Pictures: us girls smashed into the back of Tim's car on the way to Santiago, Natalie and I got stuck in the rain on her motorcycle, practicing my Bachata (a Dominican dance), and my roommates-Natalie and Melissa!!



Had a wonderful, relaxing (with some work mixed in!) weekend, and yesterday was a holiday! We spent the day outside enjoying the sun....but stayed out a LITTLE too long and got fried..haha! oh well:) I am at school today working in my classroom, but we just found out that instead of starting school on Thursday, we have to wait until Monday because 1-we never got any of our textbooks in the mail, 2-the bathrooms are not finished being redone, and 3-we have no cafeteria because it is currently just studs!! living moment by moment here! Totally okay with it though--much more planning time!

Proverbs 2 "My 'daughter', if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, He is a shield to those whose walk is blameles, for He guards the course of the just and protects the way of His faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair-every good path. For wisdom will be in your heart, and knowledge will be present in your soul! Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you. Wisdom will save you!"

Proverbs 3 "Let love and faithfulness never leave you! Bind them around your neck,and write them on the tablet of your heart...trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight! Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones....." and it gets even better!!!

The past couple days I have really been thinking about what it really means to REALLY love God and desire Him with my life, and what it means to be here--yes at His call--but also because I want more than anything to be here serving Him...how can I do that? How can I show that with my life to my students and to my YL kids? (Thank you JulieAnne for putting those thoughts in my mind!!!!) hard questions! But i found a great quote as I was reading my "radical" book: "Real success is found in radical sacrifice. Ultimate satisfaction is found not in making much of ourselves, but in making much of God. The purpose of our lives transcends the country and culture in which we live. Meaning is found in community, not individualism; joy is found in generosity, not materialism, and truth is found in Christ, not universalism. Ultimately, Jesus is a reward worth risking everything to know, risk, and ENJOY!" I love that ending--"but to ENJOY!" Isnt that what we are called to do as Jesus-followers? Enjoy Him, to find such great joy in Him that we can't help illuminate Him in everything we do? So cool!