It's All About Perspective

In James 1:9-12 we read about the humble and the proud. The humble should have pride, the proud should be humbled. Self-esteem is important in this world, but no enjoys watching an arrogant person and no one enjoys watching someone who has no confidence. It's all about perspective.

In my advanced history class we discuss point of view. Having a clear point of view gives direction and focus and let's people know what is important to us. A healthy dose of self-esteem gives us confidence to confirm our point of view and back it up. Knowing our self-worth is necessary for a strong foundation on which to build our self-esteem.

Recently, I was called "boring" by a teenager and in many ways I have to admit that I am rather boring and in a teenager's eyes, that's terrible! Being bored or, worse yet boring, is like a death sentence to a teenager. At first I was hurt and a little defensive, even I don't want to be boring!

Later though, I thought about the accusation and considered the age of the one accusing and what might make me seem boring. I realized that being focused and self-disciplined is the price I currently have to pay for being organized, prepared, and on task as a teacher--and it's a constant challenge!

As someone who struggles with ADD issues (attention deficit disorder), I constantly struggle with completing tasks like marking papers and planning lessons, I still often have the appearance of being disorganized or messy and if I lose my lack of focus or that small edge I try to maintain, I end up falling behind and look like a chicken running around with her head cut off!

When I set my goals for this year, I knew that I would have to maintain a more consistent focus if I was going to improve my skills this year and become a better teacher. So yes, I am more boring this year, but I'm OK with that...for the moment.

In our text , neither the humble nor the proud were where God wanted them to be. One needed a boost of self confidence and the other needed to be knocked off his pedestal. What of you? Are you where God wants you to be?

Verse twelve promises God's blessing on the man, (and in perspective women too) "who preservers under trial, because when he or she, has stood the test, he or she will receive the crown of life that God promises to those who love him."

The crown of life, that's the prize for working hard to be the best God calls us to be! Whether it means standing up for injustice, having a unique set of priorities or a unique life calling, or just being more self -disciplined so that you have to choose your moments of relaxation and fun very carefully.

As for me, I look forward to school holidays and a break from work....hopefully during this next break I can have some fun; my kind of fun!

Nigeria Turns 53

Today is a public holiday to celebrate Nigeria's Independence Day. Most celebrations are either of a political nature or to pray for the nation. At school yesterday we celebrated with our annual assembly. The assembly is put on by student council and since I am the StuCo advisor, there was much work getting everything put together. After some busy days, it's nice to have a day off.

Our speaker challenged the students to be "their brother's keeper, not a killer", considering Africa is today, it's good advice. We are fortunate in our area that life is fairly peaceful, but one doesn't have to travel far to find tension.

Another celebration that we are preparing for is the centennial celebration for our church, the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria. As such I have been thinking much about Nigeria's past and the people who have been part of it. So many names have been forgotten, but through their efforts, many have had their lives changed. Some have become Christians, others have their lives changed through the people or programs that have been part of the mission.

Today I am part of that mission. I'd like to think I've made a difference in some people's lives, I know my own life has been changed and impacted so much by my time here in Nigeria. I've lived more than half my life here an almost all of my adult life. In spite of the challenges, it has, and is a good experience. May it continue to last many more years and may God continue to use me as I live and teach in Nigeria!

The World is Flat

During the past weeks, and especially the past days, I have begun reading a few pages in a very long book by Thomas L. Friedman. The World is Flat, is getting me excited for this new school year. I first encountered the title about six years ago when I received a copy of the article by the same title during my AP World History training course. This summer I stumbled upon a 2nd. edition of the book at a thrift store in my hometown.

I have only read the first sixty pages so far and have about five hundred left to go, but I find his ideas are like a synthesis to the life I have led these past years and have already learned so much about issues relating to history, politics, technology, trade, and global inter-connections that I am excited to read more. As I read, the points he explains explain how the world has changed since the early 1990s..the same period my own world became flattened as I moved to Nigeria.

I even had my own encounter during my flight from Seattle to Frankfurt when I met an Indian man in the seat next to mine. I didn't even take time to ask his name, but as we shared our stories of being transplanted to different cultures (he has lived outside of Seattle for the past ten years working in the pharmaceutical business, ironically he lives in the same  neighborhood I did before moving to Nigeria twenty-two years ago).

I am trying to envision how to reshape my APWH course to make them come alive to my students. They too have a flat world as they live in Nigeria, study in a school that has an American curriculum and mostly American teachers, and usually end up going to college in the US and connect with other international students.

Globalization is usually a topic I rush through at the end of the school year, but now I am considering introducing the topic before I even get to ancient history because I envision it serving as a great link to the past and present and connecting the world today as we discover what has shaped our development.

After feeling so dry these past months, I am relieved and excited to feel my passion for history and teaching returning...and just in time since I report back to school on Monday!

I love history and trying to make it come alive to my students and pray that my passion can ignite my students as well!Th

REST AND RETREAT

I just returned from two months in the United States. Usually when I head into a vacation time I look forward to having some time to rest, but I have learned that that does not always happen when I travel to my home country; in fact I’m often quite busy.

My family and I usually get to the US every two years and these past two years of teaching were full of challenges that often left me drained, so this time in the US I thought very little about academic concerns and even struggled to read for fun. I finally decided that was OK; I needed a break and allowed that part of my brain to rest a little.

One thing I did do with great intent was to continue the custom I’ve learned while in Nigeria these past twenty-two years and began each morning with prayer. As soon as I opened my eyes, I closed them again and thanked God for keeping me safe throughout the night and prayed for the day before me. I prayed for the various activities I would be a part of. I have learned over the years that prayer, and giving my concerns and activities to God opens the day up to His many blessing. Our trip was full of blessings.

My children were blessed through their connections with old and new friends from church, the neighborhood, church camps, soccer camps, mission trips and time with their aunts, uncle, and cousins.

My husband met old and new friends at church who welcomed him to pastors’ meetings, prayer meetings and involved him in visiting members. He also had a few opportunities to preach and we shared about Nigeria.

As for me, I too enjoyed reconnecting with people at the church I grew up in, as well as with friends from other Lutheran churches in the area. I made a few new friends through garage sales and church and began almost every day with breakfast with my mother. I did an awful lot of shopping in supermarkets and malls, cooked many meals for the family, and took many walks at the lake-sometimes alone and other times with my teenage daughter. I learned how to make cheesecake, had fun playing with a few spices and even made ice cream a few times.

One week my family and I did a lot of driving from one end of Washington state, into Idaho, and down into Oregon and to drop off and later pick up the kids from church camps while my husband and I enjoyed some time with one of my sisters and her husband.

It was a busy time! And through it all we were blessed with safe travels, the older kids were challenged to take their faith more seriously, and they all opened themselves up to new friends. I spent more time than usual with my sisters, and appreciated time with my cousins and their families and spent some time with nephews and a niece, of course the kids enjoyed time with their cousins too! But the time I prized the most was being with my mom who just turned eighty years old. She hosted us during most of our stay and she and my nephew that lives with her, put up with us as we often took over the small house and put many miles on the car.

Without her hospitality and the warmth and openness so many shared with us, our time would not have been the same. So thank you to all those who we met and thank you Mom for your hospitality, but most of all, thank you God for a blessed retreat to the US! Even if there was little actual rest, I was able to come back with a fresh perspective and feel ready to start school next week.

1Corinthians 10 is a reminder of how we, and people of the past, often feel trapped by the world around us as we search for an escape.

These days I have been amazed at how lifes challenges continue to bombard me through busy schedules, negative students, hot days, limited electricity, but God's Word and words of hope still manage to get through to me.

Escape is impossible on our own, but through Christ anything is possible. During this Lenten season remember to look not at the challenges from friends, work, busyness, family members, but to look further down the road at the Resurrection promises that wait for us.

Lifes challenges will never end, and neither will God's promises of protection and hope in eternity with him. If we can find that balance between doing our work and other tasks before us and trusting that God has control of everything, then we can hear his music to guide our dance steps even in the midst of a storm.

May His music always be stronger than Satan's lies and confusing myths. Let us find a way to dance to the cross together!

God is my Rock and Foundation

It’s been awhile since I wrote in my blog.

I was talking to a teacher colleague and friend yesterday and shared how I’m not a social person. Yet as a teacher I have to express myself so often that by the time I get home, I’m “talked out”. I’ve even started to notice that my teenage kids spend more time in their rooms these days and I think they are much like me.

With my teaching this academic year, I have committed myself more to planning my lessons in writing and developing notes for some classes. I’ve also had more writing for my women’s fellowship group since I’ve been leading devotions these past several months. I think that’s why I haven’t written much, I just feel “wrote out” and dry.

That’s not to say I don’t think about what I’m reading or journal sometimes about the sermons or chapel lessons I hear. On the other hand, I also have written fewer status posts on facebook.

I feel it’s important to have something to say, but sometimes I feel like I’m repeating myself a lot, especially when I lead devotions or write my blogs. Yet, I have to admit, that what I’m saying often does need to be repeated.

In our women fellowship devotions yesterday I shared a devotions from one book that chooses a hymn for each day and writes about the faith of the author and the meaning or story behind the hymn. Yesterday’s reading was about Joseph Gilmore, who penned the words to He Leadeth Me. The words were written as a poem during the US Civil War. They focus on Psalms 23.

These past weeks and months have demanded I place more attention on my lessons so that my classes are more organized and focused since discipline issues have taken more of my attention during individual lessons. Through it all, I have expected God’s guidance.

That expectation is one of the benefits of the intensity of my faith in God. God is my cornerstone to the foundation my faith is built on. I’m not afraid to question God, and I don’t doubt that He is who He is or that my questions will erode away any part of my faith. My faith in God has been tested over the years, but I have never wanted to disbelieve. There have been a few times where I wanted to set God aside so I could have a little “fun”, but it never took long before I realized that life without God beside me is no “fun”! Sometimes I was turning back to God's presence in a few short hours!

God is always there for me, leading and guiding me through life’s challenges and providing me encouragement and incite when I need it the most. He doesn’t care that I might be boring or repetitive or that I might shout a little and make some mistakes along the way. He keeps pushing me along when I feel unmotivated and loves it when I depend on Him. Where ever you are in your life and walk, I pray that you too can rest on a strong foundation of the Bible and the Truth and hope it offers. As a history teacher, I’ve noticed what happens to civilizations that lose an understanding of Truth and hope…eventually they either have a revolution or fall. In order to rise again they have to turn to God and have a vision. I’d like to say that they have to always focus on the Christian God, but I must admit that some civilizations have adopted other forms of belief, but I believe that that’s also why their forms of government continue to struggle. I can’t imagine life without a belief in God; I can’t imagine trying to live through life’s challenges without the hope and peace He has to offer. May you too rest in Him and never be afraid to depend on Him.