Are You Blind?
“His disciples asked Him, “Why was this man born blind?” Jesus replied, “This happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” John 9:2-3
Monday, November 29, 2010
Sunday, November 28, 2010
It's Only 40 Miles......
Apparently 40 is a big number. When I tell most people that I am training and therefore planning to run a 40 mile trail race soon I find myself having to justify why exactly I would want to do such a thing. It is all about perspective really, and lots and lots of optimistic thinking! Well, I tell them..."it will be fun! What can be better then spending the day outside in nature? Why not run 40 miles? At least it is not 100 miles, people run that far too you know."
Yes I am sure it will not be all peaches and cream the entire race. I believe this adventure will challenge me and push me to the limit and I am pretty excited about that. It will be an amazing day regardless of the potential aches and pains because it will be a day spent with God! So why not run? After all it's only 40 miles.....
Yes I am sure it will not be all peaches and cream the entire race. I believe this adventure will challenge me and push me to the limit and I am pretty excited about that. It will be an amazing day regardless of the potential aches and pains because it will be a day spent with God! So why not run? After all it's only 40 miles.....
Friday, November 26, 2010
Black Friday in Ethiopia
Today was the first Black Friday in several years that I did not get up at 4 am to go shopping, or in my case people watching, with all my cousins. It is a tradition of sorts in my family to go through all the sale ads in the paper after we eat our thanksgiving meal. While the football games are playing on TV, the girl cousins scour through all the money-making schemes on paper, seeing what stores would be best to visit first in the bustling predawn hours of Black Friday.
Two years ago in Ethiopia, Black Friday was also much more relaxing like today. My journal helped me recollect that I was at Gimbie Adventist Hospital visiting for Thanksgiving. I remember getting up early to go for a run through the hilly countryside around Gimbie with Joel. The rest of the day was spent cooking for the Sabbath Thanksgiving meal, after all what could better then having two thanksgiving meals?! Some of us SMs from Southern and Walla Walla went into town and bought pastries and I guess after that we lounged around the house and watched a movie. I helped paint a ward in the hospital and that night we had a lovely vespers service over at the house of one of the American families working at the hospital. It was a simple day but fun!
Two years ago in Ethiopia, Black Friday was also much more relaxing like today. My journal helped me recollect that I was at Gimbie Adventist Hospital visiting for Thanksgiving. I remember getting up early to go for a run through the hilly countryside around Gimbie with Joel. The rest of the day was spent cooking for the Sabbath Thanksgiving meal, after all what could better then having two thanksgiving meals?! Some of us SMs from Southern and Walla Walla went into town and bought pastries and I guess after that we lounged around the house and watched a movie. I helped paint a ward in the hospital and that night we had a lovely vespers service over at the house of one of the American families working at the hospital. It was a simple day but fun!
Monday, November 22, 2010
Secret City Half Marathon!
I am very sore this morning! Why? Because I made my body suffer through running 13.1 miles on concrete. My trail running legs are not used to the pounding anymore. Regardless it was a pretty good race. It was lots of fun to see so many friends out racing too! I covered the 2 loop course in about 86 minutes which I am satisfied with! Only 13 days till 40 miles, woo!
Results can be found at http://www.oakridgetrackclub.org/2010results1.txt
Kudos to all my 1st time half marathon friends, welcome to the club!!
Monday, November 8, 2010
Encouraging Words
Ephesians 4:29
"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear."
Encouraging words are nice. I found this to be true after an especially rough day of student teaching towards the beginning of my second placement at OMS. This day in particular I felt really tired and overwhelmed. I was having a hard time getting used to a new school and my lesson over how to kick a soccer ball seemed really bland and was not captivating my students attention the way it should have been.
To top it all off, my academic adviser was there that very class period to observe me and my teaching ability, or seemingly lack there of. Dr. Colon could tell I was under a lot of stress so she pulled me aside to talk. She gave me the typical rundown of what things I could improve upon and some of the things she thought I did well but I mostly felt defensive and grumpy. A few tears were shed but they didn't really seem to help. I just wanted the day to be over!
Later that day Dr. Colon emailed me a copy of the evaluation form for me to keep. In the message area she included six words. Six simple words but the six words I really needed to hear that day. You will be a great teacher! It really helped to change my outlook and arrive at school the next day more refreshed and ready to improve. My days teaching still aren't perfect. I still make mistakes and experience frustration but I know with a few encouraging words I can make it!
Encourage those around you, it really makes a big difference!
"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear."
Encouraging words are nice. I found this to be true after an especially rough day of student teaching towards the beginning of my second placement at OMS. This day in particular I felt really tired and overwhelmed. I was having a hard time getting used to a new school and my lesson over how to kick a soccer ball seemed really bland and was not captivating my students attention the way it should have been.
To top it all off, my academic adviser was there that very class period to observe me and my teaching ability, or seemingly lack there of. Dr. Colon could tell I was under a lot of stress so she pulled me aside to talk. She gave me the typical rundown of what things I could improve upon and some of the things she thought I did well but I mostly felt defensive and grumpy. A few tears were shed but they didn't really seem to help. I just wanted the day to be over!
Later that day Dr. Colon emailed me a copy of the evaluation form for me to keep. In the message area she included six words. Six simple words but the six words I really needed to hear that day. You will be a great teacher! It really helped to change my outlook and arrive at school the next day more refreshed and ready to improve. My days teaching still aren't perfect. I still make mistakes and experience frustration but I know with a few encouraging words I can make it!
Encourage those around you, it really makes a big difference!
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Simple Things
I like simple things.
Simple Food
Simple Worship
Simple Fun
Just Simple
I want as simple of a life as possible.
THE END.
Simple Food
Simple Worship
Simple Fun
Just Simple
I want as simple of a life as possible.
THE END.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Food for Thought
I was reading through a section of Patriarchs and Prophets recently that was talking about David as a Fugitive. The two sentences posted below really stuck out to me and served as a good reminder that I have no right to control my life with my own will or even following the seemingly wise words of man. I need to, MUST surrender my own flawed will to God and God alone. Why is that so hard to do sometimes?
"Men cannot depart from the counsel of God and still retain that calmness and wisdom which will enable them to act with justice and discretion. There is no insanity so dreadful, so hopeless, as that of following human wisdom, unguided by the wisdom of God."
"Men cannot depart from the counsel of God and still retain that calmness and wisdom which will enable them to act with justice and discretion. There is no insanity so dreadful, so hopeless, as that of following human wisdom, unguided by the wisdom of God."
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Filler Words
Well student teaching is flying by faster then a rocket ship and now I'm just about halfway done with my second placement! Teaching in a middle school definitely has its challenges but it is starting to grow on me, I think.
I have the opportunity to teach two sections of 6th grade health and I must say I love it! Teaching in a classroom with 4 walls, desks, and a chalkboard has such a calmness to it, which is reliving after having to constantly project my voice and blow my whistle just to be heard by the least rude students in P.E.
I just started a unit on the body systems which brings me back to my A&P, exercise phys. and bio-mechanics days! I have always known that the human body is amazing but after learning about the body from a teacher's perspective I just have to say that the design of the human body is simply AMAZING!! The intricate detail and design of the body starting from the teeny tiniest cell that make up a variety of body tissues all the way to how the body systems function together is brilliant. God is brilliant! I have always known that. I long for the opportunity to tell my students that. Teaching in a strictly "scientific" way can be smothering sometimes.
Trying to describe to my students how each system works and just how truly amazing each detail about the body is that God invented, without actually incorporating God into the lesson is a challenge bigger then behavior management. It feels like I talk with filler words, like I should tell them how it really is. Sometimes my lessons feel shallow and empty even though I know my students are learning something. I know that God gives me the words to say, I just hope that my students can see a glimpse of him through the words that I speak, even if it just a faint one.
I have the opportunity to teach two sections of 6th grade health and I must say I love it! Teaching in a classroom with 4 walls, desks, and a chalkboard has such a calmness to it, which is reliving after having to constantly project my voice and blow my whistle just to be heard by the least rude students in P.E.
I just started a unit on the body systems which brings me back to my A&P, exercise phys. and bio-mechanics days! I have always known that the human body is amazing but after learning about the body from a teacher's perspective I just have to say that the design of the human body is simply AMAZING!! The intricate detail and design of the body starting from the teeny tiniest cell that make up a variety of body tissues all the way to how the body systems function together is brilliant. God is brilliant! I have always known that. I long for the opportunity to tell my students that. Teaching in a strictly "scientific" way can be smothering sometimes.
Trying to describe to my students how each system works and just how truly amazing each detail about the body is that God invented, without actually incorporating God into the lesson is a challenge bigger then behavior management. It feels like I talk with filler words, like I should tell them how it really is. Sometimes my lessons feel shallow and empty even though I know my students are learning something. I know that God gives me the words to say, I just hope that my students can see a glimpse of him through the words that I speak, even if it just a faint one.
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