told off

I got told off this weekend. I got told off bad. (excuse the grammar) It was by a student, via email. I was shocked. Not only were the words offensive, but they attacked me personally. I've been told off before, but not like this. I'm not going to lie, I burst into tears. B says it's probably a good thing that it happened at home - what would I have done if it was the first time, and in front of a class?

The school said they will handle it, and I'm thankful I don't have to.

The email came only 2 days before a sermon which challenged not just be a teacher, but to be a Christian teacher.... a Christian wife, friend, etc. Now more than ever we need Christians in the school system. If we don't go, who else will?

The following song comes to mind...

God of Justice
Tim Hughes

God of Justice, Saviour to all
Came to rescue the weak and the poor
Chose to serve and not be served
Jesus, You have called us
Freely we've received
Now freely we will give

We must go live to feed the hungry
Stand beside the broken
We must go
Stepping forward keep us from just singing
Move us into action
We must go

To act justly everyday
Loving mercy in everyway
Walking humbly before You God
You have shown us, what You require

Freely we've received
Now freely we will give

Fill us up and send us out
Fill us up and send us out
Fill us up and send us out Lord

books

One of my assignments this semester is to create a personal writing portfolio, reflecting upon teaching English and the world of adolescence. Since we're moving in the next month, I have entered my very nostalgic phase and begun recalling the many, many people who left footprints in my life, and shaped my love for literature and writing. What a rich legacy I have.

But, right now, it also makes me sad when I turn around and see my bookshelf looking like this:

...though, in the mean time, these have become my companions:

feeling a little swamped

We're moving in less than a month, which means the bits and pieces that made up our house are slowly winding up in boxes, indefinitely. We don't know when we'll have a new house.

In the mean time, I'm teaching a bunch of junior highers for English class for the next 3 weeks. It's proving to be quite the experience, especially as I try to recall what junior high was like "way back when".

And I still have homework. A lot of homework. But this is my last semester - I'm SO CLOSE!

Happy 2009, world!

Well, it's officially 2009 in our part of the world. My computer calendar reads 1/1/2009 ... and I wonder what awaits us in this upcoming year! :)

Right now, our house is a little chaotic ... with our move just weeks away, we have started the difficult task of packing up the non-essentials, in hopes that there will be less to do when I'm in the middle of exams and B is working on his course. Our cupboards are beginning to look empty ... my office feels cluttered... and yet, there's a sense of excitement with it all. New beginnings just around the corner :)

A year ago, our little house looked even more disorganized as we hadn't even moved in yet (and the bathtub was still in the kitchen - see below!!!) ... a year later, we're taking it all apart, to begin somewhere else a new. But we don't know where that somewhere else is yet. Happy 2009, world - we pray this will be an amazing year.