This just in...

My new necklace is from Dubai!!! :)

First day of the birthday month...

Wow. Today has been so incredible in small and wonderful ways. One of my students brought me a gift this morning that her dad picked up on a recent trip. We actually had a great day of school - and then I found out I received a package from my momma! She mailed me some books for my classroom on August 21, and I got them today! I knew they were coming, so the absolute best part that I dug through to find was the note in the bottom of the box, signed, "Love, Me" like always... THEN, I got to go down into the city with two other girls to eat at McDonald's and go to a few shops including a bookstore that somehow reminded me of a Honduran version of Barnes & Noble. Once back up on the mountain, I took a nap and have continued to relax with some tv time that included a little bit of a Harry Potter movie. :) That was a fun surprise.

Now I'm off to call home and bake brownies for one of my students!



My gift was in this:
Isn't it pretty???

Thank you Mom and Dad!!!

Ladies and gentlemen...

Welcome to the birthday month!!! :)

Conversation of the Day

The infamous Pablo: squeaking, squealing noises - similar to a pig

Me: Pablo, stop.

Him: Aww, Miss... You are just like my mom. (Don't forget to read it with a STRONG accent!)

Me: I'm like your mom?

Him: Yes... (Which sounds like "jes")

Me: Well maybe the common problem is you.

Him: No. The problem are womans...

Me: The problem is women? (Trying not to laugh at this point...)

Him: Yes. (Jes.) They are so anti-noise.

Monday

If all goes as planned, Monday will bring a return to school. Our buses have gotten special permits to be out even before curfews have ended so that they can pick up our students on time. Unfortunately, tomorrow is the 3-month anniversary of the "coup" so large demonstrations are expected throughout the country. Please pray for our buses as they come so far with such precious cargo.

I would also appreciate prayer as I try to figure out the best way to handle our return. Things here are day-to-day, so we never know if we will see our students two days in a row or not. They've even suggested that we send textbooks home with the kids along with work that they can be doing if we have another break. It is possible that attendance will be low, so it could be hard to find a balance of getting back to work without leaving others behind. Pray that the Lord will give me wisdom in my planning, patience with tardies and absences and all the uncertainty, and most of all - a stronger connection with the kids so they feel like they can talk to me and know that I care about them.

Thanks friends! I hope things in your world are a bit calmer than in mine! :)

Black Sunday

Apparently today is being called "Black Sunday", and I have no idea why. Just when we felt as though things were settling down and starting to feel normal again around the end of the week, we hear that the military is gassing the Brazilian embassy where Zelaya is hiding out, at least two people were killed yesterday in relation to the demonstrations, and it is rumored that two planes full of troops landed at the US army base last night.

Praise the Lord for His protection of us, but what is going on?

As a result, I've decided to avoid going into the city for church today. I guess it's possible that everything would be okay during that time - but I feel like it's best to be overly cautious.

We went down the mountain yesterday for our weekly grocery trip, and it was actually the best shopping trip I've taken so far. If you've been following the blog, then you know that shopping was one of the hardest transitions I faced when I first got here. However, yesterday, I felt so calm and prepared. I had a list and plenty of time to go up and down the aisles by myself. I'm just thankful for those small details in which I am beginning to feel adjusted. :)

Then when I got home, I flipped to CBS just in time to see the kickoff of the Alabama vs. Arkansas game. I'm loving SEC on CBS. :)

And here are some pictures from yesterday... These were the only things we saw that looked out of the ordinary. These are the military and police guarding the Brazilian embassy.

Same song, fourth verse...

I don't want to continue to go on and on about what's going on here at the risk of boring or desensitizing anyone who happens to read. Yes, school's cancelled for tomorrow - but that's all I'll say about it for tonight. If you are interested in someone else's similar and better expressed perspective, read this post written by our high school guidance counselor.

God has really used these unexpected breaks to teach me and draw me into Him. One of the major things that I believe He showed me just last night is about obedience. I am re-reading Passion and Purity by Elisabeth Elliot, and I came to a passage about seeking the Lord's plan for our futures and our prayers about the matter. Elisabeth set forth the challenge, "Why not start by simply telling God you'll do anything He says?" Instead of spending hours praying that He will do things the way I would prefer, perhaps the best way is just pure submission from beginning to end. The part of me that longs for control is tempted to fear such surrender, but the Spirit within me reminds me that it is not a risk and is not scary to submit in obedience to a loving, good, and faithful God.

And finally, God has reminded me of the blessings of relationships - particularly when you are loved by someone and you don't feel you deserve their love. In those relationships, I see grace.

Today's been a good day, but what I wouldn't give for a night in the warmth of love at the Fleagle household - sitting on the porch or around the island in the kitchen sipping on mint hot chocolate, talking about the Lord, and feeling known and loved. That's comfort to the soul...