Just 11 More Days

Kindergarten is coming to a close. Soon my students will only have memories of "how fun center time was" (the thing by which they define all "fun-ness") or of how they did or didn't learn everything they needed to learn in Kindergarten.

Today was a particularly sweet day with them. They worked independently as I feverishly DRA-ed (a verb many teachers are familiar with) and as I would send them away saying "Go ask a friend" and they would I marveled a moment at what progress they've made this year not only academically but also relationally.

I say this all the time to my colleagues, but I have an extremely kind class. Not always so well behaved, but very kind kids*.

Kids like...

My one who wants hair like Justin Bieber because his hair is so cool.

or

My one who promised to write me three different stories tonight because he is a writer.

or

My student who has written a whole "book series" (re: notebook paper meets tape) on the sequel to Jill from "Jack and Jill" the nursery rhyme.

0r

My student who wants to be a teacher when she grows up and thus informed me that she therefore needs to practice holding the pointer on the board daily.

or

My student who proves she's been listening by telling another student "That is not approriapte!"

Some days it's good to be a teacher. Especially as summer is coming.

*My college professor would not approve of me calling them kids as they are not baby goats. I digress...

A Response

There has been a lot of talk on facebook today filled with non-violent postings that appear to judge others' more ecstatic reactions to the news of Osama bin Laden's death.

I don't agree. I may not be a famous activist (many of whom I admire) with eloquent words but allow me to explain my thoughts from my Christian worldview.

I am glad this man is dead. He has perpetuated much evil in the world and would be continuing it now if he were still alive. Yes perhaps the LORD would have called him to repentance, but we are not called to guess "what-if" but instead are called to be advancing Christ's kingdom. This is why I work with education in Sierra Leone. And this is why we appoint leaders to help eradicate evil (and to call evil "evil") where we see it. And I believe that God is at work through leaders and nations (Proverbs 21:1), and that through them He does deliver justice and give us relief as we struggle here on earth waiting for His Kingdom.

So when I heard that bin Laden was dead, I was not relieved (God was still Sovereign when he was alive on Saturday), but I was glad and thankful. Thankful for the reminder that sin and evil will not reign victorious forever. Glad that as a Christian I can say "This man's repeated actions against many people of many nationalities and faiths were absolutely wrong and needed to be stopped." And to be glad they were stopped. Now many people were glad that would say they do not believe in Christ. Their gladness and mine speaks to the desire that recognizes evil and longs for something more. A desire that I believe points to the reality of God. This, I might add, is the same feeling we feel when the White Witch is defeated in C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia or Sauron is eradicated in J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings or Voldemort is destroyed in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter Series.

I was not, however, gleeful or giddy. Instead, I was sobered. Because I know that the only thing that separates me from bin Laden is the grace of the Holy Spirit in showing me my need of God, Jesus' conquering of sin at the resurrection, and the Father's love in drawing me to Himself and refusing to let me wander away toward the evil of my own devices. And the magnitude of this grace makes me feel small. But it does not keep me from naming an evil ruler an evil ruler or being glad that an evil ruler is gone.

Now, I would imagine that many of my friends might agree with me. And I recognize the sentiment of their posts and their disgust at sensationalism. But for my friends that are Christians, I would caution to not let the popularity of isolated quotes on non-violence or post-modernist thinking muddle our call or voice to the belief of absolute truth.

I do think the response of our President is a good one. He talked in his speech about how "Justice has been done." And then gave a reminder to America that we need to love our Muslim neighbors here and abroad.

Let's move forward reflectively in love.

Job Perks

One of many.

I was invited to the birthday party of one of my students this afternoon. The benefit of teaching at a neighborhood school is that it was a two minute detour from my commute home. In addition to continuing to connect with my student's family, I was also invited to watch him and his bff (also in my class) compete for my attention doing flips and twists.

And then I got in on the bouncing fun. And got a *now* six year old's description of where everyone else in my class lives in relationship to the bounce house. The only sad part was that I had to leave too soon.

Though I'm sure I'll relive the memory tomorrow- I did promise they could share about it at our morning share time.

What Warms My Heart

Big, thick manuals telling me how to do my job.

No sarcasm here, either.

Being a super type-A person, I received a manual that lays out in nice flow charts what I'm supposed to do as Team Host in Sierra Leone this summer.

As, Sarah put it, "She'll have it read by the end of the week." True.

What is a Team Host, you ask? As teams with Children of the Nations come to serve in Sierra Leone this summer, I'll help them out. A basic "Kindergarten style" definition for sure, but it pretty much sums it up. If you want to know more, I do have a very lovely manual.

I do want to clarify that I am still also leading the teacher team and working with the teachers (yay)- just call me a woman of many talents.

Time to read.

For Sarah

Over Spring Break, I went to visit my friend Sarah in Seattle. Part of that trip took us up to Sol Duc in the Olympia National Forest.

We stopped by a lodge on the way to do some waterfall hiking and were kindly but emphatically warned that the path was probably too snowy to hike.

Truth: There was snow. Second Truth: Colorado might not win for rainfall, but we do have real snow.

So, last weekend when Eric and I headed up to the mountains of Colorado, we went hiking with our friends. We didn't bring enough pairs of snowshoes because we felt like there wouldn't be too much snow to bog us down.

Truth: There was snow. Second Truth: We needed two more pairs of snowshoes.

Yes. There were multiple feet of snow. At first we fell only a little, but then we fell some more and then more and then every single step.

Thankfully, Grace came through and shared a snowshoe. Though in the end, it was too snowy to hike.

Birthday Wishes

This one won the card contest:

May your day be filled with sparkles, smiles, children who keep their clothes on, and lots of listening!

Only other teachers know what the best wishes are.

Busy.

So, I'm busy. Ha-right. Of course I'm busy, I'm American. Yes being a team leader is a lot of post-work working and now I'm pulling my clothes out of suitcases on the weekends for 3 weeks running and, and, and.... I'll stop before I lose you, because, well you're busy too. It's our American simultaneous blessing and curse. And chances are as you read this, you're thinking of how busy you are.

Perhaps, you're like the Special Ed staff in my district who have all their Sped documentation due on Frdiay.

Or like my friend who's busy being a mom and working and selling a home.

Or one of the med students I know.

Or Eric who just had about one and a half too many projects for school this week.

This isn't one of those posts on how we should all take time to smell the roses like some of our friends in other international communities. It's just life.

Which is why, I am thankful for the respite afforded to me.

For things like the Rocky Mountains. And good friends to share them with. Even if it means one more weekend out of a suitcase.