God, it's started again...

Tension again, cars burning, people dieing,

Shots in the air,

What's happening out there?

"Stay at home, don't go out."

Shots in the air,

What's happening out there?

School cancelled, events postponed

God, why has it started again?

School work sits,tests and projects postponed,

It's hard to read today,

When there are shots in the air.

What's happening out there?

God, why is it happening again?

Don't shut down,

Keep the pessimism away.

Let optimism and creativity rule,

Even though there are shots in the air.

Remember, God is in control.

God, let our dreams of peace, when neighbors can live without fear and suspicion, become a reality again.

This poem was written during the August 30-31, 2011 crisis. After my summer in the US I returned to Nigeria with the determination to live with a more pro-active perspective. This was written after I realized I was starting to shut down and just go on auto-pilot where I just live by responding to comes before me instead of thinking ahead to what needs to be done and planning ahead with more creativity and purpose.

Home Is Where You Hang Your Hat

I don't know where this saying came from, but I tend to agree. I've lived outside of the United States for nearly twenty years now and Nigeria has become home. As I write this I am visiting my home of origin and am even sleeping in the same room that I slept in about 45 years ago with three of my sisters.

I've been back for over a month now and I have certainly enjoyed my time back with my mom and visiting other family members and sharing bits of the American culture with my kids and husband, but the thing I think I have apprecited most is the order I see in the institutions that are the social caretakers and the orderliness of most citizens living within the society. Most of all, I love my nearly daily walks around Lake Sacajawea, a lake and park system that has been such a part of my childhood.



As I walk around the lake I see how well it is cared for, as I observe the preperations for the Independence Day weekend I am amazed at how well the details are planned out. I see how people drive on the highways and how most follow the rules of the road. I see how organizations have concern for making positive contributions to the well being and education of the children it serves.



Granted, there are parts of the society that are not so great or seem so trite after my years in Nigeria, but I'm lucky to be a part of two cultures. It's funny, I'd say the US culture is one to be admired from a distance and the Nigerian culture is better close up. It's people that make the difference and I have great friends and families in both cultures

Family Memories

I received word last week that an aunt died. Living outside of my home country for nearly twenty years means that years can pass before I see some relatives; such was the case with Aunt Beverly. As such, when I was able to view a slide show of her life on the internet I found myself somewhat detached in the beginning.

Nonetheless, as I watched the slide show memories came flooding back from childhood experiences with extended family. I thank God for the many times we traveled back to the Midwest for holidays and family reunions.

It has been nearly fifteen years since I last attended a reunion so I look eagerly toward this summer when my family hopes to attend the next gathering. My kids only have memories from visiting the Northwest so it will be exciting to not only introduce them to extended family, but also more of the United States.

I'm thankful that my children know their Nigerian aunts and uncles well, but look forward to introducing them to their extended family on the American side. Memories are special things, but sometimes they take a lot of planning; I hope our plans work out well for this summer.

Back to Second Quarter

After having a week off, we head back to school tomorrow. It's been good to have some time off, but now it's time to head back to work.

It was good to have a change of pace, and I've decided not to feel guilty that I haven't finished quite everything on my "to do" list. There was plenty of things to do: go swimming; bake muffins, bisquits, cookies, pizza; visit with other Niger wives, missionary women, visitors from the mission (ELCA); mark essays and assignments; read with Daniel; help Annette with a project; encourage Nat to practice the trumpet; teach youth at church about courtship; read for fun; revise my AP WH syllabus for the next few weeks; write up the minutes for the guesthouse board meeting; visit a Nigerian relative in the hospital; welcome Nat and Annette's friends for sleepovers (a total of 7 nights and three different guests)....see, it was a busy time!

I'm so glad I put that all in writing, I really don't feel any guilt now....maybe a little tomorrow when students ask about their essays!

Time to finish helping Annette with her Abraham Project.

Storing Up Treasures on Earth

A few weeks ago, when my husband was feeling overworked and rundown, he asked me to preach for him and the gospel text was from Matthew 6:19-24.

Living in Nigeria for nearly nineteen years has brought a variety of meanings to this text, but the one on my mind today relates to how my attachment to material things has been challenged over the years here.

I remember when I first came, I had to learn to keep my "treasures" in my bedroom because too often a visitor when see my abundance and request that I give one to him or her. I finally started to say, "When I leave, I'll try to remember your request." (That turned out to be a pretty good way to deal with it since I'm still here!)

Another thing I learned was to think twice before bringing a treasure from my childhood or youth when I'd have to risk getting it here. When I was first married, I carefully packed a china egg cup I picked up in London when travelling there with a sister. I wrapped it in the bottom of a sock and hoped it would make the journey: it made the journey ok, but not the unpacking. My new husband was helping me to unpack and had no clue why something would be in the bottom of a sock and when he shook it, the egg cup went flying across the room. I remember holding back the tears on that day, and have tried to learn to detach myself more and more from such material treasures.

(Over the years, my husband has proved to such a good cleaner that I had to teach his younger sister to check the rubbish pile after one of his cleaning episodes because he invariably throws one or another of my little treasures into the rubbish hole!)

Today I learned that lesson was more deeply learned than I would have thought. When I was in the USA over a year ago I decided to bring back another treasure. It was a special cut glass vase that I had gotten after a special event when I was in high school. I can't remember now if it was for a birthday or graduation or if it was from my parents or a sister, but I knew that the technique used to make it was nearly a lost art in our area so I had several special memories attached to it.

I brought the vase back and it was placed well in our previous house on a shelf in our bedroom, but here in the new house I put it on display in my study. I have noticed that it draws some attention and have held my breath a few times as it gets picked up and admired, but I think it must have somehow gotten placed on a lower shelf and too close to a curtain so when Nat pushed back the curtain when coming out of my bedroom, it some how got caught and came crashing down and became shards of glass on the cement floor.

Seeing it on the floor in many tiny pieces forced me to the edge of the bed and my first reaction was to want to cry, but a funny thing happened...I realized my reaction was not really one of tears or even to shout at Nat, instead I just wanted to retell the story and share with him how special the piece was to me and why. Nat took charge of sweeping up the mess and helped me pick out a few larger shards with designs on them to put away for a few memories and I realized that I had learned the lesson of detachment better than I had thought.

Treasures are nice, but memories and working together are far more important. I have memories of going to the Arnetz shop to purchase special gifts for others with my mom and of receiving one myself, and now I have memories of my teenage son helping me clean up the mess and share its memory with me. Annette will be sad too, she knew it was special to me...thank you Lord, for keeping my heart in tact and not worrying quite so much about material wealth.

Living in His Shadow

Our first quarter of school is coming to end. It's been a good start to the year, but as always, each year has it's challenges. The word I've come to use for this year is "intensive".

My day starts out with AP World History and it's like jumping into the frying pan. I'm fortunate that I have fourteen very serious students to work with. Each one is out to do well and, for the most part, are staying on top of their work and doing well. I find that it's much easier to work hard for students who are working hard to meet my expectations.

I enjoy my world history classes, American Government, and US History too. Most days I have energy to have some fun with them and the older students know me well enough to encourage me when I do have moments of stress.

For example, as I plan for this week's Independence Day Assembly that, as student council advisor, I'm in charge of, I've experienced some stressful moments. One day, after a rough class, I came back from lunch to find a luscious piece of cake with an encouraging note from one of my students.

In one of my previous blogs I wrote about getting to know students on a deeper level, but some days I feel like it's students who are reaching out to me! I guess that's why I chose this title, "Living in His Shadow". When we live in God's shadow we stay open to evidence of His handiwork in our lives; often when we least expect it.

May you too experience moments of His handiwork in your own lives.

The new Year

Well we've been in the house a few weeks now and have had a week of school. I honestly can't believe how comfortable it is to be in this house and how well the school year has begun.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised; I prayed and God answered my prayers! It still amazes me when he does that!

Recently I wrote about the book, Story, that I'm reading. I decided to share it with my 1st period class for our daily devotions. My 1st period is AP World History so the students are juniors and seniors. I'm sure it's been awhile since someone read them a story, but I pray they will enjoy it as much as I am.

As the school year continues, my prayer is that I can keep up with the daily demands.

Dorthea