So here goes Day 1
Hola amigos! So, after the long, tiring hours of traveling we finally arrived at Hogar de Andrea late yesterday afternoon. Surprisingly, my suitcases are already unpacked and my room organized. Those that know me well may need to take a moment to recover from their shock. :P However, I am still awaiting a closet for my clothes which are neatly stacked on a bench in my room at the moment.
We were greeted with muggy, warm weather and the kids gathered outside holding a "Bienvenidos" (Welcome) banner when we arrived, and as usual, they preformed some talents for us (such as singing or playing the recorder). As soon as they finished, I was mobbed with kids wanting a Tootsie Pop (which is Abuelo Gary's traditional treat to bring). The kids and adults were all happy and laughing as they usually are when people from the States arrive. They all were concerned about how things were going at home and were asking when they would see my mom again and such. However, I could sense the extra weight that they were all pulling with the recently departed house parents, whose position is being filled by the helpers on staff until another couple is found.
My excitement is rising as I prepare to teach. There are desks and chairs in the classroom ready for students that are eager to learn. I can only pray and trust that God will use me and give me wisdom to teach them well. I have plenty of resources and am excited to put them to use!
The first couple chapters in Proverbs are all about wisdom, and since I was feeling in need of some wisdom, I thought it would be a good place to read this morning. A few verses in the first chapter stuck out to me, verses 28-31, "Then they will call to me, but I will not answer; they will look for me, but will not find me. Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord, since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes."
This sounded rather familiar to me in light of the recent school shootings and such. People reject God and then expect Him to come to their rescue only to reject Him once things are set right again. God is not our puppet to use when things are tough. Yes, He loves us, but we were made to be used by Him for HIS glory, not the other way around. We will find peace and wisdom only when we understand this and surrender ourselves to Him. That is when we realize that the only hope we have comes from the very being on whom we blame our messes- God. I'm not saying that if you follow Christ you won't have hardship. You will have lots of hardship, but you will also have hope and joy in the midst of you harships. Only He can pull us out of our mess and make us something more beautiful than we could have imagined!
"God, grant me wisdom that I may never fall into the way of fools, but always walk in your truth. Give me clarity of mind and confidence to impact those around me for your glory. Give me eyes to see your mercies, ears to hear your counsel, a tongue that sings your praise, feet to walk in your will, and hands to hold the lost and broken. Help me to be a witness to your light. Replace hypocrisy, apathy, and complacency with devotion, motivation, and a desire to so your will. Replace anger and frustration with patience and wisdom. I pray that I don't just get by, but that as long as I have breath, I will take life on with enthusiasm, full of creativity as if there is nothing that could stop me, because I know that You are for me, so what can stand in my way?"
Dios les Bendiga!
Blessings!
Kirsten
We were greeted with muggy, warm weather and the kids gathered outside holding a "Bienvenidos" (Welcome) banner when we arrived, and as usual, they preformed some talents for us (such as singing or playing the recorder). As soon as they finished, I was mobbed with kids wanting a Tootsie Pop (which is Abuelo Gary's traditional treat to bring). The kids and adults were all happy and laughing as they usually are when people from the States arrive. They all were concerned about how things were going at home and were asking when they would see my mom again and such. However, I could sense the extra weight that they were all pulling with the recently departed house parents, whose position is being filled by the helpers on staff until another couple is found.
My excitement is rising as I prepare to teach. There are desks and chairs in the classroom ready for students that are eager to learn. I can only pray and trust that God will use me and give me wisdom to teach them well. I have plenty of resources and am excited to put them to use!
The first couple chapters in Proverbs are all about wisdom, and since I was feeling in need of some wisdom, I thought it would be a good place to read this morning. A few verses in the first chapter stuck out to me, verses 28-31, "Then they will call to me, but I will not answer; they will look for me, but will not find me. Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord, since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes."
This sounded rather familiar to me in light of the recent school shootings and such. People reject God and then expect Him to come to their rescue only to reject Him once things are set right again. God is not our puppet to use when things are tough. Yes, He loves us, but we were made to be used by Him for HIS glory, not the other way around. We will find peace and wisdom only when we understand this and surrender ourselves to Him. That is when we realize that the only hope we have comes from the very being on whom we blame our messes- God. I'm not saying that if you follow Christ you won't have hardship. You will have lots of hardship, but you will also have hope and joy in the midst of you harships. Only He can pull us out of our mess and make us something more beautiful than we could have imagined!
"God, grant me wisdom that I may never fall into the way of fools, but always walk in your truth. Give me clarity of mind and confidence to impact those around me for your glory. Give me eyes to see your mercies, ears to hear your counsel, a tongue that sings your praise, feet to walk in your will, and hands to hold the lost and broken. Help me to be a witness to your light. Replace hypocrisy, apathy, and complacency with devotion, motivation, and a desire to so your will. Replace anger and frustration with patience and wisdom. I pray that I don't just get by, but that as long as I have breath, I will take life on with enthusiasm, full of creativity as if there is nothing that could stop me, because I know that You are for me, so what can stand in my way?"
Dios les Bendiga!
Blessings!
Kirsten
Blog looks great! Enjoyed reading it and looking forward to hearing more! God bless you as you help others and share His love for them! Thanks for the encouragement to "walk the Walk"!
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