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04 November 2008
14 October 2008
Spiritual Life Week Update
Thank you for your support and prayers this last week. Fasting from technology was very good. I realized how often I check my email during the day when I really don't need to. The students who participated also benefited from the challenge. They were impacted by our speakers, Uncle Evan and Aunt Jewel from a boarding school in Africa. Several of the middle schoolers made decisions to follow Christ; many more have a renewed passion for their walk. One of the most exciting things is that some of the middle schoolers have been inspired to start a revival on our campus by dedicating themselves in prayer for our school.
Some of the nuggets of things we learned this week:
How did you use your time differently this week?
“I spent more time doing things I don’t usually do, chat with my mom, spend more time than usual on homework, pray.”
“I spent my time praying a lot more and I was really focusing on God.”
“Prayed to God more, put more time into my homework, tried my best.”
“By reading Revelation. I read 16 chapters.”
“Read, help my mom with dinner, longer devotion, basketball”
“Well I read a lot, I also noticed I prayed more too.”
“I focused a lot more on my bible. And my relationship with Him.”
“I walked with God. I was able to finish my homework, and not go to bed late. I felt happier.”
“I spent time with my brothers and sisters and I read my Bible more.”
“I really spent more time with God. I was able to do my devotions with God without being distracted.”
What do you think God was doing in your heart this week?
“I think He was leading me closer to Him. This week really touched my heart and I think I was building a relation with God. He was really guiding my heart and leading me closer to Him.”
“I think he was cleansing it of our sins.”
“He was putting worship songs in my head over and over again and He was trying to get me to think about Him more.”
“I think he opened my eyes more to his word!”
“God was making me think about how blessed I am.”
“I think He was trying to really make Himself known to me.”
“He was showing me that I ‘lived’ off of those things.” Referring to tech. stuff
“He was really pointing out that I need to get closer to him.”
“I think he was showing me some areas in my life that I need to change.”
List 2 or 3 things that you will remember from spiritual life week.
“I will remember that God puts us through hard times to make us stronger, and that God answers specific prayers.”
“Stop putting technology above God.”
“I learned that you don’t have to be geographically with the person. Prayers are powerful!”
“God is Bigger than your fear. Doubting is sometimes good because it makes your faith stronger.”
“That God gives us times of grief and trouble on purpose, because it is then that we really see and feel His presence.”
“You can have faith and doubt at the same time and you have to go through the fire to get stonger.”
“Jesus loves to be investigated. Having certain doubt can help you to strengthen your faith.”
How helpful was spiritual life week to you?
“It was amazing. I really feel closer to God. He has really ‘moved’ me this week.”
“It showed me a whole new perspective on Christianity.”
Some of the nuggets of things we learned this week:
- Prayer is powerful
- God is bigger than my fears
- God is true to His word
- God allows us to be put in the fire so He can purify us, yet it's in that fire that we are set free from what keeps us in bondage
- When in doubt, dig! God wants us to investigate Him and what He says
- Searching for Truth can lead to growth. An unchallenged faith is a weak faith
- Faith in God invites reason
- Faith does not equal feeling
- Faith is not the absence of doubt
- Faith may doubt, but never gives up
- Faith is a commitment of will, a choice to head toward God, perserverance no matter the obstacles
- I don't have to be geographically present to have a positive influence over people's lives. Prayer can move the hand of God
- God specializes in doing the impossible
- God delights in answering specific prayers
How did you use your time differently this week?
“I spent more time doing things I don’t usually do, chat with my mom, spend more time than usual on homework, pray.”
“I spent my time praying a lot more and I was really focusing on God.”
“Prayed to God more, put more time into my homework, tried my best.”
“By reading Revelation. I read 16 chapters.”
“Read, help my mom with dinner, longer devotion, basketball”
“Well I read a lot, I also noticed I prayed more too.”
“I focused a lot more on my bible. And my relationship with Him.”
“I walked with God. I was able to finish my homework, and not go to bed late. I felt happier.”
“I spent time with my brothers and sisters and I read my Bible more.”
“I really spent more time with God. I was able to do my devotions with God without being distracted.”
What do you think God was doing in your heart this week?
“I think He was leading me closer to Him. This week really touched my heart and I think I was building a relation with God. He was really guiding my heart and leading me closer to Him.”
“I think he was cleansing it of our sins.”
“He was putting worship songs in my head over and over again and He was trying to get me to think about Him more.”
“I think he opened my eyes more to his word!”
“God was making me think about how blessed I am.”
“I think He was trying to really make Himself known to me.”
“He was showing me that I ‘lived’ off of those things.” Referring to tech. stuff
“He was really pointing out that I need to get closer to him.”
“I think he was showing me some areas in my life that I need to change.”
List 2 or 3 things that you will remember from spiritual life week.
“I will remember that God puts us through hard times to make us stronger, and that God answers specific prayers.”
“Stop putting technology above God.”
“I learned that you don’t have to be geographically with the person. Prayers are powerful!”
“God is Bigger than your fear. Doubting is sometimes good because it makes your faith stronger.”
“That God gives us times of grief and trouble on purpose, because it is then that we really see and feel His presence.”
“You can have faith and doubt at the same time and you have to go through the fire to get stonger.”
“Jesus loves to be investigated. Having certain doubt can help you to strengthen your faith.”
How helpful was spiritual life week to you?
“It was amazing. I really feel closer to God. He has really ‘moved’ me this week.”
“It showed me a whole new perspective on Christianity.”
05 October 2008
Spiritual Life Week
This week is Spiritual Life Week. During this time, speakers come to Singapore and ICS to share a message with the students. Every morning this week, we will have chapel. This is a week where students are challenged to grow in their faith and where many others make a decision to follow Christ. Our middle school principal challenged the students to a technology fast, no computers, no TV, no movies, no video games, no cameras and no MP3 players. As you can imagine, many of the students were aghast at the mere thought of it. This is not something mandatory, but our principal suggested it so that the students would have more time to devote to thinking through and processing through some of the things they learned that day. Some of the teachers, myself included, are going to join in this challenge. I think it will be difficult to do, but I'm looking forward to seeing how God will use this time that is devoted to Him to teach us.
I ask that you would pray with and for us this week.
Pray for the hearts of the students, that they would hear with open hearts and minds.
Pray for the students who know Jesus, that they would grow closer to Him.
Pray for the students who do not yet know Jesus, that they would be moved to join the family of believers this week.
Pray for the speakers, that they would be messengers of God.
Pray for the discipline to fast from technology for four days (Monday-Thursday).
Thank you for partnering with us this week. :)
P.S. I won't be turning on my personal computer all week, so if there is something urgent that you need to tell me, please call me on the phone.
I ask that you would pray with and for us this week.
Pray for the hearts of the students, that they would hear with open hearts and minds.
Pray for the students who know Jesus, that they would grow closer to Him.
Pray for the students who do not yet know Jesus, that they would be moved to join the family of believers this week.
Pray for the speakers, that they would be messengers of God.
Pray for the discipline to fast from technology for four days (Monday-Thursday).
Thank you for partnering with us this week. :)
P.S. I won't be turning on my personal computer all week, so if there is something urgent that you need to tell me, please call me on the phone.
13 September 2008
September 2008
A couple of Saturday mornings a month, some friends and I get together to play sand volleyball. It's always a lot of fun, and we're always covered in sand all over afterwards. Makes for a little bit of an awkward bus ride home. I really enjoyed watching the volleyball teams at the Olympics this year. They make it look so easy! We definitely don't play to that level, but we do have a good time.
The beginning of this month was the kick-off event for WyldLife. We had a scavenger hunt (like a Where's Waldo?) around Vivo city, a huge mall. Here are some pictures of some of the kids that were there. Many of these kids are my students, so that makes it even more fun. My group of girls was almost the same as my group from the kick-off event last year. Except this year, not only did we find everyone, we came in 2nd place!! The last picture is my whole group after we finished.
The beginning of this month was the kick-off event for WyldLife. We had a scavenger hunt (like a Where's Waldo?) around Vivo city, a huge mall. Here are some pictures of some of the kids that were there. Many of these kids are my students, so that makes it even more fun. My group of girls was almost the same as my group from the kick-off event last year. Except this year, not only did we find everyone, we came in 2nd place!! The last picture is my whole group after we finished.
12 September 2008
Flashback to June 2008
Cookout with the family on Sunday afternoon after Teena and Kevin's wedding. We posed 'normally' and then we did the infamous "Eva" pose. I'm sure she was laughing at us. (Oh, I'm hiding behind my mother) 
On Monday, the family met up to hang out and swim. We had lots of snacks and a rigorous game
We celebrated Dad's birthday about a month early so that his brothers and other family who where in town for Teena's wedding would be there, too. We surprised him at Dave and Buster's because even though he is OLD now (50!), he still likes to play games.
On Monday, the family met up to hang out and swim. We had lots of snacks and a rigorous game
of water-baseball was played. I thought it was way too cold to swim :)
We celebrated Dad's birthday about a month early so that his brothers and other family who where in town for Teena's wedding would be there, too. We surprised him at Dave and Buster's because even though he is OLD now (50!), he still likes to play games.
24 August 2008
Aug 2008
My good friend Breanne moved to Montreal, Canada with her job. Here are some pictures of her going away get together.
Before school officially started with the kids, the staff had a team building challenge day at Sentosa (small island in Singapore). We aren't going away for a weekend like we normally do because this year is a week-long ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) conference in Hong Kong. Our team building on Sentosa was really fun because we got to do things at Sentosa that I've always wanted to do, but haven't yet. And the best part is that I got to do them for free! One of them is going to the top of the Merlion statue. Here are pictures from the top of that. We could look out of the mouth and also stand on its head.
An interesting fountain/path.
This is the southernmost point in continental SE Asia.
These show the construction of the new casino/hotel on the front of Sentosa. The mainland is in the distance. In the first picture, you can see Vivo City in the middle. It almost looks kinda flat in this picture. In the second picture you can see some of the skyline of the downtown area.
The first week of school went pretty well. It was an adjustment getting to know the new students and my new students, the 6th graders. I had forgotten how needy they are when they start the year! I'm also teaching a section of 7th grade this year, which is nice for me because I already know all of my students except the 4 new ones in that class.
The first weekend, I went to Bintan, Indonesia for a retreat for WyldLife and YoungLife staff and volunteers. In case you don't know, YL is a Christian outreach program for high schoolers. WL, where I volunteer, is for middle schoolers. The scenery around where we stayed was beautiful. It was a great time to relax, play beach volleyball and discuss the upcoming year for YL and WL.
Before school officially started with the kids, the staff had a team building challenge day at Sentosa (small island in Singapore). We aren't going away for a weekend like we normally do because this year is a week-long ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) conference in Hong Kong. Our team building on Sentosa was really fun because we got to do things at Sentosa that I've always wanted to do, but haven't yet. And the best part is that I got to do them for free! One of them is going to the top of the Merlion statue. Here are pictures from the top of that. We could look out of the mouth and also stand on its head.An interesting fountain/path.
This is the southernmost point in continental SE Asia.
These show the construction of the new casino/hotel on the front of Sentosa. The mainland is in the distance. In the first picture, you can see Vivo City in the middle. It almost looks kinda flat in this picture. In the second picture you can see some of the skyline of the downtown area.
The first week of school went pretty well. It was an adjustment getting to know the new students and my new students, the 6th graders. I had forgotten how needy they are when they start the year! I'm also teaching a section of 7th grade this year, which is nice for me because I already know all of my students except the 4 new ones in that class.
The first weekend, I went to Bintan, Indonesia for a retreat for WyldLife and YoungLife staff and volunteers. In case you don't know, YL is a Christian outreach program for high schoolers. WL, where I volunteer, is for middle schoolers. The scenery around where we stayed was beautiful. It was a great time to relax, play beach volleyball and discuss the upcoming year for YL and WL.
02 August 2008
Back to school...
Our first official day of school was yesterday. We had a fellowship time in the staff lounge from 8:30-9:00 before devotions and some 'get-to-know-people' activities. I walked in and was really overwhelmed. I think I was still a little loopy from the jet-lag. I had been trying to mentally prepare myself to answer the "how was your summer?" question several times, but forgot about all the new people. I think there is about 18 new staff, so add that to the number of returning teachers (about 35-40 I think) ... The staff lounge was really crowded and loud and full of people I didn't know. That is one of the difficult things about teaching at a school in such a transient society. I know that I will eventually know them all as part of one community. My first year, I wasn't around for any of this stuff. And last year, I knew everyone because I had gone to PFO and met all the new staff over the summer. I sort of knew one new person (she is a close friend of one of my roommates at PFO who now teaches in Turkey - crazy, small world, huh?). Anyway, I said hello to a few people, but quickly emptied my mailbox and went up to my classroom for a few minutes. I felt like a huge sense of peace as I walked into my room. I was really glad to see the new things I requested were there (a new whiteboard that erases, a music stand/podium that holds the books without falling, and a cupboard with doors). The rest of the morning went well though and I was in a group with two of the new teachers, so we got to know each other a little. We got to spend some time after lunch working in our classrooms, too, so iI was glad for that.
Oh, I almost forgot! I found out that I am teaching two blocks of 6th grade and one block of 7th grade. A block is a Spelling and Grammar class and a Literature and Composition class where I have the same students two periods in a row. This is what I requested, so I'm really excited about that. This means that I will be teaching half of the sixth graders I taught last year in seventh grade. I'm glad for that, but I'm more excited NOT to be teaching 8th grade Grammar again. All summer I had been telling myself that whatever classes I was given would be exactly what I was supposed to teach, and the students I was supposed to have in my classroom. I would have been happy either way because if I had gotten a section of 8th grade again, I would have taught some of the students I had my first year here when they were 6th graders.
Well, I should go be productive - like finish unpacking... :/
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