Elementary Chapel: "Strengthening Friendships"
It was my privilege to be Elementary Chapel speaker on March 8. My theme verse was 1 Thessalonians 5:11 - "Encourage one another and build each other up."
Having left the majority of my creative ministries resources in the U.S. this time, I was thrilled to find online the "Nose to Dog - Faithfulness" carton art lesson from the book "Dewey's Gospel Cartoon Chalk Talks" that I have in storage. Children dramatized "The Lion and the Mouse" with puppets to illustrate Matthew 7:12 - "In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you" and "The Tortoise and the Hare" demonstrated
Ecclesiastes 7: 8 - Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride. My little friend "Dorothy" joined me in sharing the puppet skit, "Let Your Light Shine" based on Matthew 5:16 to emphasize letting the love of God shine through us in all that we do and say including with friends.
The thank you letters with hand drawn pictures from Miss Winslow's first grade were delightful and much appreciated.
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Women's Retreat
On March 24th, Karen Lynip (front row, far right) spoke powerfully to this group on the topic "Come to the Wilderness Table." Illness threatened Karen and Steve's several week return to the Philippines, but we are grateful they pushed on and for Karen's anointed words that spoke to various ladies in different ways. There was a precious time of personal sharing and prayer afterward Karen's presentation.
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65 Years Young!
A lovely tradition other staff and I have experienced at Faith International Academy is receiving a dozen red roses and some chocolates on our birthday (member care). My birthday was on the first evening of Easter break, but I appreciate these friends (including my housemate Naomi) taking the time to celebrate with me at dinner, complete with a "Happy Birthday" song. They sounded good!
Blasts from the past arrived via Facebook, Messenger, email, and LinkedIn. Many came from the U.S., Cameroon, and the Philippines, but one even from a short-term student in Cameroon, now back in Poland. Facebook, especially, makes the world smaller and the years past seem closer to us. My heart was warmed and lifted. THANK YOU!
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This book was part of my new journey Whole30 elimination diet (much free info & recipes online) that removes dairy, all grains, legumes, and sugar for thirty days...then reintroduces one food group at a time and waits several days to see how the body reacts. I am in the reintroduction phase now.
PTL - I have lost a little over ten pounds! (My goal is 25 more). I have more energy, less inflammation and less brain fog. My housemate is on a modified version of the Whole30 with gluten-free foods for life because of her lupus and it is a blessing to do much shopping and cooking together.
This is an inspiring read as I seek God's guidance for ministry and service with my own official retirement planned for summer 2019. Currently I am reading biographies of children's authors from our school library. Especially inspiring to me was the one about prolific writer Beverly Cleary who was also a children's librarian and is now 101 years old. I strongly feeling God nudging me to prepare to take writing off the back burner. It was been a few decades since I've had anything published...a long time dream has been to write character building children's books that incorporate Biblical principles - for use in public schools and public libraries. I am thankful for all the children's literature that already has strong moral messages which can be easily connected to scriptures for use in Christian education and children's ministry...and want to add to it.
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