Journaling

In my journal, I've been (trying) to write each day just a short bit about what happened during that day in Africa. I've been finding it's easiest to break down the day into 3 meaningful categories, and just jot a couple things under each.

Like this: :-)

Blessings

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* Having my lessons all ready to go for tomorrow

* Mama Fran coming over and voluntarily making Kettle Corn for Emily and I while we watched Bolt (yay for hilarious kiddie movies!)

Lessons Learned

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* Believe in the kids.... I want to be an inspiring teacher who sees each student for who God made him and how God could use him. Tomorrow, I'll be talking about a letter-writing competition that my students are entering. Their assignment is to write to a famous athlete explaining what is special about the Olympics. Rather than just assume that my kids probably won't win the nation-wide competition, I'd like to approach it with the idea that they have a unique perspective to offer. Like I said, if God will be gracious to help me in that, I want to inspire the kids to work hard to present what they have to offer to the world.

* To be honest, I've been battling the discouragement that I'm not doing enough and not making a big enough difference. I'm slow at writing lesson plans, and I don't have near the servant's heart that Emily has. It's true that no matter where you go in the world, you will still have the same sin problems tripping you up (and in the ministry, these sin hindrances will only be magnified times like fifty!)

But I realized tonight that's exactly Satan's desire. He knows that if I'm focused on my own impact, then it will be greatly downgraded. Don't let a seed of discouragement take root!! He will not have the upper hand. Just keep pressing on, not ceasing to do good and pour out love to people. God will strengthen me to do that and He will take care of the rest. He is so loving and good and faithful.

I even had three separate friends write to me over facebook today to say that they have been praying especially for me. For that I am grateful beyond words! I know their prayers make a marked difference on my outlook and daily life here.

Moments

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* Sitting in the classroom for an hour after school talking with Heather about our students. It was so eye-opening to hear the background stories of the kids. It also gave me a better sense of how to approach them and how to better help them grow in godliness (or grow toward accepting God!)

* Mama Fran told me the story of how she made a scrapbook full of bird pictures for one of the third grade boys last week. She told him that it would be his job to label it and gave him an information book on birds. Then today she asked him how the scrapbook was coming. He said he had not started on it. At this she was very disappointed, and informed him that scrapbook took alot of time to make. She said she wanted it back so that it would not go to waste and unlabeled.

"Oh no, Mama Fran!" he said. "I just cannot find the book. If I knew where it was, I would work on it."

She took that time to use it as a teachable moment, saying, "You need to keep track of things. It's very important." And then she helped him to find the book.

And you know what? He sat down and labeled every single picture in the book right then.

I thought it was so cool of her to take an interest in him and take the opportunity to teach him to finish what he starts.

Anyway, that's usually the type of stuff I try to write every day (except not that detailed because I'm a much slower writer than typist :-) But you get the idea. It's a system that's working pretty well for me. And I'd say it makes it easier and more interesting to blog too!