Weary

What I've been learning/doing:  Rain pattered on the roof.  Lightning flew by the window.  Avenida 9 flooded.  The cool air wrapped around me as I snuggled in bed.  The past two weeks the weather has been perfect.  It has been such a nice change from the 90 degree temperatures we had at the beginning of April.  I even got to wear my scarf a few days this week.

I have been so tired lately.  I haven't had time to journal or paint.  I have been working working working.  Teaching and serving can quickly lead to burnout.  The good thing is that I know that, and I have been trying to not plan activities and hanging out with people as much.  I need to rest.  (I've even been drinking some coffee to help me wake up in the morning or afternoon!)

Last night I had the apartment to myself, and I blasted worship music as I reflected and soaked up Isaiah 40.  I know that I literally cannot teach and serve on my own strength.  God, please come fill me up so I can overflow into the lives of others.

"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."  Isaiah 40:29-31

Prayer requests: 

• Chloe and I are sharing at youth group at church this Saturday!  Pray that the Holy Spirit puts the Spanish words in our mouths.  Pray that girls show up and that they take something away from the message.  Our topic is: Que te llena? /// What fills you?  We will be talking about body image and confidence.  
• Tuesday we leave for our mission trip to Haiti.  Please pray for safety and protection.  Please pray for ease as we cross the border.  Please pray for God to teach my students and I something big.  Pray that we can make new friends and touch hearts.  
• My future.  I'm trying to figure out what's next as my time in the DR ends.  God has been sharing and showing me little by little.  Pray for wisdom and guidance as He reveals what's next.  He has a big adventure for me, that's for sure.  :) 

Need any prayer?  Write down a request in the comment section below!

Con mucho amor. 

Atmosphere

What we've been learning:  We just wrapped up a unit on the atmosphere and ozone layer in Science class.  We looked at the layers of the atmosphere and watched The Inconvenient Truth.  The boys had a tic-tac-toe board for their final.  Two of them showed me their test before they were done because they were so excited about what they created.

Here's Isaac's poem about the layers of the atmosphere.

The stratosphere is the layer with the most ozone.

It's depleting so now everyone's in a rumble.

It gives you skin cancer, so now we're gonna struggle.

But lets forget about that, let's focus on the troposphere. 

The layer closest to us in the whole entire atmosphere. 

The thermosphere so hot, it will give you shock. 

The mesosphere protects us from all the rocks. 

Lets not forget the ionosphere where radio waves bounce back. 

The exosphere furthest away, we're done with that. 

Here's Andrew's cartoon about what someone can do to help the Earth.

Next we are going to focus on how humans are impacting the Earth.  We will be watching several documentaries such as Food Inc., Tapped, and The Bee Movie.  Bring on the last month of school!

Con mucho amor.

Lead me where my trust is without borders

What I've been learning:  This weekend God did something crazy.  Saturday we had an event at church called Noche de Gala.  It was a beautiful evening full of prayer, unification, and treats.  I was one of the leaders of the event.  I had a table that a I decorated for nine women.  The pastor, his wife, and family are moving back to the United States.  We were lifting up the new pastor's wife in prayer.

Saturday morning Kelly, the pastor's wife, was explaining the events of the evening.  She mentioned that she wanted one of us leaders to be the voice of the prayer for Milly, the new pastor's wife.  Her idea was to have eight or ten women surrounding Milly as one of us leaders prayed out loud. 

I went home that afternoon to rest and pray before the evening.  While I was praying, I felt like God was saying, "You.  You are going to be the one to pray in front for Milly." 

What. 

What.

What. 

I thought.  "I don't think You have the right girl, God.  I am the least qualified person to get up at the front of the church and pray in Spanish for Milly in front of 100 women.  God, I cannot do this.  This is crazy."

How do I know it was God telling me?

"My sheep listen to my voice.  They know me.  They follow me."  John 10:27

I continued to pray. "Lord, I am sure Kelly already has someone to pray for Milly.  But here's what I will do.  If Kelly already has someone [which I am sure she does], then I won't pray.  But if she doesn't have anyone yet to pray in front, then I guess that's my sign to do it."  

Needless to say, when I approached Kelly she said no one had approached her yet.  I explained how I was nervous, and that I was the least qualified person to do this job. 

Kelly said, "You aren't going to do it in your strength.  You will do it in His."

"That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in my weaknesses.  In the hardships, persecution, and troubles.  For when I am weak, then He is strong."  2 Corinthians 12:10

The evening was going well.  I was having fun with the ladies, laughing and getting to know each other.  

My friend Jill was next to me at my table.  I told her that I was going up front to pray soon, and I asked her to pray for me while I was up there.  Kelly said she would be praying for me while I was praying for Milly also.  

When I got up to the front of the church, my hands were shaking and my knees wobbling.  But, I could feel the presence of God.  Spanish flowed from my lips.  I prayed for the longest time I ever have in Spanish.  It was incredible.  I was obedient and I was able to bless others.  I didn't do it on my own.  I didn't do it in my strength.

When I made PRAYER my word for 2016, I never ever expected God to push me and use me like this.  It makes me feel like He is preparing me for what is next.

How is God pushing you?  Who do you need to pray for today?  How can you be taking steps out of your comfort zone? 

Con mucho amor. 

1920s

What we've been learning:  I have always wanted to teach The Great Gatsby.  It was one of my favorite novels in high school, but unfortunately I have never had the opportunity.  My love for the 1920s came out during my US History unit on the time period.

We started off learning about how they talked during that time period.  I printed off a list of jazz age vocabulary.  First, the boys drew illustrations for six of the terms.  They loved doing this and even included a comic strip story in some of them and hidden messages for readers to discover.  I love it when they take my ideas and make them ten times better.

Then, they wrote dialogues using ten of the vocabulary words and presented them in class.

They did research about the positives and negatives of the time period.  They looked up information separatley and then came together to make a poster with the positives and negatives of the time period.

The boys presented their poster and vocabulary drawings to the girls, because we had a big 1920s murder mystery party to end the unit.

In December my family did a similar party for New Year's Eve.  We used Shot in the Dark Mysteries to purchase the package.  Christin and I bought a similar one set in the 1920s.

We spent all Tuesday night this week decorating the apartment and getting treats for the evening.

Wednesday was the big party day.  Everyone showed up in costumes, and we had an awesome time taking pictures and trying to figure out who killed Dahlia. We also spoke like they did in the 1920s.  "Who bumped off the dumb dora?"  Photo credit for these pictures below to the lovely Helina.

Making history come alive will help my students to never forget what they learned.  How are you making textbooks burst to life?

Con mucho amor.

Costa Rica Trip #5

Where I've been:  Just like last year, I flew to Costa Rica during Semana Santa.  This year was extra special, though, because my parents and sister joined me there.  By the grace of God, Krysta and I had the same week of spring break.  We decided to take advantage of the awesome coincidence and show mom and dad around Costa Rica.  It was a busy week, but such a blessing that we got to spend it together exploring a country I love.

San Ramon:  Our first stop was San Ramon, the town where my host family lives.  We got to spend time with the teacher I helped back in 2012.  Her name is Cristina, and she even brought her new baby.  It was so fun to catch up and see her.  While we were waiting for her, we explored the central park and got my favorite Cosechas milkshakes and smoothies.

We ate dinner at my host family's house, and it was such a dream for my real family to meet my Costa Rican family.

I also got to bring my parents to my church in San Ramon.  I was trying to translate the sermon, and my parent's got to see a baptism.

After church we went to my friend Lucy's house with KFC for lunch.  It was a nice time laughing and sharing with people I love.

Arenal:  We spent our first day at the volcano hiking around the national park and the hanging bridges park.  It is very humid in the rain forest.  We were sweating bullets as we adventured through the parks.  We didn't get to see much wildlife except for a few snakes and lizards.  I kept asking the park maintenance people if they had seen any sloths or monkeys that day, but no one had.

Flat Stanley also joined us on our journey.  This is the second time I've gotten Flat Stanley.  We found this mini replica of the hanging bridges that was just his size!

Although the trees and forest were beautiful, my favorite part was soaking in the hot springs.  My first and third trip to Costa Rica I went to "hot springs," but they weren't very warm.  This pool was huge, and it felt so lovely.  My mom, dad, and sister said it was too warm, but I could have spent another few days floating in the warm water.

We got to see some amazing wildlife on our way from Arenal to Tamarindo.  Although it was a long drive, it was one of my favorite parts of the week.  It made me realize the beauty in Costa Rica.

Tamarindo:  Unfortunately we picked the busiest and craziest week of the year to travel in Costa Rica.  Most of the beaches were so crowded, but we went to Bahia de los Piratas, a beach my host brother has taken me to several times.

We spent lots of time walking around the town, eating yummy food, and relaxing in the condo.

Monte Verde:  This was my first real time in Monteverde, and I loved it.  I wished we had spent more time here.  The weather was much cooler than the 90+ degree heat in Tamarindo.  We stayed at an amazing lodge with beautiful gardens and hammocks.

We also did ziplining in Monteverde.  It was my fifth time doing ziplining, and this one was the craziest and most intense.  We had to hike up a mountain and two of the lines we were hooked up on our backs.  It was one of the most terrifying things I have ever done.  There was also a tarzan swing, which I did not think I would do.  I got suited up just to check and see, but before I knew it the door was open and I was free falling.  My throat hurt so much from screaming, but I guess God knew I needed to work on taking some steps of faith.

San Jose:  My sister studied abroad in Costa Rica for a month, and she still keeps in contact with one of the girls from her program.  On my parent's last night we attempted to go to the National Theater and a market, but everything was closed for Semana Santa.  We ended up going to a little coffee shop and talking with her.

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San Ramon:  My last day in Costa Rica was awesome.  I got to spend it with all the people I love.  We ate, and talked, and laughed, and shared.

Every time I leave Costa Rica I have this feeling I will be back soon.  What places are pulling on your heartstrings?  Where is God calling you to go?

Con mucho amor.