Sunday, February 28, 2010

Sunday

A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. At Costco yesterday I picked up some ciabatta rolls, just like old times in Korea. I ran 6.5 miles this morning at the gym, and later I had to eat something to replenish my energy. Lo and behold, I make an awesome sandwich:
And yes, if you're wondering, that roll is toasted.

I keep cleaning off the table in my room, meaning to throw things away, and every time I do, I can't throw away a little treasure I got a few weeks ago. At the end of the day I stand in the doorway of my fifth grade classroom, waiting for my students' names to be called so they can leave with their parents. One afternoon a few of my third grade girls ran up to me, "Miss Meghan! Miss Meghan!! You win a prize!! Miss Meghan! Come!" I had no idea what they were talking about, and although I protested, they grabbed my arms and led me to the third grade classroom.

I had, indeed, won a raffle. A raffle of one of my students. As in, she drew my name or my name came up in her cootie catcher or SOMETHING, and I got to pick a prize off her table. The prizes? Drawings and sketches and little knick knacks. I choose for myself a little tiny book she had made, entitled "Marta, the Spider", and I'd like to share it with you:

The cover: "Marta the Spider"
"Marta the spider wanted to have house" -- "And she proposed to make a house and she made it."
"But it was destroyed" -- "And she began to cry."
"A spider that she knew told her not to cry now, again" -- "She made it again, and she got it, and she had a house". By Frida, 3rd grade.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Miracles

Yesterday we had Mass at school, with a visiting Padre. The padre talked about miracles, and told the students that it's a miracle that they have families and homes and food, that it was a miracle to have a blue sky, that it was a miracle to be able to learn Math, History, and English.

Standing at Mass at 12:00 in the afternoon (as opposed to our normal 8am Mass), means I got a little sunburned, and even got a tan from my boat necklace.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Cheerful Giving

God loves a cheerful giver, and I've heard it a million times. Usually the first few verses are shared right before offering is taking, or a plea for money is given. If I read the whole passage through, I can think of money, and what money can do.

"The point is this: whoever sows sparingly, will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written,

'He has distributed freely, he has given
to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.'

He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.

By their approval of this service they will glorify God because of your submission flowing from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. Thanks be to God for this inexpressible gift!"

Paul, in his second letter to the Corinthians, chapter 9, verses 6 through 14.

But, while reading this the other day, I began to think not of money, but of my very life. What is more important to God than our lives lived in service to Him and others? Read the above verses again with your very life in mind.

If I give generously with my life, I will reap generously. If God supplies seed to me, the sower, he will multiply it. My life will be enriched in every way so that I can be generous, in every way - with my life! And because of my submission, as an outpouring of my confession of the gospel of Christ, they will glorify God. Giving my life to Christ is a continual, acknowledged act that is easily said, but never easily done. It is a daily struggle, but a struggle that is infinitely worth the mess and tears and clamoring and the fight.

Thanks be to God for this inexpressible gift.