Always and in Every Circumstance- GOOD

Well it's been about a week since my last post and it seems like millenniums ago.  Time moves very slowly when you are sick.  Yup that's right, my first Indonesian sickness. No, it wasn't a crazy disease or anything...don't jump to any conclusions.  It was just your normal sicknesses that you get when your body is crying out for rest.  Once again the Lord had to physically shut me down to make me stop and seek  His face.

For three days I halfway fought through whatever we want to call this so-called sickness.  My pour students had less than a teacher for about three days.  "Ms. Alex why are you so tired?" they would often ask. They even found me sleeping in our classroom on return from their Computer class.  It was pretty pitiful folks.  I also left school every day as soon as possible with a couple excused early leaves as well, only to immediately crash for hours when I arrived home.  I have also never ridden my bicycle that slowly or in that low of a gear in my entire life.  The last day I even got off my bike and pushed it up the hill.  Talk about wimpy!

My favorite story of the week still continues to be this one.  On one of my early arrivals home I crashed so hard that I was convinced that I had slept through the entire night.  When I woke to the sound of my roommates in the living room I got up and told them "Good Morning."  They excused my mistake until I asked my roommate why she was wearing the same outfit that she had worn the previous day.  Then they kindly informed me that it was indeed still the same day.  Oh wow!

But because of the sickness I was not able to go to our staff retreat this weekend.  It was certainly a bummer but I must say that My God knows what He is doing.  This weekend of rest in Him was needed beyond belief.  He rejuvenated my heart and gave me a refreshed, Holy Spirit filled mindset. He slowed me down and practically forced me to ask for His help and guidance.   Such grace that He bestows on us.  As my school staff learned and discussed about what community within the body looked like, the Father was graciously reminded me to commune with Him.  His love, his plan, and His gifts are perfect.  The world can't understand because they don't know Him but He is Good- always and in every circumstance.

Joy

Awesome moment today with my students...

During math centers today I played some music for my students.  They love music and always want it on.  Over the past two weeks I've been playing Phil Wickham's Response Acoustic CD for them.  If you haven't heard it, please download it and worship...it's Awesome!  Let me stop advertising.  Ha Ha.  

During their math centers the song Joy came on.  About half way through the song I stopped and realized that all of us were worshiping: I, at my desk working on yearlong plans, and all of my students singing as they worked out large digit addition problems and identified addition properties. We were all worshiped at the same time.  It was beautiful!

They had no idea the magnitude of what was going on but the Lord grabbed my attention just in time to see that beauty of it all.  These kids from all over the world, with their American teacher, in a Muslim nation, far from their homes and mine and we were worshiping the One True God.  I wish that this could happen in every school around the world; it barely happens in schools in the "land of the free."  One day we will worship Him all together: all nations, all generations, all races, tribes, and tongues.  Can't wait! 

Here are the lyrics:

You heard my cry for mercy, You heard my cry for help
And You turned Your ear to hear me, to save me from myself
When I think of all You’ve done,
Oh my heart is overcome with

Joy, joy, unending joy, always joy will remain
Joy, joy, I sing for joy, always forever I'll stay in Your joy

The chains have all been broken, the walls have all come down
And here I stand forgiven, in this grace that I have found
When I think of all You’ve done,
Oh my heart is overcome with

Joy, joy, unending joy, always joy will remain
Joy, joy, I sing for joy, always forever I'll stay in Your joy

My heart will sing, my heart will sing for joy
Forever I’ll sing, forever I’ll sing for joy
[x2]

Joy, joy, unending joy, always joy will remain
Joy, joy, I sing for joy, always forever I'll stay in Your joy
[x2]

Forever I'll stay in Your joy