What's Up September

Happy Wednesday Y'all

Today, I'm joining Shay, and Sheaffer for their What's Up Wednesday link-up. 

Every month we answer the same list of questions based on how things are currently going in our lives. 

The questions are...

 

What am I eating?

Yesterday evening, I was eating leftovers from lunch, while I finished up last minute Drama Team prep last night. This Senegalese dish is my favorite. And it's the special of the day on Tuesdays at a local restaurant our staff orders from each week. And so, for a little less than $3, I can order that and have enough food for both lunch and dinner since they pack it so full. And yes, I did add the Dr. Pepper to the mix because I knew I was going to have a late night last night.

What am I reminiscing about?

I couldn't sleep the other night, thanks to drinking caffeine far too late in the evening. So I was going through my blog, re-reading posts from over the years. And at one point, I read THIS post about singleness and was reminded about how God's plans don't always go by the deadlines imposed by our own plans. We just have to trust in His timing.

 

And yes, just for the record... I am honestly, totally 100% content with life the way it is. But let's be honest. If His plans included some of what I discussed in that blog post, I wouldn't be opposed. And I totally think it's okay to feel both ways. :)

 What am I loving?

One of my older groups is working through some lessons in Revelation at the moment in their Bible class. I loved hearing their thoughts around their memory verse for the week. It's always fun to me to be able to ask a guiding question and then sit back and listen to their discussions surrounding it. And sure, of course I add in thoughts here or there. But when we start the week, we spend our time, analyzing their memory verse(s) for the week, taking a deeper look at what God has for us to learn from it. And each and every time, as I listen to these kiddos discussing a Bible verse, talking about the lessons God is teaching them, talking about ways we can exemplify a life on fire for Christ, I think to myself... It is such an incredibly wonderful gift to teach in a Christian school and in this country.

What have I been up to?

All sorts of things...

I've been teaching, lesson planning, Drama Team/Kids Club leading, tutoring, making those A's in the class I'm taking, Bible Studying, and still fitting in lots of time for fun outings with friends :)

What am I dreading?

Going outside.

Y'all... Hot season in West Africa is no joke.

What am I working on?

This past weekend, I spent some time prepping my latest newsletter. It's as much of an update as it is a Thank You to all of the men and women who have supported me with both finances and prayer over the past ten years. This adventure God called me on has been full of highs and lows (mostly highs). I have absolutely loved getting to follow the call God's placed on my life. And I don't know how many more years I'll be here. It might be a few more years. It might be a few more decades. But no matter what, I know Who holds my future in His hands. And that's all that matters.

What am I excited about?

I’m excited about our upcoming Drama Team performances. We still have a LOT to do. But I’m encouraged by the excitement I see (hear) in these kids. It’s exciting to see them taking ownership of so much of it and throwing out ideas and all of that. I love it!

What am I watching?

 I need something new (well, new to me) to watch. Anyone have a recommendation?

What am I reading?

I read this quote online the other day and it stuck with me.

 

What am I listening to?

Someone shared a song from this album on Instagram the other day and I loved it. So I immediately added it to my Worship music playlist on my phone.

What am I wearing?

Nothing terribly exciting :)

What am I doing this weekend?

Lesson Plans/Drama/Kids Club prepChurch
And hopefully something else to get me out of the house/classroom at some point :)

What am I looking forward to next month?

School continuing to go well...

This class I’m taking ending...

My new class starting...

One of my students returning...

Life continuing to go well...

What else is new?

Not much.

Same ol’ Same ol’

And that's what I'm up to this month.

What about you?

What are YOU up to this month?

Coffee Date

Happy Thursday Everybody

The Coffee Date series was started by Erin from Erin Salmon Writes, as a fun blogging exercise each month. And while, Erin doesn't actually host the Coffee Date link-ups anymore, I still think it is fun to share my own Coffee Date post each month. The premise of these Coffee Date posts was, and it still is for me, to pretend that I am on a coffee date with you, my reader, as a friend, and we are chatting about whatever is on our minds at the moment.

So with that said...

Grab a cup of coffee (or whatever) and let's settle in for a chat.

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If we were on a coffee date, I would tell you that today's the second of three days of Professional Development at my school. I'd tell you that the teacher nerd in me loves stuff like this. I love learning and researching and gathering new ideas and tips and strategies for working with my students. Plus, any time you tie in Biblical truths, that's the icing on the cake.

If we were on a coffee date, I would show you a quote one of our PD leaders shared yesterday. It's an unfortunate sad reality in so many classrooms. And it's something I hope I never make my classroom into.

If we were on a coffee date, I would tell you that I got a pedicure this past weekend. I'd also tell you that I always feel guilty when I get one. It's just something about shelling out money on something so "frivolous." But I'm trying to do better at adding in a bit of self-care to my life here and there. So yeah... Check out those red toenails ;)

If we were on a coffee date, I would tell you that my 8th graders are currently reading The Outsiders. It's so full of 1960s era American-ness, that it's taking us quite a bit of explaining to get through the book. A lot longer than I thought, actually... Hmm, I wonder if there's a cliff notes version ;) 

If we were on a coffee date, I would share about the topic of going back, which I wrote about on here yesterday. Oh and FYI - I'd point out that, contrary to what it made some people think... I'm definitely not making plans to go back to the US right now. :) 

If we were on a coffee date, I would ask what you've been studying lately in the Bible. Then I'd tell you that, with my Bible Study group last week, we studied from Genesis 17. And when I read the part where Isaac's birth was promised - something I've read a zillion times before - it stuck out at me. It's just yet another reminder of how God will deliver on promises He's made. It may not be when you expect them. But His timing is perfect.

What about you?

If we were on a coffee date, what would YOU share with me?

Who Holds the Future

Happy Wednesday Y'all

Today, I'm joining Ashley and Erika for their monthly Tuesday Talk link-up, where we, bloggers, come together and talk about whatever is on our mind at the moment.

And yes, I do realize I’m a day late... :)

Today, on my mind, is an article I read a few weeks ago on A Life Overseas, entitled 

Why Do I Keep Going Back?

In the article, the author discusses how she hates answering the question, when are you guys coming back because she feels like a liar. Apparently, she and her husband originally went to their overseas place of work (ministry) the first time for a year. Then the work was still going, so they went back. And on and on...

Different missions organizations work in different ways.

Typically, with AGWM (who I've come to Senegal with), a missionary will go overseas for a 4 year term before coming back to the US. However, because my primary ministry is teaching, I'm a little different.

In 2009, I came to Senegal for the first time.

In my mind, I was coming for only one or two years. 

That was it.

But I didn't leave for 5 years.

And when I came back in February 2016, I was coming back for a year and a half. And here I am 3 1/2 years later.

And because my primary ministry operates from August - June, I come back every summer for budget/support raising (fundraising). And yes, as long as I can afford it, as a single person with no family here in Dakar, I will also go home at Christmas each year.

And it's because of the above two statements, that I often hear the question...

When are you coming back?

As in...

When are you going to leave the mission field and come "home" for good?

 So usually I ask people if they want the long answer or the short answer.

The short answer is I’m there ‘til God tells me to leave.

The long answer is...

There are so many factors that go into a decision like that. 

I mean, it all depends on God. I came here because God told me to. I’ve extended my assignment with AGWM over the years because God has told me to. I’ve stayed because God told me to.

And obviously, that reason is technically all I need. It’s all up to God. 

But when that answer doesn’t satisfy genuinely curious people (which is totally fine for me), here’s how I usually answer...

Honestly, I don’t know how long I’ll be on the field. 

It depends on the work God’s asked me to do. 

My job depends on the students. If they’re not here, I don’t have a job.

 And at the same time, if I were to leave, some of my kids would not have a schooling option in this country. So there’s that.

My current AGWM assignment ends in June 2021. So at the end of the ‘20-‘21 school year... And at that point, I’ll pray and decide if I want to extend again or not.

At this point, God has not released me to leave. So I’m going ahead with plans to extend and stay.

But who knows what could happen between now and then? Who’s knows what’s in store for my future? Who knows what’ll happen? 

God.

And while it may be cliché to say...

It’s still true...

God holds my future in His hands. 

He knows how long I’ll stay in Dakar. He knows if it’ll be 2 more years or if it’ll be 20 more years. 

He knows if I’ll eventually leave and live in Alabama for good or if I’ll move somewhere else.

He knows if this or that will happen.

He knows it all. 

God holds my future in His hands.

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If you missed my previous Tuesday Talk posts this year, you can click on the links below to check each of them out.


January - Introduction to Me

February - The Little Things

 March - You Might Be A Special Ed Teacher If...

April - Spring Break in America

May - Home Assignments  

June - He's here.

* No post in July *

August - A Lesson on God's Provision and Love

Currently

Happy Friday Y'all

Today I'm joining Anne from In Residence for her monthly link-up, where we share what's currently going on in our lives. And even though I’m a few days late, I still wanted to join in on the fun :)

Each month, Anne gives us a list of prompts to use to guide our posts. 

September's prompts are...

* making * taking * discovering * consuming * saving *

I'm currently making plans to purchase a few new books from Amazon. Want to see which ones are currently in my "soon to purchase" cart, waiting for my next payday (or maybe more than 1 payday) to arrive so I can buy them?

I'm currently taking a class on Literacy Instruction and making it available for all. It's only been in session for a couple weeks. But I'm already learning a lot about it. And it involves a lot of paper writing, which I love. So it's been nice.

I'm currently discovering just how much I love Thursday evenings. One of our AG MK's dinner on Thursdays for one of our AG MK's. She's going to hang out with me in between school and Youth Group, since I live on campus. And y'all... I had the best time eating dinner with her and chatting with her. I loved hearing all the random thoughts swirling around in her brain. My Thursday evenings are definitely far more interesting now :)

I'm currently consuming as many mangoes as possible before their season runs out next month. I'm also cutting a bunch up to throw in the freezer, so I can have mangoes in my smoothies throughout the year. Y'all, seriously... There is nothing like West African mangoes! So so good!

I'm currently saving all sorts of ideas for Drama Team performances for the year. I'm getting more and more excited each time I find something. This weekend, I'm going to nail down a few ideas and then start planning out the different parts/responsibilities. That way I'll be ready to share them with the kids at practice this coming week.

And since it’s my blog, and I can, here are a few more Currentlys :)

I’m currently feeling grateful for HOPE. In fact, I wrote about this on Monday. Every year, in January, instead of resolutions, I share words for the year. These are words I am choosing to incorporate into my year. This year's words were grace and rest. So I decided to choose a word for the school year. After all, I'm a teacher. My brain now thinks a year is from August to June. Anywho - After spending much time in thought and prayer, I realized that the word hope would be a good word for the year.

I'm currently attending a Bible Study with some friends and co-workers each week. It's a continuation, of sorts, of the study we've done the last two years. I really appreciate how we're all coming from different (Christian) backgrounds and are able to add such different perspectives on different thoughts/topics. I have really enjoyed learning from/with these ladies the past two years. And I'm looking forward to continuing that this year.

I'm currently re-reading "Chase the Lion" by Mark Batterson and I'm highlighting things left and right while I read. God is teaching me a lot through this book. And I'm glad it's one that I thought to leave here and have available to re-read.

So what about you?

What are your currently up to?

Hope

Happy Monday, Y'all

 
On the first Monday of each month, I share a bit of gratitude here on the blog. Sometimes I share gratitude for a certain person or a certain

thing. Sometimes I share a random list. And sometimes, I share a lesson God is teaching me.

Want to know what I'm grateful for at the moment?

God keeps bringing this word to my mind.

And I can't help but be grateful for all this word stands for.   

HOPE in God because I've seen His goodness again and again...

 

HOPE in God because I know He has a (the) Master Plan for my life.

HOPE even in the midst of trials because I know God is still with me.

HOPE of eternal life in Heaven with my Savior.

And of course I have HOPE in all sorts of other things along the way... I can be hopeful that this or that will happen. But more important than any of that, is the HOPE I have in God's promise of life with Him because I've chosen to believe in Him.

So what about you? 

What are you grateful for today?

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I started my monthly Growing in Gratitude posts, as part of the link-up fun, hosted by Julie from Fall into Life, where bloggers would share a bit of gratitude each month. Julie stopped hosting the link-up this past summer. But I decided to keep posting a monthly gratitude-themed post. After all, there's always something for which we can be grateful. Right? :)

Anywho, in case you missed my previous month's posts...

You can click below to read them.

February - My Why

March - Photos from February  

April - Random List of Gratitude 

May - Lessons Learned

June - The 2018-2019 School Year

July - Random Bits of Gratitude

 August - 34 Reasons Why I'm Grateful