The Heart of Friendship

Over the summer C and a friend had the opportunity to grow closer to one of the Grace missionary kids. C and her friends thoroughly enjoy playing with their American Girl dolls. Our sweet MK friend has loved them too, yet hasn't had the blessing of owning one....until our girls stuck their heads together.
A few months ago, while at the thrift store, we came across an AG doll. It had been loved previously yet had the unfortunate adventure of visiting a child's beauty salon where most of the hair had been "cut & styled". We bought the doll with the intention of finding someone, someday, who would enjoy her as much as C enjoys her dolls.
When C and her friend found out that our MK had always wanted a doll, they pooled their money to have the doll's head replaced with the intention of giving it to their sweet new friend. Three weeks ago we took an excursion to the AG store in LA where we dropped off the doll at the hospital. It would take two to three weeks for the doll to arrive. We found out the missionaries leave this Saturday. Would the doll arrive in time? We prayed. We watched. We waited.
Last Tuesday I called the AG hospital to see where the doll was at in the repair process. It hadn't even been added to the system! I called again on Friday. Sometime between Tuesday and Friday the doll had arrived at the hospital, had the necessary repairs and been shipped out. It arrived this morning.
To avoid the possibility of missing our MK we surprised her this afternoon with "Unbirthday" gifts.
She opened the giant box and found the new Elizabeth. She then opened two smaller boxes, each containing an outfit....Elizabeth needed clothes of course!
It was such a joy to watch our friend become speechless. She had no idea what the girls were planning and is so excited that she has something to take home with her. Elizabeth will never have traveled this far before. The girls are already making plans for when our dear missionaries come back next summer.

A speechless friend

It was a pleasure to watch the sweet girls consider someone else as more important than themselves. They willingly, sacrificially, and happily gave their own money to give a friend love. That is priceless....

Fast friends....can't wait to see each other again next year!

Preparations for Race Time

"Let us run with endurance the race set before us"

 

Hebrews 12:1 calls us to run with endurance. To accomplish the endurance portion the runner must be prepared and conditioned before the race ever begins. As the school year quickly approaches the verse comes to mind consistently. Lists have been prepared and the backpacks, writing implements, books, lunchboxes, and clothes are quickly checked off the list. Do we add spiritual preparations to that list? Do we fill them with truth, give them every opportunity to understand the Creator and their own position before God?  Are we equipping them with the necessary tools to stand within the raging waters of peer pressure, idolatry, political correctness, and hatred toward God? Are we giving them the mindset to do "All to the glory of God"?

I love that Hebrews reminds us that the run is in present tense. It is constant. It is continual. I love that endurance is how the running takes place.

"Endure: to support without breaking or yielding to force or pressure"

Are we preparing our students to run without yielding to force or pressure? Are we prepared to run without yielding?

As I prepare for the race that begins next week my desire is to endure throughout this race.

I want to: teach with consistency

                remain excited about the topics we study.

                be prepared for each strand

                help my students understand that personal investment will bring ownership

                remember that others are watching and witness is important.