Talent Show

Last night was our annual talent show, hosted by Student Council. It was a wonderful time and I was so proud of everyone--behind the scenes drink/dessert set-up, emcees, performers, and everyone from student council. Here are just a few pictures:)

Michael and Corina playing "Amazing Grace" on dulcimers
Hannah and Lexi singing "Who am I" by Casting Crowns
Matews, Andrew, and Marco with "Jehovah Jireh"
The Seniors and their sponsor, Mr. Barbusca, 'dancing' to "Every Move I Make"
A wonderful night of laughter and celebration!

Raging Fire and Rivers

These last few weeks have been anything but easy. Had I already had a plane ticket, I might not have stayed. My mind and heart have been attacked and I've felt myself succumbing to doubts and confusion. It's hard to keep holding on to hope and truth in the midst of a battle from every side.

One of my friends, Elizabeth Hunnicutt, has written a song based on Isaiah 43 that has been playing over and over in my head (and on my iPod too).

Isaiah

Fear not, for I have redeemed you
I have summoned you by name, you are mine
You are precious and honored in my sight

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you
When you pass through the rivers, they won't sweep over you
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned
For I am the Lord, your God

You are my witnesses and my my servant
Whom I have chosen so you may know and believe me
And understand that I am He

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you
When you pass through the rivers, they won't sweep over you
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned
For I am the Lord, your God

I even I am the Lord and apart from me, there is no Savior

I love the truth that even though we walk through fires and raging rivers, we don't have to fear being overtaken. God has the victory. A friend recently reminded me that everything that crosses our paths has already been filtered through God. He knew, he knows, he's with me in the midst of it all. Praise the Lord!

Elementary Field Trip

This year we decided to try and take the entire elementary to the People's Palace last month. I had called to check on prices and learned that because we were a school group, only adults would need to pay. How cool!

It was a wonderful trip together. We took the metro (subway) there and back, stopping for a picnic lunch and lots of time to play in a park nearby.

The People's Palace: part of the 'legacy' of Ceausescu's reign.

The first graders waiting during a mid-tour bathroom break.
The animals/plants in this park were all made from tires! Other than the screws sticking up in wrong places, I thought it was a great idea!

My class! It's hard to believe how much they've grown and changed in just a few months. I'm finding it hard to believe that there are only five more weeks in the year and that some of them will be in middle school next fall. :)

Jar of Clay

2 Corinthians 4:7-9
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

I've mentioned before that I used to think that life was going to get easier. I've learned that isn't the case, but there's still part of me that is surprised when challenges come. Go figure.

Somehow it's still hard, even knowing the reality of it.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

I struggle, though, with not losing heart. It is so easy to allow my vision to be filled up with the troubles that seem anything but light and momentary. It's so easy to have those be the focus of my day. My thoughts spin out of control and the unseen somehow gets lost in the dust.

I've been asking God recently for eyes to see clearly. For him to bring light to my path and my life--that I wouldn't walk in the cloudiness and dimness, but that my life would be brought into the light.

Above all else, I want to see Him. I want my life to be all about Him. How far I have to go...

Too Much

It seems this applies to so many things in life...

-too much to do (it all seems to come at the same time)
-too many decisions to make (some little, some big)
-too much to think about (not just decisions)
-too much stuff in my 'little' apartment
-too many pillows on my bed (although I think they look nice)
-too much laundry to do (the basket is quite full and so is the drying rack)

...too much...how much is too much?

I'm setting the goal of getting rid of the excess, trying to figure out what is necessary to keep and what can be let go of...

Dreams

I had a dream. Sure, it was a little unrealistic, but it was my dream. It's hard to have a dream come face to face with reality. Until it does, there's still hope that it in fact might come true.

DREAMS
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.
by Langston Hughes

So, for a bit, I'll grieve the loss of my dream and then I'm sure another dream will come along and I'll get swept up in the potential of this new dream. Dreams do come true--I've seen it in my life and in the lives of others--but, it's not every day.

Visa, con't

I feel even more thankful for my visa this week!

One of our staff went to Rome for Spring Break. His mission agency isn't able to help him get a visa, so he had been leaving the country every 90 days to get a new 'tourist visa' (what you get as an American almost any time you enter a country--90 days without needing to apply for an 'official visa').

On his way out of the country, he was told that because he has been in Romania for more than 6 months on a 'tourist visa' (which is technically not the way things should work), he could not return for 6 months. His passport was stamped with the date that he could reenter Romania.

I'm thankful that at least for the next year I don't have to worry about that happening. We're still praying for a number of other people who are in the process of obtaining visas.