Paths...which one will you take?

Why do hardships come?




Why do people leave?





How come goodbyes come to often?






Well, over the last month, we have had several people who were (are) very important to us leave and go back to America.

First the Martins left.




They were such a sweet and dear couple.




Mrs. Martin was always sharing new ideas and teaching lessons with us. She was never afraid to share her wisdom with us. I appreciated her so much and really hope that I have as much enthusiasm for teaching when I am her age.




Mr. Martin ...how do I explain someone like Mr. Martin? I think that he is really 16 years old! He is so hilarious and so exciting - his enthusiasm is super contagious! He was the best science teacher I think I will ever have had ...and he was the best dancing partner I've ever had too! =)





Then Ruthie Left.




She was the most amazing 20 year old I've ever met!
She was the "best-est" teacher that I have ever watched in action!
Mom, you are amazing too - but you have to be the best because you teach your own kids =)


Ruthie was my insperational teacher - she would always know how to keep the fun in teaching. She was the first teacher here that I taught with. She actually taught me most of what I know about teaching. =) But a really neat thing was that she always gave the glory of her amazing teaching techniques to God.

She was never stressed out or rushing about worrying - she knew that everything that happened was in Gods hands.




She was totally called to Taiwan.
However, it was not for a year.
She knew that God was calling her back to the States. Her parents agreed.
I don't know exactly why she went back, she didn't know all the answers either. But I know that she knows that God is in control no matter what happens.



Ruthie, if you read this post...

<3 I MISS YOU!!! <3

"And we know that God works all things out for the GOOD of those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose." -Romans 8:28

It happens on Sunday...

A friend asked me what I do on Sunday Mornings.

I have tried to go to Church here, but since it is all in Chinese, it makes it really hard to get anything out of it. Thus, this is how my Sunday Morning is usually spent...

Waking up and thinking about this next week

Thanking God for another beautiful day, my great friends, the Children that I have met, and those who are at home

Getting out the most precious Book ever written and reading a chapter or two (usually a Psalm and a chapter from the place where I am at)

Reading today's devotional from Morning by Morning (by Charles H. Spurgeon)

Get ready for the day while chatting with people (from back at home) over Gmail

Fully awake and ready to go, I put my notebook, journal, and Bible in my bag and head out to the soup place
- Order "my soup" and get writing. Currently I am trying to catch up on what my fellow Bible Quizzers are working on (Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon)

Get back and rest

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for NOTHING!"
-Galatians 2:20-21

2008

As we get older, we realize more things.

The more I think I know, the more I realize that I have much to learn.

Lately the Lord has been teaching me some hard and valuable lessons ...mostly hard.

I have had a really interesting "end-of-the-year," but it has pushed me to realize what I need to prioritize for this upcoming year.

I am on an important journey. I have been in it for 17 years, but I think that some major parts of it are coming up soon. I also have to make some major decisions.

• What am I doing next year?
• How can I impact people this upcoming year?
• What are my goals here in Taiwan?

Life holds so many questions. The only way to answer them is going on the journey and taking it one step at a time...

Life is a Journey.

What path will you take?

Yayness! After several days of me trying to figure out what was wrong with my blogger, I finally got it! =)
So, here is that "long awaited" post.

Pictures done by Charity Sanders.