent way." It is a good reminder that the passage on love comes imbedded in a passage about the unity of the body of Christ and the importance of the variety of spiritual gifts. In the NASB 1 Corinthians 12:31 reads, "But earestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you still a more excellent way." The NLT says 'So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts. But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all."

There must be a reason that Paul sandwiched this passage about love into a larger conversation about diversity in the body of Christ and the necessity for the variety of gifts. He had just finished explaining that different gifts and roles in the church are like different parts of our physical bodies - all interconnected and necessary with those parts that look less exciting really deserving the greater praise. Paul seems to be appealing to the church in Corinth not to try to judge value or significance based upon the roles served in the church, and that regardless of the impressiveness or sacrifice of the gift, that without the perfection of love the sum total is nothing. Any gift plus love equals righteousness but any gift, no matter how great, without love is nothing.

When we start talking about love it is easy to be shallow, as ironic as that sounds. Sometimes I think it reads like a list and if we don't boast and we are appropriately compassionate when we see others hurting, then somehow we have passed the 'love' test. Obviously love is not a list of does and don'ts. I don't think that the list that Paul gives is exhaustive. I think he was trying to show that love is all encompassing and completely empty of man's sinful nature. Love is perfect. Anywhere that perfection exists, love is there. Love has no sin.

A call to live a life of love is nothing less than a call to live a life of perfection. But specifically Paul seems to speak of this most important quality in the companionship of the spiritual gifts. Some spiritual gifts seems to 'channel' love more easily. A gift of healing, for example, might seem to be imbedded with love - unseparable. But then I think of one of the most popular T.V. shows on television today about an irrascible doctor who seems concerned with everything but loving his patients, his staff members, his family. Other gifts seem to be more disposed to devalue the importance of love - gifts of discernment or wisdom or prophecy without love are fruitless. Perhaps that is why Paul gives the examples that he does,
Though I speak with the tongue of men and of angels and have not love then I am just making noise. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and understand mysteries and have inconceivable faith but I have no love then I am nothing. And if I give everything I have, every act of selflessness even to the point of death, but have no love I have gained nothing." The church at Corinth was arguing over spiritual gifts and it was like Paul was saying to them, "Stop, your arguing is pointless because you are all part of the body, and besides who cares if you are amazingly generous or think you have tremendous insight to the scriptures, if you are behaving unlovingly toward each other then your gifts are all wasted and don't matter at all!!!"

Furthermore, I would suggest that Paul is specifically speaking to the church in Corinth about how they were treating each other. It would hardly seem to matter to non-believers what spiritual gifts a member of the body of Christ claimed as their own. Those issues only matter inside the body. I can imagine Paul's letter being read and the addressees listening to his list about love and thinking of exactly the specific instances in which they were not acting lovingly toward each other. "Love is patient" (so we shouldn't fuss at each other when we don't 'get' some truth immediately?) love is kind (not vindictive), it doesn't envy (or covet another's gift), it is not proud (assuming my gift is greater than another's), it is not self-seeking (looking to have my accomplishments recognized), it keeps no record of wrongs (you mean, everytime someone else fails I am not supposed to hold it against them or justify my own poor behavior by theirs?) - instead love believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things and never runs out.

Sometimes in Christian communities we seem to be concerned about living the Christian life for the approval of others. Maybe it is a martyr complex or a desire to be found blameless in the eyes of a superior or a friend. Maybe a need for self-remonstration; an assuaging of guilt. But these all all inwardly focused and concerned with the effect of the action, not with the betterment of the object of the 'love' itself. In this line of reasoning I would separate 'acts of kindness' from true love. As mentioned before, there are things that we know we should do and so we do them - to satisfy the should; not because we are genuinely concerned with what is best for the object of the act. I think this is a very dangerous bandage because it looks so much like the real thing - like bandaids that are the color of skin so they are less noticeable to others. My acts of kindness can cover over the broken-ness in my soul and maybe then, from teh outside others cannot see how damaged I am inside. I am not in any way implying that acts of kindness are 'wrong' or that God cannot use them to genuinely benefit the receiver, but that according to Paul even if we were to give away everything we owned - including our bodies but did it outside of love then the result for us is empty and meaningless. I think these acts of kindness bottom out or souls. They cheapen our intentions and make worthless all our efforts and eventually we become discouraged and bitter that all the acts we have so 'sacrificially' done are leaving us unfulfilled and unsatisfied. We are unsatisfied because without love they profit us nothing.

I am in no way implying that all this soul searching guarantees immediate results - far from it. Our sinful flesh is by very nature self-seeking. And I think that even trying to be 'loving' can become an 'act of kindess'. (Again, I am not negating the ability God has to use these acts, but simply stating that we don't find genuine lasting satisfaction in such acts.) In really considering and praying over 1 Cor. 13 and what it needs to mean to my life, I am not even praying that God will make me loving as though I will lay aside 31 years of selfishness in one grand gesture and be pure in motive ever after. What I am praying this week, this month, this semester is that God will teach me to see my actions and motives for what they really are and to consider with heart-breaking honesty whether I am weilding my spiritual gift pointlessly for lack of love and whether the moments that i label 'love' are in fact genuinely concerned with the best for someone besides myself. When I hug that problem student in the morning am I really open for God to call me further into service to someone that grates on me? When I correct a student am I genuinely concerned for their well-being and maturity or am I trying to produce the end result of control? It shreds my gut to think of the number of times I have carried out the right action for the wrong reason (and of course the number of times I have committed the WRONG action for lack of thought!)

Anyway, I am still thinking through all of this. It is baffling, this concept of love. And, as my mother pointed out - you cannot imagine what all-forgiving love is until you have experienced it, and sometimes that experience does not preceed our call to perfection - and love is perfect. I don't know if I am getting any better at it. I can only pray that in seeking love I will find it. I think it is what God wants for me.

The trip on the way to Cabarete (Part 2 of the beach backwards)

2008-01-23T07:31:00.000-05:00

The day before we went surfing we drove from Jarabacoa thru Moca to Cabarete. The drive is amazing. Moca itself is not that exciting - just a typical horrible traffic, chaotic Dominican city, but the drive up the mountains out of the valley on the way to the North coast is gorgeous. Santiago, La Vega & Moca lie in a valley between two huge mountain ridges. Jarabacoa is in the southern of these two. The beaches (Cabarete, Sosua, Puerto Plata, etc.) lie on the other side of the northern mountains. We stop at a little restaurant, El Molino de la Cumbre, to visit the 'facilities' and enjoy the view. Wow, you walk out onto their terrace and it is breathtaking. You can see the whole valley spread out before you. Taking a picture of it is kind of like taking a picture of the Grand Canyon (ok, maybe not quite that grand, but it is still startling.) I could see all the way over to the southern range where Jarabacoa sits nestled in some mountainous nook, but I don't think the pictures do the view justice. Anyway, here are my feeble attempts. (you can click on the images to see a larger version.)

War Wounds & Pila Monster

2008-01-21T08:55:00.001-05:00

Surfing makes me sore.
This is how I feel about doing lesson plans this morning:

This is the cut on my foot - it doesn't look that bad, but here where I am not wearing protective foot wear but crocs and flipflops splashing through the mud I want to make sure it does not get infected.

On a happier note, this is my Pila monster:

The beach trip - backwards

2008-01-20T19:55:00.000-05:00

Today I tried surfing for the first time.

1st attempt:
It shows my novice status to say, "it is harder than it looks!" No, Really??? I also understand now why almost all female surfers wear two piece suits. I thought my tighter speedo-type suit was a good choice, but unless you have a one piece that comes up to your collar bone it appears not. Everytime you push yourself up the board you end up pushing your swimsuit down. Oops!
Paddling with the board is hard work, as is keeping unshod feet from touching the ocean floor (which is only about 2 feet under your board for most of the trip out.) The greatest difficulty is wave after wave pelting you - and the fact that from perspective of flat on your belly on the board, it is hard to know when you have reached your ever changing destination.

2nd attempt:
This trip out was a little better. Wore my tank top - helpful. The surface was a little calmer but still managed to take in enough salt water to clean the sinuses. First wave I caught I got to my knees -- still haven't managed to stand. By the time I caught the last wave in -- which left me still about 30 feet from shore -- my arms were so tired I wasn't sure if I would be able to paddle in. Laid on the beach and procrastinated for an hour.

3rd attempt: Misty and I rallyed and decided to try one last time before turning in the boards. I paddled out and though the waves were calmer, it actually seemed harder. But this time at least the board felt comfortable under me, and I could position myself faster. Got better at steering it while paddling out, and learned a little better how to work with the waves. There wasn't really anything worth catching...nothing big enough for an inexperienced surfer like me (yes, I just laughed at that phrase) to catch and stand on. So I rode around on my belly for a while. My last trip out a big wave caught my board longways (instead of nose into the wave like one prefers) and rolled me pretty well, and I scratched up my foot on the bottom (and I think it is when I bruised my arm). It was fun, soooo much fun, but man am I tired.

Later we ate dinner on the beach (about a 10 minute drive from where we surfed.) You can see the bruise on the inside of my arm. All in all a wonderful day full of fun and good memories.

Lauren F. Winner, Semester Exams and learning to deal with an angry heart

2008-01-15T16:14:00.000-05:00

Yesterday the director told me that, at least for a time, my normal routine of leaving school when I was finished with my classes will have to change. I had been under the impression that we would have half-days this week because exams are over at noon and we would be free to go home and grade and work on preparing for report cards. For multiple reasons it is easier for me to work from our house which is less than 3 minutes away (walking) from school than it is to work at school, so this news has me frustrated. Additionally, I thought we received the half days as some sort of compensation for the hellish less-than-2-weeks we received to prepare all the semester-end study guides and exams. (Kind of a pay-me-now and benefit later arrangement.) Nyet! *cracks whip* We are required to be on campus and complete the full school days even though we don't have classes (and because highschool teachers rotate we don't really have classrooms either.)

So, here I sit in the 8th grade classroom. The table in the teacher's lounge is full, and besides, the office is a poor environment to get anything accomplished. One of my 11th graders needed to stay late to complete her test, so I left the classroom about 12.20; heated my lunch in the microwave in the teacher's lounge (I think it is the second time I have used a microwave since I moved here in August) and scurried away to an empty classroom where I could set my laptop on a desk and plug it in (since the battery is basically shot.) After lunch I will get back to grading.

I have started reading Lauren F. Winner's book, "girl meets GOD" and already I feel she is a kindred spirit. I suppose many people have that experience with writers - most of my friends stateside would consider themselves kindred with Donald Miller. In this first chapter, Winner is talking about her experience at a Messianic Jewish Synagogue and how she feels that the service is evangelical parading as Jewish. ("Add Hebrew & stir," she says.) Describing her reaction in the service she writes:
Occassionally I offer up a silent prayer that the Holy Spirit will work overtime on my heart and help me stop being judgemental long enough to recognize that these people are worshipping the Risen Lord, but I don't really want God to answer this prayer.

Bless her, I understand. It is easy to offer before the Lord the requests that we know we should make and hard to actually mean what we are asking for. I wonder if James 1:6 answers this dilema a little...the whole 'no doubting' idea has always baffled me. Of course we doubt, and more progressive theologians like to tell us that 'doubting' is normal - as is questioning God, and not something we should be ashamed of. I guess it is the way we respond to our doubts, like anger, that we need to consider? But, James exhorts us to ask for wisdom without doubting,
(5) If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. (6) But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. (7) That man should not receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

Preach it, James! I pray often that God will soften my heart, and bring to me wisdom and compassion when dealing with other believers around me. But, deep inside I, like Winner, don't really mean that prayer. Wisdom and enlightenment mean additional responsibility. It strips away our justification and leaves us naked against the prodding of the Holy Spirit. Vulnerability, even (or particularly) before God seems such a risk. And then God's goodness toward us is called into question.

Change might be a constant, but it is also constantly hated. I came back to the DR with all this renewed intention of allowing change to enter my life - to re-invent my attitude and to renew my heart to innocence instead of cynicism. Yet, within a week of being back I am told that the requirements for submission have changed - and not for my ease. Instead of being able to remove myself from those situations that breed discontentment (like my previous resolution to spend as little time hanging out at school after classes, etc. as possible) I am required to endure longer moments of aggrevation and been advised to do so with a cheerful and compliant heart. No, God! I have prayer for wisdom and enlightenment, but phulllleeeeeeaaassseeee don't bring it to me through suffering. Please don't teach me compassion through discomfort and above all please don't require that I love the people who impose upon my good intentions in such a way. I doubt. I am double-minded and tossed about by the wind. In the immortal words of PINK, "I'm my own worst enemy." God save me from myself.

Often life seems harder when God answers my prayers than when He doesn't. And yet I am supposed to request what I know I should. And mean it. Without double minded-ness. Fudge and popsicles! *shakes head*

Sundays are the hardest days

2008-01-13T08:53:00.000-05:00

Instead of waking me up in a way that will get her in trouble, Pila just bounces on the bed - scratches herself, lays down, gets up, turns a few times, tries to lay down again, licks her paws, etc. for about 45 minutes before I finally can take no more and get up and get her some breakfast. Rachel made pancakes and eggs this morning and they were fantastic. We are both getting quite adept in the kitchen and learning time-saving tricks. I made pancakes yesterday and put the remainder of the batter in the fridge so today she made breakfast in the less than 10 minutes I was outside reading: I just started "The Pursuit of Holiness" by Jerry Bridges. I am going to try to read a chapter a day for the next two weeks. I am not sure I will agree with all of his interpretations, but he does discuss several questions I have about what holiness (as seperateness) entails and the feasiblity of it in our Christian walk.

Rachel just left for church. I am staying in. I need to do laundry (which did not get completed yesterday for various and assundry reasons) and organize some things...but mostly I need to have some quiet time and mourn the fact that I am away from my church home and community for almost 6 months. Sundays are the hardest days because I know that my friends are all together at church, hearing the same messages, sharing lunch and laughs and conversing about the things they are learning in and out of church. Sunday was my favorite day when I was stateside. Here it holds the least encouragement or joy of any day of the week. When I do attend services here I cannot understand the message. The hymns (when they are familiar) are nice, but largely they are not familiar. I don't go to lunch and fellowship with others. Stores here are only open Sunday morning instead of sunday afternoon, so if you do need something you have to go during the protestant church services. All in all Sunday is just my least favorite day.

I was chatting with Steph this morning before church and she asked how she could pray for me today. Truly, there are so many things that I feel I need help with that I don't know where to start, but the number one thing is that I just need to be able to put aside myself and focus on the Father. But, myself seems the most tangible and familiar thing here sometimes, and it is hard to set that comfort (no matter how vain) aside and accept that there is a reason that God has me here and not there. I know it is for my own good. I know that He is faithful - I know that every good and perfect gift comes from the Father who does not change like shifting shadows...I know this, but here, it feels...forgotten.

Soon I will burry myself in work, in grading papers and doing lesson plans. In cooking and housework. Walking. The things I do to keep me from remembering how far I am from home, and all this will start to seem familiar and normal again instead of foreign and unnatural. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday will pass in whirlwinds of Medieval history, WWII and the geography of Africa. I will see friends on Saturdays. Occassionally go to Santiago or to a waterfall or some other distraction. But on Sundays - Sundays I will always remember that my body is somewhere in the Caribbean, but my heart is at home with my community even when they don't remember it is there. And I will sigh whistfully and pray for sundown when my day of rest is over and God doesn't seem so far away and busy other places.

I should resolve to post more often...

2008-01-11T16:48:00.000-05:00

I should...but "they" say that you should make your new years resolutions attainable.

Well, I am back in Jarabacoa, getting back into the routine of life here. Charlotte seems like a dream right now. It is hard to remember that life is going on there. I had the same difficulty when I returned to Thailand. In my mind it was this perfect & unchanging place. Of course we know that reality is never perfect and change is one of the only constants in life(or so say some philosophers.)When I got back to Thailand after 15 months, things had been built, stores had closed, vendors had moved, etc. Life was the same returning to Charlotte, and yet different. New faces had entered the church crowd (some even 'friended' me on facebook.) Others had left (Brian we miss you!) Acquaintances became friends and some acquaintances became strangers. We had our first Christmas with my nephew (my sister & brother-in-law are in the process of adopting Cody)and I no longer have a place of my own. Buildings have been finished (I cannot tell you how different the corner of Sharon & Providence looks from 5 years ago!) and new stores have opened. People at W242 seem to have 2 kids now instead of 1. It is puzzling, this thing called life. And though the world in this past year has changed more for me than for many, somehow I feel that I am the one changing the least. Yet, on other days I hardly know myself. But, this is for certain, my time home renewed in me a hope that God still works in our lives. Still molds us; still sanctifies and refines us and when I see this refining happening in the lives of my friends and family it makes me raise my arms toward heaven and dance before the Father in awe of His great mercy that we know we do not deserve.

Life here, however, seems largely unchanged (not surprising as I was gone less than 3 weeks.) I did miss my students and am happy to see them. They are a trial but one which I would not trade (at least not most days.) They are busy preparing for semester final exams. Please pray for them - their brains are not back at school yet and they have ALOT to remember. Please pray for the staff at JCS as we too have alot to remember. Getting back into the swing of school has been hard (and good at the same time.) It was very wonderful to walk in and see familiar faces. To know that all that I do during the day is now familiar and expected. There is peace in living someplace so foreign and yet feeling so 'normal'. I think there is some deeper philosophical meaning there, but I am not sure yet what it is.

I took some really horrible video today of my walk to school. It is very bumpy - I get seasickish watching it, but if you are up for the rolling, you are welcome to take with me the walk that I make several times a day between my house and the school.

I miss you all. Thank you, thank you, thank you for ministering to me during my time home. I appreciate the hospitality, the words of encouragement, the intention, the vulnerability and the banter that you shared with me. To those of you who I did not get to see while I was home (whether you are in Virginia, or NY or Texas) I sure miss you too, and Lord willing, I will visit you this summer full of stories and exciting Dominican gifts! My heart is heavy with affection but my spirit is light with hope!

Grace and peace!

The week before Christmas break

2007-12-20T17:16:00.000-05:00

I called my mother complaining that I was worn out and frustrated and that I wasn't even sure that I liked the kids anymore...she offered the sage advice that no teacher likes their students right before Christmas break.

It is true that the weeks leading up to spring break were horrifically stressful. Exams to finish and turn in, things to pack, Christmas shopping to do, the school Christmas program, and I decided to switch rooms with my roommate, but wanted to paint before I did so! Ack!!!

One of the big problems we have in the DR is mold and mildew. My clothes mold just hanging in my closet. It is quite annoying. I decided before I switched rooms that I would bleach and paint the room I was moving into. Here you can see a little bit of what the entire room basically looked like:
And here are a few pics of the process:

The finished result was worth the effort. There are 3 green walls and one blue -- I figure that since I am living on a tropical island I should take the opportunity to paint with colors I probably would not choose in the States -- the blue is quite vibrant but also very cheerful.

The last day of school before break I took some pictures with some of my girls. Here they are -- this is basically the 11th grade class, though we imposed on Monica (my only girl in the 9th grade) to take pics with us!

I gotta say though, it is good to be home!

A trip to the south

2007-11-28T16:49:00.000-05:00

The Friday after thanksgiving we loaded up two cars early in the morning and set off for the south side of the island - destination Lago Enriquillo and other extraordinary sites.

The saltwater lake is the lowest point in the Caribbean, and is the sanctuary for two reptiles that are distinctive to that area. Here is what Wiki has to say.

We had planned to camp at the beach, but that ended up not being such a good option. We visited a cave that had Taino carvings, and the following day we went snorkeling and got to see some pretty amazing things.

Here are a few pictures worth at least a thousand words.

The Thanksgiving Feast

2007-11-25T07:30:00.000-05:00

For thanksgiving most of the JCS staff went to the Speciale's (my friend Karen's) house for a HUGE thanksgiving feast. These pictures don't do the fun, chaos, food, laughter, full bellies and sweet fellowship justice, so I might have to post some more later. But here is a taste.

For various and assundry reasons this is the first time that JCS has done an open invitation to staff and families for thanksgiving. It was a blast! It was so nice to get to hang out with the Dominican teachers who I don't normally get to talk to. School can be so rushed and the language barrier really inhibits conversation when you are in a hurry, so having some time to just be goofy and hug on and compliment and smile at and ask about coworkers was such a great blessing to me. There are moments even in the crazy chaos that exists in our lives here where I feel that we do get to touch a piece of heaven. Thanksgiving was my first of these moments in a weekend that was full of them.

when 7th graders steal my camera

2007-11-22T22:56:00.000-05:00

they take pictures...some quite funny:

or

and these are the culprits:

the day the propane went out at mi casa

2007-11-22T22:44:00.000-05:00

so, i was standing over my two burners and the oven which were lit and thinking wouldn't it be funny if the propane ran out the night before thanksgiving while we were preparing our feast....

in hindsight, funny is not the word i would use. here's the puppy responsible: (ours is the grey one in the back.)

the bike

2007-11-22T21:42:00.000-05:00

well, we were able to purchase our bike. it is used, it is a yamaha, and thankfully it was less than we expected. thank you, thank you, thank you to those of you who helped us with this purchase. i have driven it twice (just around the neighborhood) and realized a very important thing: we don't really have 'roads' here...i mean, there are roads, but they are almost all dirt. i learned to ride on concrete or asphalt and it is not nearly so slippery as the roads here. so, i dropped the bike tonight. no biggy, just embarrassing. i was going about 5 miles an hour and hit the hand brake instead of the foot break and slid out the back tire. live and learn. (for those of you concerned i have been faithfully wearing a helmet on both of my expeditions unlike this pic where i drove it down to the end of the drive and back.)

because the bike was less than anticipated, Rachel and I out of gratitude want to put some of the balance between expectation and reality toward purchasing a moto for Clarissa (ser previous posts). We are working on raising money towards this end among our friends here. please pray that God will direct us and that we will best know how to help Clarissa and her family.

again, THANK YOU!

A trip to a waterfall

2007-11-13T20:28:00.000-05:00

Here is a photo album of our trip to the waterfall (Salto Biaguate I think). It was a beautiful perfect afternoon. On the trip was: Rachel, Jessica, Christy Elmer, Dylan and myself. It was about a half hour ride to the falls, and the ride as well as the destination was gorgeous.

oh by-gosh by-golly!!!

2007-11-03T13:24:00.000-04:00

karen: hello
christina: hey, sometimes they get things right, even in opposite land!
karen: why? what happened?
christina: they are leveling out the road in front of our house!
karen: no way!
christina: way! I even got pictures!
karen: well can you send them to my street?
christina: *uproarious laughter*
I had to call Rachel out from her room to come see! It is so amazing!
She was like, "what's going on?" and I squealed,
"they are evening out the potholes! Now when we get out bike we
won't have to drive around them!!!" YAY!!!!

(I am pretty sure the drivers of that huge piece of machinary thought I had lost my mind,
but it IS a big deal when they get things right around here. I didn't even know the government
possessed such an impressive piece of equipment. I guess I thought they leveled things by
dragging a shovel off the back of their passolas!)

Katie Fluth's Party Extraordinaire

2007-11-03T13:19:00.000-04:00

Wednesday night Katie (the PE Teacher & daughter of JCS's director) and her roommates hosted a costume party. Jessica and I just thru on some 'ethnic' looking clothes (our decision was rather last minute)& enjoyed our time at the party getting to hang out with other adults, play some silly games, eat some fantastic food and enjoy being out of the house after days of rain. Here are some glimpses: