It Happens in a Blink...

"Teach me to number my days and count every moment before it slips away, take in all the colors before they fade to gray..."  -- Revive

Just like that, another year is over.  Will 2010 be just another year in my memory?  Will the struggles and triumphs of this year be quickly forgotten?  Will I race through 2011 without purpose?  No, I reflect on all that I have learned, experienced, and celebrated this year... and I look forward with great anticipation to another year of pursuing Christ.

"I try to hold on tight, but there's no stopping time.  What is it I've done with my life?  It happens in a blink."  

Highlights from 2010:
-- Rang in the New Year at Urbana Missions Conference in St. Louis, MO

-- Student taught in London, England, for two weeks

-- Traveled to New York City for a Senior Trip with GCC friends

-- Accepted the position at BFA and attended the ACSI conference in Germany

-- Graduated from Grove City College!

-- Beheld God's majesty on a family vacation to Washington and Alaska

-- Attended TeachBeyond training week in Minneapolis, MN

-- Began teaching fourth grade at Black Forest Academy!

-- Established a new "life" in my new "home" in Germany

 -- Celebrated God's faithfulness with friends at Crista and Jon's wedding

Lord, Reign in Me

This morning I had the opportunity to share with my home church family as a part of their Christmas sermon series on making Jesus our highest priority.  I shared my story of taking small steps of obedience in pursuing the position at BFA, not fully knowing whether it was what God wanted me to do after graduation.  Putting Jesus first isn't about taking giant steps -- it's about faithfully obeying in the "small moments."  God's calling us to listen for His leading, step into the unknown, and believe that He will work through us.

I also shared the story of my classroom tree (see the previous blog entry), which is a necessary reminder of the importance of spending time with God every day.  Author CJ Mahaney writes, "A cross-centered life is made up cross-centered days."  We must remind ourselves of Jesus' sacrifice and live in light of this truth.  And even when we mess up, God takes our dead branches and makes green leaves grown on them again.

We ended the service today by singing "Lord, Reign in Me," a familiar song with words that struck me anew:  "May my life reflect the beauty of You, Lord / You mean more to me than earthly thing / So won't You reign in me again // Lord, reign in me, reign in Your power / Over all my dreams, in my darkest hour / You are the Lord of all I am."  Amen.

The Classroom Tree (Not the Christmas Tree)

There's a potted tree in my classroom.  Back in September, I told my students that I would bring a tree from home for our classroom library, but the small size of my car and my forgetfulness delayed its arrival at BFAS for over a month.  Sometime in late October, I managed to wrestle the tree into my car and over to the elementary school.

The students were overjoyed at this addition to our classroom, and our classroom "landscaper" asked me, "Miss Brown, how often do we water this tree?  How much water does it need?  What should I use to water it?"  In the busy classroom schedule, I put off his questioning, stating that we would take care of it soon.

But "soon" turned into over a month.  At first the tree looked full and healthy -- it added a lot to the atmosphere of our classroom.  However, brown leaves began to appear on our tree, and it was embarrassing to have other teachers try to help me pluck them from the branches.

Finally, there was nothing but brown leaves left on this once thriving tree.  I couldn’t help but realize that I had been the cause of this tree’s death!  I had neglected my responsibility to care for it diligently.  Without telling the students, I began to water the tree every night, hoping that it would somehow magically come to life again.  I admitted to my students that this tree was beyond hope, and I would have to chop it into firewood.

But the next day I was surprised to find bright green leaves on the tips of each of the dead branches!  Was it really possible?  Our tree was coming back to life!  A student and I shook the branches to remove all of the dead leaves.  Although the tree looked bare, it was most definitely alive.

God has taught me a lot from this potted classroom tree.  Things may look great from the outside for awhile, but without spiritual nourishment, it is only a matter of time before there will be outward manifestations of inward dryness.  But even then, hope is not lost!  God can take the “dead leaves” of our lives and transform our hearts: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: The old has gone, the new has come!”  (2 Corinthians 5:17)

In her book Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, Johanna Weaver writes, “The longer I go without being filled with God’s presence, the drier and emptier and more frustrated I’m going to become.”  Jesus, may I live every day fully focused on You!

Caution: Changes Ahead!

Over the past few weeks, the other teachers and I have prayerfully considered the needs of the third and fourth graders and have come to the conclusion that, beginning in January, the classes should be separate for the whole school day.  The current third grade morning teacher will keep the third graders for the whole day, and I will teach just fourth grade.  Splitting the classes will allow us to individualize instruction, tailor the material toward one specific grade level, and challenge the students in new ways.  The split is bittersweet -- I will really miss teaching the third graders, but I am looking forward to having a more flexible schedule, integrating subjects more, and implementing new ideas for reading and writing development.

Another big change... the third and fourth grades will be switching classrooms!  Because I teach a combined class of 17 in the afternoons, I have the larger classroom.  However, it makes a lot more sense to have the larger third grade class in the bigger classroom after break.  I am thankful for my Bible study girls who have offered to help move furniture, supplies, and decorations in early January.  This will be a big change for the teachers and students!

This change will not be simple, but I am convinced that God is at work.  I would appreciate your prayers that the students would adjust well, parents and co-workers would extend grace, and I would be patient and determined.  Thank you, and to God be the glory!

So Abram Went...

The Lord had said to Abram, "Go from your country, your people, and your father's household to the land I will show you."  (Genesis 12:1)

What is it like to move?  Lots of details to think about, emotional and cultural adjustments, leaving behind friends and family, sacrifices made, uncertainties and unfamiliarities...

My third and fourth graders could have spent far longer than 20 minutes of Bible class discussing their personal experiences with moving!  They have experienced firsthand the challenges of moving to another country, making new friends, and embracing the unknown.  They can identify in a unique way with Abram.

God told Abram to leave the familiar to go somewhere else.  God didn't even tell him where.  Just that he needed to go.  That is scary.

So Abram went... (Genesis 12:4a)

When God calls us to move -- changing locations, accepting new responsibilities, making a change -- I pray that we will listen, obey, and trust.  We can rest assured that He will go with us (Deuteronomy 31:8) and will work out His great plan in our lives (Jeremiah 29:11).

Winter Wonderland!

Words can't describe the landscape of a snowy wonderland... and pictures can't capture the beauty of the trees, hills, streets, fields blanketed with snow... but I'll try. :)

The view from my classroom window!

"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."  Psalm 51:7

Glückliches Erntedankfest!

Happy Thanksgiving!  I'll be honest, it's weird working on Thanksgiving.  I've never had school on the actual holiday before... with Christmas decorations all around, snow falling outside, and a full teaching schedule today, it'd be easy to just forget about Thanksgiving.  When I greeted the other teachers this morning with "Happy Thanksgiving," several of them said, "Oh, is it Thanksgiving today?"  I haven't forgotten!

In an effort to keep Thanksgiving "alive" here in Germany, I have brought over one of my family's customs -- the Thanksgiving banner!  Last night my small group girls and I filled a banner with people, places, things, and experiences for which we're thankful.  My roommates and I are working on another one for our apartment... there is SO MUCH for which to be grateful!

"Ich danke Dir, Herr, mein Gott, von ganzem Herzen und ehre deinen Namen ewiglich."  Psalm 86.12

First Snowfall!

Today is a memorable day -- the first snowfall of my first year of teaching!  And I gave in.  I played one Christmas song and gave the students 4 minutes at the windows to watch the snow fall.  What can I say?  I wanted to watch it, too!

Here are some shots from my recess duty, too!  Of course, I didn't have my coat, gloves, scarf, or boots... good thing it was just a dusting! :)

It was his first snow!

And my car, waiting for me in the parking lot at the end of a wonderful day!

It All Comes Down to This...

After a week of studying the familiar story of Noah, I challenged my students to think about characteristics of Noah that we should emulate.  They came up with "patience" and "obedience," which were two that I was hoping they would notice (and maybe demonstrate in the classroom?!).  Two students also offered "bravery" and "perseverance."  We listed seven or eight things to learn from Noah, and I decided to call on one last student...

3rd Grader: "Miss Brown, I think it all comes down to the fact that Noah didn't worry."
Me:  "Wow, that's a good thought!  Can you explain that a little more?"
3rd Grader: "Well, when God told Noah to build the ark, he just built it.  He didn't worry about where he would get all that wood or how the animals would come to him.  He just did it.  And when he was on the boat, he didn't worry about how to take care of all those animals or when the storm would finally be over.  He just kept trusting God."

I was so impressed by his answer -- I hadn't thought of it that way ever before!  Now, I don't know if Noah had doubts or frustrations.  The Biblical account doesn't tell us about all of Noah's emotions or thoughts.  But according to Genesis, Noah did "all that the Lord commanded him to do" -- no questions asked, no excuses made.

What if we didn't obey out of obligation, but rather complete trust?  What if we did "all that God commanded [us] to do" because we really believed that God knows what He's doing?  I think our lives would be filled with a lot less worry and far more purpose.

Not Normal... A Special Place!

The uniqueness of this place hit me again today.  I mean, I know that BFA is a special place, but some days it is just magnified a little more than others...

This afternoon the music teacher was going over a choir song with the third and fourth graders in my classroom.  I often do work at my desk in the room while she teaches, so it's fun to hear what the children are practicing.  One song they are learning is in several different languages.  At a "typical" school, the teacher might give students a pronunciation guide or ask a guest to model the correct pronunciation.

But BFA isn't your typical school.  The third and fourth graders can speak German, French, Swiss German, Bengali, Swahili... that's not normal.

My students amaze me.  They have seen and done so much in their nine or ten years that I haven't in my twenty-two!  Sure, they break the rules and make excuses and get hurt and argue just like other kids.  But their life experiences are certainly not normal.

Life here in Germany isn't normal.  But hey, neither am I!  :)  I praise God for this special place -- a place of diversity in languages, but unity in Christ!

I'm thankful for...

I often find myself beginning my sentences with "I'm thankful for..." these days.  It's not just because American Thanksgiving is coming soon.  I am continually grateful for God's amazing blessings!

This past week was the elementary school celebration of Thanksgiving.  November 9 isn't really anywhere close to Thanksgiving, but it's between the Canadian and American celebrations of the holiday, so it works!  The kids enjoyed numerous activities planned and run by parent volunteers, ending with a catered turkey dinner in the gym.  Yum!  Needless to say, the afternoon activities were purposely planned to be low-key and fun.  Not too much could be accomplished with all that sugar in their veins!

Thank You, Jesus, for providing more than we could ask or imagine!

Christmas in a Shoebox!

For a number of years I have participated in the Operation Christmas Child project to pack shoeboxes for kids in need around the world.  I remember packing boxes with the high school youth ministry back in Newtown, as well as my hall of freshman girls when I was an RA at GCC.  I was really excited to find out that BFAS also packs boxes for Operation Christmas Child!  The students in my class impressed me with their generosity and enthusiasm about packing two boxes.  They're all ready for pick-up now!

"Life" - from a student

One of my students wrote this journal entry during our free writing time today.  I couldn't help but share it with you, hoping that you will be as inspired as I am.

"Life is a gift from God.  God is a god that knows everything.  God is a god that everything you know that's good is God and there is stuff that's good that we don't know that is God.  Life is something spiritual.  You can't imagine what life in a perfect world is.  Life is beautiful when you trust in God.  Life is a creation.  Life is: God, friends, family, and God, God, God, God, God, and God, God, and God... You know why I wrote so many Gods, because God is the bigger than that biggest number you can imagine.  God is a billion, zillion, quadrillion and etcetera more important than anything in this world.  The End."

This nine-year-old has got it right.  Let's keep our focus on the One who is infinitely more important that anything else!  It's all about You, Jesus.

BFA in Basel!

Three hundred BFA staff and students descended on Basel, Switzerland, on Friday night.  It was Herbstmesse time!

My roommate, Brittany, and I walked around the city with two other BFA teachers.  We enjoyed Wurst and Kaffee on the bank of the river looking out across the city of Basel before crossing the bridge to the historic part of town.

Basel looked a little different than it did last time we were there back in August during New Staff Orientation!  Herbstmesse dramatically changes the city with its bright lights, loud noises, and increased volume of visitors.  We boarded the ferris wheel right around dusk, which gave us a breathtaking view of Basel, as well as Germany and France beyond that.

The bumper cars were the main Black Forest Academy meeting place for the night.  We arrived during the middle school bumper car time, about a half hour before the BFA high schoolers would overtake the place.  I saw several of my third and fourth graders standing on the platform and attempting to maneuver the bumper cars.  Bruised knees and a headache were small prices to pay for the chance to ride around with one of my third graders!  It was so special to have a chance to spend some time with several of my students outside of the classroom context.

I also caught up with my small group girls!  It was so great to be a part of the BFA community, even removed from the school campus.

I am so thankful for this place that God has provided for me to live, work, and serve.  It is evident over and over that this is most certainly where He wants me to be "for such a time as this" (Esther 4:14)!  I praise Him for His faithful leading and continued blessings.  Thank you for your prayers and encouragement!

The Mirror

How do you teach third and fourth graders about CREATION, FALL, REDEMPTION, RESTORATION in a way that they will really understand?  That was my question about this time last week.  And God gave me "the Mirror."

This week in Bible, the students created paper handheld mirrors to represent all that God has done for us.  During each lesson the students had to do something different to their mirrors...

DAY 1: CREATION
"God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female, He created them."  Genesis 1:27

When we see ourselves in a mirror, we aren't really seeing a person -- it's a reflection, an image.  A baby may think that there is a real human inside the mirror, but we know better than that.  God has created us in His image, different from all of the rest of creation!  We aren't exactly like Him (we aren't omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, perfect), but He has created us special.  The students created a hand mirror by placing a circle of aluminum foil over the construction paper cutout.

DAY 2: FALL

"But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden your face from Him so that He will not hear."  Isaiah 59:2

Something happened when Adam and Eve ate the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.  Sin.  God's perfect creation was broken, imperfect, and separated from Him because of temptation, selfishness, and disobedience.  The students resisted and some outrightly refused to do what I asked them to do next -- cut their mirrors in half.  "But we created them yesterday!  No, I don't want to ruin my mirror."  I explained to them that our sinful brokenness also breaks our Creator's heart.  Our wrong choices prevent us from having a right relationship with Him.

DAY 3: REDEMPTION

"But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  Romans 5:8

You don't keep a broken mirror.  You either fix it or get rid of it.  Praise God that He doesn't toss us aside, but rather redeems us in our brokenness and gives us new purpose!  The students taped their mirrors back together to represent the salvation possible through Jesus Christ.  "But Miss Brown, why did we have to cut the mirrors if we were just going to tape them back together?"  Because a crack remains to remind us of our imperfections that make it impossible for us to attain salvation on our own.  It's only by His blood. 

DAY 4: RESTORATION

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"  2 Corinthians 5:17

To end the week, we pasted new aluminum foil circles over the back of the hand mirror.  On one side, it is quite evident that the mirror has been cracked and then patched with scotch tape.  However, on this side, the new silver circle covers over the imperfection.  God makes us new creatures -- not just eventually when we spend eternity with Him in heaven, but right now as we serve as His ambassadors on earth.  May our lives clearly testify to the transforming power of Jesus Christ!

The mirrors are now hanging in our classroom to remind the students of the truths that we have studied this week!

God Speaks German, Too!

I was in eighth grade when I first took a German class.  All of the eighth graders took each of the foreign languages for just a few months to get a "taste" of each one.  Then we had to pick.  Why did I decide to take German in high school?  I reasoned that I liked the German teachers the best and enjoyed the language -- even though it didn't seem as "practical" as Spanish.  Little did I know...

Of course, we can say that God has a master plan for our lives that is beyond our understanding, but I wonder how much we really look for evidence of His work in our lives.  More than ever before, these first few months in Germany have repeatedly pointed me back to the realization that God has, is, and will continue to orchestrate even the seemingly small details of my life.  Like German.

German church.  For the past two Sundays, I have attended G5, a German church about 20 minutes away.  What a blessing it is to worship with German believers, sing contemporary Christian songs in German and English, and hear a sermon auf Deutsch!  I am so thankful for this body of believers who are clearly passionate about Jesus.

New German friendships.  G5 meets in a restaurant/cafe/hotel, so every Sunday there is a €3 lunch following the church service.  This is a great way to fellowship with other church attenders and enjoy the Sabbath together.  Last week I had the opportunity to eat with Petra, the first grade teacher of the BFA bilingual school ("Christliche Schule Kandern" or CSK).  Petra and I are in very similar situations, as she is also new to BFA.  It really helps to eat lunch with Petra and her friends because they speak to me in German and help me learn new vocabulary.

Cheering in German.  When I student taught last year, I loved attending a few of my students' football games.  "Fussball" here is soccer, so I went to the soccer field on Friday night to see four of my students play.  It was great to talk to their parents on the sidelines, and I think seeing me may have made them run a little faster...  I almost shouted "shoot!" when one of the guys got near the goal, but then I heard their coach yell, "Shiess!"  Oh yea, this is Germany.  Oops!

German dinner guests.  After the soccer game, my roommates and I had a German family over for dinner.  One of my roommates, Jennifer, works in the Janz Team Germany office with Ralf, so this was an opportunity for us to meet him and his family.  I enjoyed entertaining their 2- and 5-year-olds while the "adults" talked at the table.  Realization: I know enough German to speak with a 5-year-old!  :)

I didn't really plan on moving to Germany after college.  I didn't necessarily anticipate speaking German after high school classes were over.  But God's ways are so beyond ours!  I pray that we will be attentive to how He works in our lives -- acknowledging His presence, thanking Him for His faithfulness, and living passionately to testify to His goodness.

Vielen Dank, Gott, für Deinen Plan für mein Leben!  Mit Freude werde ich tun, was Du für mich willst.

Ist es wirklich schon Oktober?!

Is it really already October?!  Time is FLYING by!  There are so many adventures to share from each day.  I hope that these pictures and brief stories will give you a good glimpse into this past week...

We have begun a new unit in science about plants entitled "Let it Grow! Let it Grow!  Let it Grow!"  The students brought in leaves from home to classify on our leaf bulletin board...

In our morning devotions, we talked about what it means to praise God  - not specifically for things He has done or given us (that's thanks), but for who He is.  Here are some of the things the kids came up with:

 "Praise" was just the beginning...  I taught them the acronym "ACTS" (adoration, confession, thanks, supplication), and I was amazed at the way they really were receptive to it.  Here is one third grader's response to our discussion on how to pray. 

We are also working on writing letters to our partner fourth grade class in Grove City, Pennsylvania, where I did my first half of student teaching.  There are only 7 kids in our class, but we are writing letters to all 25 students in their fourth grade!  It's a big job, but they are rising to the challenge:

And those are the highlights from this week!

I'm looking forward to more adventures this weekend -- seeing the "cows come down" in Switzerland, Holzen's pottery festival, movie night with friends, attending a German church for the second time...  I'm overwhelmed by God's blessings and provision!

In the Classroom and Out...

Enjoy this movie about the opportunities for ministry God has given me here in the Black Forest.  Thanks for praying!

Zwei Monate!

This week marked "two months" in Germany!  Wow.  Praise the Lord for His faithfulness!  This movie is a long time coming...  hopefully it will give you a taste of my first month or so in the Black Forest.

Weekend Highlights

Some highlights from the weekend:

-- Friday afternoon -- I ended the day with a special treat for the kids... cleaning their desks with shaving cream!  I was pleasantly surprised at not only the cleanliness of the desks, but also the relatively little chaos that ensued.  :)

We finished wiping the desks down, washing hands, and getting all of the paper towels in the trashcan with plenty of time before dismissal... but somehow, even lined up at the door, we didn't hear the cowbell signaling dismissal... and the entire third/fourth grade missed the bus!  The chaos that we had avoided in the classroom suddenly broke out on the front steps of the school as I tried to reassure all of the students that they would get home or to their bus connections as soon as possible.  Fortunately, there were enough teachers with cars there that they could shuttle the kids quickly (in time to make connections to Basel!).  Phew!

-- Friday evening to Sunday afternoon -- I spent this weekend with BFA staff in a chalet in Adelboden, Switzerland, surrounded by astounding views of the Alps.  The relaxed schedule, later mornings (sleeping in until 8am!), encouraging conversations, and beautiful location were so refreshing.  I was also really challenged by the discussions on "teaching from within."  I am called to teach through an expression of my identity -- my relationships, my past experiences, my personality, and most importantly, my identity in Christ.  I pray that my teaching would be an honest reflection of Christ's work in my life!

Getting Plugged In

So, there's more to my life here in Germany than just teaching third and fourth grade.  Writing lesson plans, creating materials, and designing tests take up a lot of time... but getting plugged in outside of my job has been so refreshing and fulfilling.  God has called me here to be a teacher AND a mentor, leader, friend, and learner.

Tuesday nights: Each Tuesday I am meeting with 7 other single ladies from the community, including my two roommates, for Beth Moore's "Esther" Bible study.  I am so looking forward to this opportunity to really dig into God's Word with other like-minded believers my age.  Although there were plenty of opportunities for accountability at Grove City College, I was never involved in such an in-depth study as this one.  Please pray for diligence and discipline to make this study -- and ultimately, God's Word -- a priority in my life.

Wednesday nights: I am thrilled to be leading a small group of 6 freshman girls!  The small group program at BFA matches several students with an adult mentor from the community for a three-fold purpose: getting into the Word, praying for one another, and building relationships.  Last night we played Catchphrase, sang a few worship songs, and worked on creating a time capsule to open at the end of the school year.  Already I am overwhelmed with blessing from these high schoolers.  They made me cookies, brought cupcakes to our second meeting, and bubble over with enthusiasm.  God is good!

Our group has decided to study the book Crazy Love (by Francis Chan) every other week, alternating with fun activities they have suggested (such as a spa night, baking together, Christmas caroling, or a scavenger hunt).  We discovered last week that we all like fruit, chocolate, and music, so I am anticipating a lot of those three things! :)

Thanks for making it possible for me to serve these girls.  Please keep praying as we grow together!

Roller Coaster Ride!

Hang on!  Every day seems like a roller coaster ride!

Each morning I greet my students at "porch time" on the front steps of the school.  From that spot, the green hills with grazing cows touch a radiant blue sky.  I greet the children with a smile, and we walk through the entrance to the school.  Almost immediately, there is a crisis because someone  forgot his folder at home and another student dropped her lunchbox.  The adventures of the day have begun!

"Did you have a good day at school?" my roommates often ask at the end of a long day.  How quickly I answer with a story about my frustration at what we weren't able to accomplish, the students who got on my nerves, and the lesson that didn't go as planned.

Today, a colleague shared an article with me about the ups and downs of teaching.  These roller coaster rides of emotion aren't just from year to year or even class to class, but moment to moment.  As a teacher, I am emotionally engaged in trying to help my students grasp the material, wondering how much they understand and whether they even care.

Although there are undoubtedly moments when I struggle to find a connection with students who are disrespectful, apathetic, or distracted... I can trust in the Almighty God who never changes, who uses my weaknesses for His glory.  

There have been so many moments of joy here in Germany!  It is good to give thanks to the Lord and bring praise to His Name...
-- Successfully greeting the grocery store cashier auf Deutsch
-- Praying with other elementary school staff members
-- Laughing a LOT with my roommates!
-- Going on a good jog early in the morning, while the sun is just rising
-- Skype, blog comments, and emails from back home
-- Meeting my students' families and knowing that they are praying for me
-- Picking wild blackberries just down the road to put on my cereal
-- Looking around the classroom to see walls covered in student work
-- Traveling to the Alps, just for the afternoon
-- Meeting the five high school freshmen in my small group! (more about that coming soon...)
-- Hearing a parent tell me that I am his son's "favorite teacher ever"

These moments are reminders of God's provision and His faithfulness.  And so I keep hanging on.  Because I know that this is not just the ride of my life, but the one He has prepared for me.

Take Your Stand!

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."  (Ephesians 6:10-13)

BFA's school-wide theme for the year is "Take Your Stand," based on this passage and the verses following about the pieces of the armor of God.  I introduced the theme to my class last week by creating an aluminum foil suit of armor!   Somehow, I don't think those kids will ever forget those lessons with Miss Brown decked out in tin foil.  Quite entertaining -- but also a great foundation for the rest of the school year as we continue to put on the armor to resist temptation!

Tonight was the Parent-Teacher Fellowship, which gave me an opportunity to meet all but two of my students' families.  No, I did not model the suit of armor for them, but it was on display! :)  It was a wonderful evening -- what a supportive community!  It makes it a lot easier to work with struggling students when I know that their parents are fully behind what I am doing.

One final note: I am continually updating the "Please Pray!" tab with day-to-day prayer requests.  Even if you don't see a new blog post, there may be new prayers/praises posted there.  I so appreciate your faithful prayers as I serve God here at BFA!