El Torito

Our middle school banquet was held this year at El Torito, a wonderful Mexican restaurant in Bucharest (and conveniently located near my apartment). I was asked to chaperone and had a wonderful time. I've heard that these banquets can get a bit awkward, but we had a great time--no lulls in conversation, great food, and lots of laughter!

3 of my 6th grade students: Angie, Hannah, and Emma

Heh Soo and Andrew work on the Valentine's scattegories list.

Taylor, McKenna, and Renee hard at work during scattegories.

One of the 9th grade students came and decorated for us which added some great atmosphere to our meal:)

Tears

I can't remember it ever happening before, and I can't say I'd be real excited for it to happen again.

I was working with my 6th graders. We were revisiting the homework from the previous night which had some review of ordering fractions/mixed numbers. It must have hit some buttons for one of my students because I could tell she was getting frustrated. She was trying so hard to keep it together, but then the tears started. My heart broke. I wanted to make it easier, to alleviate the frustration, and help her understand. I wanted to wave a magic wand and bring about instant comprehension. We struggled through finishing the problem and survived the rest of math class.

I couldn't believe how much I was affected by her pain. I love my students dearly, but at the same time, they're not my own kids. I've been thinking off and on about my reaction and about God's interactions with us as his children too. How does he respond when he sees our tears? Does he wish he could take away the struggle and help us understand while at the same time knowing that the struggle is the best thing for us at the time? Does his heart hurt as much as ours does in the midst of the pain and does he yearn for us to trust him more? Does he have to restrain from "fixing" problems which he could do with just a word?

I only had this one student struggling that day. I can't picture if all of them were struggling on the same day. Yet as I think about our God, he sees everyone/everything and loves everyone. How many people around the world are hurting today? How many are hungry or thirsty? How many are crying? He knows it all and feels it all. What an amazing God--he takes the time to have a relationship with each of us, to know our hurts and joys, our confusion and insights, and our failures and successes. Wow! I pray that in some small way I can be a part of his work in the lives of those in my life.

Oh the Fun...

I was cleaning my bathroom this weekend and then it happened...

Like everything else in Bucharest, dust accumulated on the water meters under the sink. So, I figured I would just wipe them off. After one light touch, the hot water meter fell off. Somehow the ring attaching it to the pipe broke. Strange!

So, what to do... I called my landlord's brother (since she lives in Holland). He doesn't speak English so I had to learn a few new words: pipe, ring, floor. He called back and gave me the phone number for another Romanian who did the original installation. I then had to go through the process of trying to explain what had happened and what my availability was (since I won't be home before 8 the next two nights). What an experience.

Since I wasn't really thrilled about having someone come do work in my apartment that late, we settled on Saturday afternoon. We'll see how it goes.

Consider it Pure Joy

James 1: 2-4
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

I was listening to a sermon based on this text on my way to school after standing in line to pay 3 years of retroactive health insurance and working on other miscellaneous pieces of getting my visa. The pastor made the point that if you don't make the choice to choose joy before the trial comes, you won't be able to choose joy in the midst of the trial.

So, I was thinking about the whole 'trial' of getting a visa here. What might be some ways that God might be working good in the midst of it.
-working to get my visa has provided many opportunities for me to ask others for help--in going to the notary, subbing while I take care of 'business', etc
-I've been stretched in using my language: with the lawyer helping me, the second trip to the notary, at the medical insurance office, and more to come...
-I've learned a new part of the city and now could actually pay my medical insurance monthly or in advance instead of having to pay retroactively
-as with many things in this country, it's been an opportunity to practice patience--waiting!

So, although the process of obtaining a visa seems tedious and frustrating, I am thankful for the ways that God is at work in the midst of it all.

Great Discussions!

While reading Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, I have enjoyed having some great conversations with my students. In a recent chapter, Papa and Cassie have a discussion about forgiveness and respect. This led to a lengthy discussion about whether God asks us to forget sins against us we have forgiven and whether God forgets our sins once they are confessed/forgiven.

Somewhere down the road, this led to talking up the last judgment and the following questions:
-When we are called to account for our lives, does that happen in a large group or individually?
-Are we held accountable for all of our sins or just the sins that we haven't confessed?

As we were talking about respect, we discussed the leaders and authority figures God has placed in our countries. One of my students asked this question: Does God bring a bad leader to a country because of its sin?

I'd love to hear your thoughts on any of these questions. :)

25 things

Some of you have seen this on facebook, but thought I'd post it here too...

1. I get great satisfaction out of cleaning my apartment, and usually get inspired to do this late at night.
2. I have started a Saturday morning tradition of being at Starbucks for a few hours--even though I don't drink coffee. This has brought on a love for jazz music.
3. Flowers and plants make me smile--whether I get them from someone or have to buy them for myself.
4. I love to travel, but I could do without airplanes.
5. I am becoming a fan of my ipod--using it on the way to school, church, mall, etc.
6. I love winter in Minnesota because it snows, but winter in Bucharest has brought lots of rain which is wearing me out.
7. Home is spread around the world: Lakeville, St. Paul, Hutchinson, Prague, Bucharest
8. My dream is to travel to all the continents--just have Australia and Antartica left.
9. I love my job! My class is the greatest--they make me smile, think, and learn.
10. I am very thankful for technology: ipod (mentioned above), computers, vonage phone, etc
11. I don't know how people get through a day without knowing God is on their side.
12. I love not owning a car!! Just think of all the ways my life is simplified--no need to find a parking spot, pay for gas, deal with repairs...and I get to spend my time on public transportation reading or listening to something uplifting instead of arriving at school or wherever frustrated.
13. Nap time is great!
14. I don't think I could survive without books--and am in the middle of at least 3 right now.
15. I can't believe how truly blessed I am!
16. My niece is the cutest thing--especially now that she can crawl:)
17. I sometimes miss having long hair.
18. I asked God to allow me to truly worship in Romanian, and he did.
19. I love to cook/bake and am thrilled with all the new recipes I've gleaned from people here in Buch.
20. I love having art up in my apartment--from people I know and around the world.
21. I love my family! and miss being near them.
22. I hate being late to things, but am learning to get over it.
23. Playing games with family or friends is a great way to spend an afternoon.
24. I can't wake up without a hot shower--although sometimes it is colder than I want.
25. I process my thoughts by writing.

Jehovah Maginnenu, con't

Our first grade teacher showed me this. I thought it was so neat I asked the student if I could share it with you.