Random Meeting

I should know to expect it, but I didn't.  This morning, as I was waiting at my gate in Vancouver to fly north to Smithers, I met one of my friends, Sonia.  I was standing up to head to the bathroom when she saw me, walked towards me and gave me a hug.  We had both been in the same waiting area without seeing each other for a while.  She had also already met up with another one of her friends.

It took some extra time to board because some unaccompanied minors had to be moved around, and some families were split up.  It ended up that there was a little flexibility in seating once we got on the plane.  Sonia and I were able to sit beside each other for the flight north, with her other friend right behind us beside an unaccompanied young girl.  Sitting with a friend made the flight far more enjoyable.  We were also at the very front of the plane, so we also chatted with the flight attendant.

Meeting up with Sonia was a pleasant surprise, and it was also fun to get to greet her family as well as my own upon arrival in Smithers.

Temperature Contrasts

We have now had frost three times!  One time it was on the ground, and the other two times I only noticed it on the roofs.  Recently I have been using my heat more than my AC.  Despite the cooler weather, it only takes one day for it to go from cold (for here) to quite warm.  It still seems wrong to me to comfortably wear shorts in December.  With the extreme changes in temperature also come thunderstorms, we have had a few of them recently.  Sometimes I get slightly annoyed when it warms up again to the point where I may need my AC, but then I am simply thankful that it was cool enough that I got to use my heat and enjoy colder weather.

This week is supposed to start warm and then cool off later.  Even with it cooling off, I think I will have to adjust to winter temperatures when I go home to Smithers this weekend.

What do these two items have in common?

What do these two items have in common?

If you guessed that they were both gifts that I received today, you guessed correctly.

The first was a gift from one of my students this morning.  The second was given to me by a student this afternoon.  She was in my class at the beginning of the year, but switched back to Kindergarten.  I saw her when she came along to pick up her older sister.

I love simple, thoughtful, and unexpected gifts.  They have a way of brightening my day because of the thoughtfulness and love they present.  These were definitely both a blessing today.

Snowflakes - Pictures

Here are the requested pictures of two of my snowflakes from earlier this week.

The first snowflake of the Season

The Christmas Snowflake

I have since been told by one friend that I don't need to make them a Christmas card, she would rather have a snowflake like the second one.  Another just said 'ooh, I want one', while someone else offered to pay me to make some for her to bring to her family for Christmas.

This evening after Bible study I made a few more snowflakes - miniature ones.  At this point they are decorating Sonbuchner's coffee table, underneath the sheet of glass covering the wooden tabletop.  It makes for a festive table.

In case it wasn't clear, I love making paper snowflakes.

Christmas Wishlist Conundrum

Today my Room Mom from school emailed me and asked me if I had a wishlist for Christmas.  I spent about an hour off and on trying to frame a reply.  She asked if there were things that I wanted that maybe some of the parents would want to contribute to as a group.  After reading that my response was, "um..."

There are many things that I can think of that I want, but nothing that I can think of that I need.  So do I start emailing her ideas of all sorts of things that I want or that I would enjoy having?  Do I honestly tell her that I don't need anything?  Do I tell her what I think she wants to hear?  Do I actually tell her that I don't want gifts but would rather have the money spent on something life the Gospel for Asia gift catalog?  Am I truly willing to give up my Christmas gifts?

This situation, and the consumerism that surrounds Christmas raises a battle within me.  There is the side of me that simply wants more things and is never satisfied.  There is always something more that I could have.  This side of me also knows that I will be getting gifts from parents at school and selfishly likes that idea.  The other side recognizes that this world is temporary, nothing that the world offers can satisfy.  This is the side of me that recognizes that I already have more than I could ever need and that maybe I should give it away.  The two sides battle within me and this is the verse that comes to mind:

Matthew 6:19-21 "¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

I do not know why I was born into the privileged life that God has given me, and I may never fully understand.  I do know that with blessing comes responsibility, and I have been greatly blessed.  I also know that I would rather have my treasure be in heaven than on earth.  Does this mean that I have completely solved this conundrum?  No, it doesn't, but it has certainly made me think about what I value, and where I place my treasures.

Snowflakes

Today the high temperature was 79 F (26 C).  It felt a little strange doing a little Christmas decorating for my classroom while the temperatures were so warm.

This evening I made paper snowflakes with Peter.  Making snowflakes is a winter tradition that I resurrected around the time I was finishing high school.  Snowflakes were a cheap way to decorate in college, and they made great shadows when the sun shone through them on the window.  Today I made my first snowflakes of the year.  My first one turned out really well.  The second one was for Abby because she wanted one with a stable and manger, similar to one I already have in my apartment.  After doing one like that for Abby, Susan wanted one as well.  So I made Susan an angel, a stable with a manger, and a star above the stable.  I don't consider myself an overly artistic or creative person, but I like to say that my creativity comes out when making snowflakes.

To finish the evening, I read Susan and Peter a 'bedtime story.'  I read the book Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin.  It is the story of Wilson Bentley who spent his life trying to capture snowflakes for the world to see.  He photographed hundreds of snowflakes over the course of his lifetime.  It has the main story with sidebars of historical fact.  On the last page are three of the snowflakes he photographed, which fascinated and amazed us.

It was an enjoyable evening.  It was fun to once again share my snowflake tradition with others - making snowflakes is more fun when done with friends.

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is a time of giving thanks to God.  Here are a few of the things for which I am thankful:

• Salvation, freedom of religion, and access to God's Word
• Wonderful family and friends
• Christian fellowship
• Safe travel to Maryland & Virginia
• The opportunity for my entire immediate family to be together
• Beautiful fall weather - sunshine, colorful leaves, warm temperatures
• Delicious food
• Hospitality from Timothy and Catherine, as well as Lynnea
• My new nephew, Anthony
• A good job
• My great community, especially my church, in Louisiana

There are many more things, but that is a good list for now.  Thank you God for blessing me beyond measure, though I deserve none of it.