Kids

Before I started teaching, I naively thought teachers must get to a point where things get routine and auto-pilot must kick in. Oh, how naive I was! I would go back and laugh at that girl with those ridiculous thoughts of any semblance of routine being descriptive of a career in education.

But there has been some.
Kids are still kids no matter where you go. Korea or Arkansas-kiddos are kiddos. They are rambunctious at times, ridiculous at times, and really surprising at many others.
Even with staying within a few grades in elementary, nothing has been routine or rut-generating. Moving to Korea has definitely been something to break any hint at that. I've had many new things school related to learn and adjust to.

But the kids are still kids. (Not baby goats, though, as an eager girl in my class pointed out to me just this week.)
I have had those students who are so eager to please and have attention from the teacher, but fall short in having the grades that match the ambition.
There are the ones who seem to have things come to easily that the others in the class see how "perfect" that student is and think they could never measure up.
Then, there's the "I can't sit still for 22 seconds" kids who seem lost in la-la land but can give a legitimate and logical answer to my question.
There's the one who has dealt with an adult share of pain in their young life and crave connection almost minute by minute.
these and more are the kids I've taught-in Arkansas and in Korea.
This constant has been such a warmth to my soul and has brought a sense of belonging and rightness for me. The moment I step out of my classroom or step away from them at the end of the day, my mind goes to an awareness of "oh yeah, I'm in Korea" as though when I'm in the classroom with them, I know I'm where God wants me and geographic location is not an issue.

Kids are kids all over the globe.

My current class has made me genuinely laugh on multiple occasions. I wish I had written down all the times I have had a side-splitter.
The comments from the small but diverse group have been thought provoking and challenging. These kids know more than the fact that Asia is a continent, but know that there are MANY countries, cultures, and languages as they have lived in multiple countries. Concern for the people of the Philippines was so high that one of my students began a campaign to raise money for relief and care in the aftermath of the recent typhoon.
This same student made the comment about having a job as a sanitation worker as being a "thankless job"

When we were studying the seven I am statements of Christ, I showed my class the video called "That's my king" where S.M. Lockridge describes Jesus as his King in wonderful alliteration and beautiful vocabulary. One of my students who comes from a non-Christian family asked to watch it again when she was given a choice.

There are the days where I wonder what's being absorbed by my super seven. I've caught two of the moments on camera where I've been surprised by what they pick up on what I am attempting to impart.

This first one, most recent, gave me chills a little. :)

This made me smile for a long while.

  

This is a class that enjoys singing songs of praise as well. They love singing songs no matter what format- acapella or not. With a catchy music video or with just the lyrics on the screen. 

I am blessed. I am excited to see what God is going to do through me this year and where He will take them in the future. 

This is why I am in Korea.

Korean Cultural Experiences

In the midst of teaching, I have made some moments free to experience the culture of my new home. Last week, Sue, a fellow teacher and many year native of Korea, took me to a lantern festival. I was very excited to experience something that she hadn't done in her ten+ years in Korea. We got to experience a very chilly night in Seoul at an annual lantern festival with some history lessons thrown throughout the tour.

Here are some pictures from that cold night.

Enjoy!

 a wishing well people were attempting to land a coin in

Hugs and Homesickness

And it is now 3 months into my Korean experience and I wonder where the time has gone....Time flies when you're having fun, so I guess I am having a lot of fun!

I have seven wonderful students who are sources of delight and joy in my day. No two days have been the same, as is true in education no matter where you are in the world. 

I have one particular student who has quickly become dear to me, and I would love to brag on God for how He filled a need in putting this student in my classroom. This little guy became a bright spot in my day very early in the year and I truly thank God for him.

Since moving to Korea meant I would leave my comfort zone and everything familiar, I have experienced some aspects of fear and trepidation at starting life in a new country and not just at a new school. One thing I knew I would greatly miss was the hugs from some very sweet little darling girls who make me smile at their precious antics even through Skype messages and video chats. This student God put in my class has helped me in being apart from those I am close to by giving me multiple hugs each day. I'm talking five or six a day, and at lunch, he goes around a gives a hug to every teacher there. That is his love language and I am definitely blessed from his sweet hugs.

There have been days where I have thought I couldn't make another minute in this foreign land. I needed an escape for just a moment. I needed a chance to refocus on what God has put me here to do. In those moments, God would bring different things in my path to help refocus my mind and heart. Many times, the hugs from this sweet eight year old would do exactly that. Sometimes it has been to pop in the earbuds and go for a walk with some familiar tunes. Thanks to the purchase of a used bicycle, I've gotten the chance to get out and explore and refocus by a change of scenery. The mountains surrounding my neighborhood are constant reminders of the faithfulness of God. He is steadfast as the mountains, no matter the changing tide of the sin-saturated world we must navigate.

Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
    which cannot be shaken but endures forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
    so the Lord surrounds his people
    both now and forevermore.
~Psalm 125:1-2


Many people have asked me the same question lately, so you would think I'm getting better at answering it. I find though that my answer changes from day to day depending on what has been on my mind and heart. The question: "Are you homesick yet?" comes from many different people at a steady flow of late. I'm not saying it's a bad question or that I am irritated at being asked this.
Yes, I am homesick. There are precious people at home that I miss greatly because they are incredible examples of godly people that I love to surround myself with. My family and friends that mean so much to me are constantly on my mind and heart. I have nearly run after countless Koreans thinking I saw someone from home. The ridiculousness of that thought keeps me from gaining speed in my gait after them though.
As Thanksgiving gets closer, I find myself getting much more nostalgic about home sweet home and even thinking "the grass is greener" sort of thoughts. Thankfully, God has kept those thoughts in check as I remember again that heaven is that perfect place we should be longing for. Heaven is our home and we're just passing through.
But again....No, I'm not homesick. The moments I think these sort of thoughts are those moments where I am really involved with my students and with school activities. I love school and I really do love my school in Korea. I have been enveloped in care and kindness by this new family I find myself in.
I have had times of homesickness that any thought of home put me in tears or had me mentally replaying the video of classic memory after classic memory. I am eager to see my family and friends at home, and there are times where that feeling is strong, almost overwhelmingly strong. I am thankful that God has not let me wallow in those moments though. The structure of NICS is helpful too in that I am being watched out for and compassion is given to me in dealing with the new challenges of life overseas.
To answer the question above- Yes and No. equally. I do feel I am where God has me. That thought is utterly exciting and comforting.

Fall is here and Korea is B-E-A-UTIFUL in the fall! The trees are a lovely yellow and some oranges and reds.

The mornings this week have provided cooler temperatures and a cooler start to our days, signifying fall is coming. Summer's end signifies a new season's birth; I have made it to a new chapter of my life in Korea. This is my home for the present time; it's a very exciting place to live and learn about.
This past Tuesday there was a concert at the stadium near my apartment complex. It was a lovely day for a concert too. A nice rainy, cold day for a concert. I could hear the sounds of the various genres very well from my tenth floor apartment.

It made some of my coworkers jokingly suggest that a sequel to "Close Encounters" was being filmed in Korea. We were serenaded into the evening with various styles, some I shan't dare attempt to identify.


Tomorrow marks 2 months of being in Korea. 2 months. TWO months of being away from my comfort zone, from all I once thought was the extend of my world. I catch myself thinking I'll see someone from home walking the streets of Uijongbu from time to time. I've nearly yelled out a name of someone who I "saw" but thought better of it and was not embarrassed by my impulsiveness.

Two months living away from home has been hard, especially over Korean Thanksgiving last week.
Chusok, the Korean version of Thanksgiving, was last week and gave us a 5 day weekend. I thoroughly enjoyed the time off and the extra rest, but with that came plenty of time to think. And think about the people closest to me is exactly what I did. And then came the tears. The homesickness hit me like a ton of bricks and the tears came and continued to come. I was very thankful for the long weekend to be here, but almost equally thankful for the chance to jump back into a regular week.
There are times, this past weekend being a big one of these specific times, when this is extremely hard. Hard in the fact that I don't know what to do to comfort myself except cry out to my God, EL ROI who never deserts me.
And then there are really awesome and amazing times where I have gotten to see some God-things. During Spiritual Emphasis week this week our school had over 30 reported salvations and another 30 seek out assurance of their salvation or take steps for discipleship.
The family aspect of this school has been another amazing component I am coming to treasure. People I barely know "moving" heaven and earth to help me out. Being reprimanded for not asking enough questions because my support system here is ready, eager, and willing to answer them without judgment or criticism. I am blessed to be among such servant-hearted believers.

And my MAGNIFICENT SEVEN! I have seven sweet kids that love on me everyday. They make me smile, challenge me, laugh with me and at me, and definitely keep me entertained. I have two students who daily ask me questions about spiritual things. These two are eager for an answer each time. I pray daily for the right words to give them the answers they seek.

One of my students is a hugger. One day he hugged me six times at least-before the day even started. On days where I am really needing that hug he seems to know that I do and basically tackles me to give me one. He's so cute and a sweetheart to boot.
Yesterday, we had a secondary student stop in the hall and just watch him as he was sharpening his pencil in our room. I noticed this student watching him from outside of our room and asked him about this. He said "Oh, she thinks I'm cute. I don't get it." :)

All in all, life in Korea is a day to day experience. I thank God every day for this opportunity to serve Him and have to remind myself to do what I can, in all the ways I can, for as long as I can, for the Great I Am.

Catching up

When I started this blogging experience, I was CERTAIN I would be able to keep up with it and blog at least once a week.

HA

Haha

As you can see it has been over a MONTH since I got on here to blog. Not that I haven't thought about blogging in a month, but I haven't sat down and put thoughts down. Procrastinator can be added to a list of my hats I wear these days.

I really can't believe that the 2 month mark is creeping up on me.

Two months...wow.

So many little lessons I've learned, but one big lesson continues to be repeated in this school I find myself enrolled.
God is bigger than me, is with me, loves me, is enough for me when everything else is gone. HE is 'all and in all' as Colossians says.

I got to spend the day today at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and learned a lot about Korean history and the desire for unity in the country. Part of the tour included a chance to go into an underground tunnel made by the North for escaping. As I went down 700 meters below solid granite to view the tunnels that were used to attempt passage into the south, claustrophobia overwhelmed me. The only thing that brought me comfort was Scripture that kept flooding my mind.  I have learned that God is enough. That He is a sustainer, comforter, friend, and an all-sufficient Savior.

Please pray for me and my magnificent seven students. I pray that my words would be effectively used to share the gospel with them. Pray for my coworkers serving God by teaching some wonderful international students.
Soli Deo Gloria!

Solid Theology in a song

There are so many songs out there claiming to be praise and worship music. But then you are singing something and you might ask yourself "Am I singing of God's praises or of something that just promotes humanity?"

I came across Sovereign Grace Music a few years ago and was surprised at the richness and depth of theology they sing.

I heard this song today at church and was not surprised that it was a Sovereign Grace Music song.

This song is called "Alive" and it expresses salvation's truth.

Be Blessed.

The fun has ARRIVED!

So my room is ready to rock and roll with my Magnificent Seven kiddos for a Fun-tastic year of 3rd grade together. It started out like this

and after several days of rearranging and getting my bearings.....the finished product is.....

I am having a lot of fun getting to know my new room and the new gadgets I get to use. I am so thankful for a helpful staff that never gets tired of my countless questions. At the pre-field orientation I spent 2 weeks at this summer, one thing was said that I find VERY true now. Learning a new culture makes you feel like a toddler. I have felt that way so many times. I am so grateful for the grace given me here.

The kids arrived on Monday, and we had a nice LONG recess Monday afternoon- Haha....We had a half day. Tuesday and Wednesday were nice full days. Thanks to a Korean holiday, we have Thursday off!

I have 7 sweet kids that have made me smile down to my toes in the short time I've spent with them. One of my girls, when asked if she liked reading, says, "No, I don't like reading. I LOVE READING!"

One thing I have come to love about Korea is the constant reminder of Psalm 121. There are mountains in sight everywhere I have been over the last 2 1/2 weeks. I love the reminder that my eyes have to be on Christ.

 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—

    where does my help come from?

 My help comes from the Lord,

    the Maker of heaven and earth.

 He will not let your foot slip—

    he who watches over you will not slumber;

 indeed, he who watches over Israel

    will neither slumber nor sleep.

 The Lord watches over you—

    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;

 the sun will not harm you by day,

    nor the moon by night.

 The Lord will keep you from all harm—

    he will watch over your life;

 the Lord will watch over your coming and going

    both now and forevermore.

DRUM ROLL........

SCHOOL STARTS MONDAY! WOOHOO! It's REALLY here!

The classroom is coming along. So much better than what it started out as. The end is truly better than the beginning.

Pictures to come!

R2

Week 1

I am in Korea. I am IN Korea. I AM IN KOREA!!!!
This was the progression of my thoughts upon landing last Saturday afternoon. In between thoughts of, "Oh my word, I'm tired" and "Its 2 am to me; 4 pm here" this was volleying back and forth in my head.
The flight to Seoul was long. 14 hours is a long time on a plane, but God blessed me with the ability to lay down and stretch out on the plane. I was the only one on my row and had PLENTY of leg room to myself! I am a huge fan of Korean Air!

The ride to what will be my home for the next two years was about an hour long, but the closer we got, the more I was longing for bed. Jetlag was not something I was looking forward to. But, I'd get to experience a worship service as one of my first experiences in Korea.

The past week has been full of a lot of everything-information, places, faces, foods, you name it.
One thing I needed to learn was the neighborhood. The school is about a five minute walk from my apartment.

These top 2 pictures are of one of the shady sidewalks I take to school. The bottom photo shows one of the growing rose bushes held up with a pink ribbon. Several along the road were held up to the gate behind it by a pink ribbon. Just thought it was interesting. :)

My classroom was one of the things that was a big questionmark to me. What would be waiting for me? Did I bring enough to get a new year started? How am I going to do this?
Well, little did I know what was waiting for me...

This picture does not do it justice. My needs were met and continue to be met as the days have gone by and I've gotten to dig through this abundance. God is good!

School starts August 12. My room does not look like the above anymore. :) Pray for me as I go through the second week of orientation and adjusting to the routines and procedures of a new school. There has been aa tremendous amount of support and encouragement. I feel the sense of family very strongly. One of my favorite things so far has been to sing songs of worship with the faculty and staff to start the day.

I am very excited to meet my students next weekend at the back to school picnic. Please pray with me as a new year starts for a good start. Pray that God would remind me daily of my purpose and focus.

More to come later!