Moving forward

I cannot believe it has already been a month since getting my job in Germany. It has been surreal. My church often talks about how we get paradigms or thought patterns stuck in our brain and how we need to seek God to help us renew our minds and get into new paradigms and thought patterns that He has created in us.

I found this happening to me this month. After nearly two years of job searching, I still found myself with the old paradigms. I would catch myself checking the same websites for job openings and then go, "Wait a minute! I already have a job!" I had received a gift from God so great, but my mind was still back in old patterns, out-dated worries and non-existent problems. How often does that happen to Christ-followers today. You've been saved from death, hell and the grave and yet, we sometimes still feel like we don't deserve it, we're not worthy, "Well, I just don't feel saved." Thank God, His salvation doesn't ride on our feelings! You're saved! He's already done the heavy lifting so live! Live as if you have been saved from death, hell and the grave!

You know what it took to destroy some paradigms? Two things: His Word and praise. If I'm not reading the Bible every day, I mean really reading the Bible, not just skimming, I'll fall back into those old thought patterns just like that. Also, I need to praise Him daily, one the who gave me this awesome job! I've been telling everyone I know about His goodness, His faithfulness, His timing, His glory, etc. and when your conversations are dominated by that, your brain cannot hold on to those old thoughts. When you praise God, He shows up in a big way.

So, what paradigms do you need God's power to slay today? Start reading and start praising!

Sisters across the ocean

Many of you know from this post how passionate I am about Acholi Beads. In fact, six out of 7 days a week, I'm probably wearing Acholi Beads. The amazing thing about this company is that it reminds you that there are people behind the clothes you wear, the food you eat and the things you buy. I don't buy beads made in a strange factory. I buy beads that are made by specific women who are not different from you and me in their hope to better themselves and their families.

James Pearson who started Acholi Beads has just posted this wonderful video showing exactly how these sisters across the ocean are being empowered to earn real money and help their families.


Acholi Beads Glimpse: Stepping Stones from James Pearson on Vimeo.

Guten tag! Wie geht es Ihnen?

Well, details are slowly being realized with my new job so I thought I'd share what I know so far.
I will be teaching 4th grade at the International School of Augsburg. The school is fairly international in the staffing. I will be one of the only Americans among English, Aussie, Kiwi and German colleagues. The students are almost all German children whose parents wanted them to have an international education in English. The class size is capped at 15 students! Woohoo! I've already talked to my fellow 4th grade teacher, Sarah, and she is an experienced teacher who sounds absolutely wonderful.I will be living in lovely Augsburg, Germany, the third-largest city in the German state of Bavaria. Augsburg is only 30 minutes outside of Munich or München which is home of Oktoberfest. No worries that I may become a non-stop party animal as I tend to run from large crowds of tourists with beer. Augsburg is also 3 hours from Salzburg, Austria which is known for two things: 1. Mozart was born there 2. The Sound of Music was filmed there. Augsburg is also near Switzerland and Northern Italy.So needless to say I am very excited to work at an excellent school in a great location. I do not know yet when I'm leaving, but most likely sometime in August. In the meantime, I'm frantically learning as much German as I possibly can!

So for now, Auf Wiedersehen!

I have a job!

Praise Jesus! I have a job teaching 4th grade in Germany next year! I will be teaching at the International School of Augsburg!

More details to come...

Thank you for all your prayers!

Feeling little again

Sometimes I wonder about my high schoolers. They surprise me every day.

After the great success of Infinitives! The Musical, Luiz brought in a rolly-polly bug. Luiz wanted to know the English name for this bug so I told him the official name (Pill Bug) and the informal name (Rolly-Polly Bug) which evidently in BrazillianPortuguesEnglish becomes "Rolly Bug". He played with it for about 10 minutes, then Cindy ran around the room with it chasing Vivian.

As class got started, rolly bug officially earned the name "Yang Jr." Yang was not amused. Yang Jr. became a part of our class that day even to the point where Luiz would ask, "Now Yang Jr., what do you think the answer is?"

During a review game, Eric noticed that Yang Jr. had stopped moving to which Luiz said in his laid-back life approach, "Ohhh, heez jus' resting."

Sure enough, Yang Jr. crawled over to their team sign and the boys claimed he was a lucky charm especially after they won.

After the bell rang, Yang Jr. just became another pill bug on the grass and my students remembered they were 17 and 18 again, not supposed to have rolly bugs for pets and moved on with their lives.

Yep, they definitely surprise me.

School fun!

I had too much fun in school this week.

The highlight was an activity I did with my students called, "Miss Ernst is too tired to teach so learn it yourself". That's not the official title, but still you get the just of it. Now you must understand I teach advanced grammar...really boring advanced grammar so I have to trick my brain (and my students' brains) into thinking advanced English grammar is exciting.

My students had 45 verbs to memorize that accompany infinitives. 45. Ugh.

So I gave them 20 minutes, colored paper, markers and said, "Make something that will help your classmates remember these for the test."

What I didn't expect was Infinitives! The Musical, an impromptu production created and performed by my students.

Act I was Luiz, Sean and Yang. Luiz (my sassy Brazilian) sang an infinitive-infused love song, Sean(your average Korean side-kick) beatboxed and Yang (my resident Communist and eternal pessimist) did his best Milli-Vanilli dance moves.

Act II was James, Andrew, Daniel and Eric. James and Andrew provided back-up vocals for the "Twinkle-twinkle, little star" introduction which then dove head-first into Eric's (unassuming, lisping Eric) gansta-rap backed up by none other than Daniel(quiet, polite, respectful) who added his own mix of Flava-Flav/Koolaid man interludes in his deep bass voice. "OH yeaaah..." I didn't hear the first half of it because I was laughing so hard.

Act III was Meg, Sunnie and Cindy (I'm not making this up) who sang their ABC song with verb lyrics, looking excessively cute as usual.

It is now the stuff of legend. And all because I let them have control of their own learning. I wonder how many students during their test will be mouthing "oh yeah".

Is God Enough?

Last Sunday, Pastor Art was out of town and the children's pastor, Bobby, preached. I knew Bobby was nervous about his first opportunity to preach Sunday morning and so I prayed that God would give him a Word, not just a word, but a WORD from God. Little did I know, it was a Word for me. Here's what Pastor Bobby preached on:

Job 13:15
Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him

Think about Job's life. He lost everything. He lost his finances, his family, his fitness(health) and his face(his reputation). He lost it all. Yet, he still said, "I know God did this. Heck, He could even kill me. But I will still hope in Him."

Wow.

Here are three questions that Pastor Bobby brought up with accompanying thoughts:

1. Can God be trusted while you are submerged in suffering?
Faith may not be a way out of trouble. It may be a way to endure trouble.
Faith is not receiving from God what you want. Faith is accepting from God what He gives you.

2. Can God be trusted when you are forsaken by friends?
Job 19:13-19
Psalm 41:9
Psalm 55:12-13

3. Can God be trusted when you are dismayed by darkness?
Remember, Job never read the book of Job. He didn't know the backstory. He didn't really know what was going on. He only saw part of the picture. Job never got the answers he wanted.
"Why" is God's question. "How" is ours. How will I respond?
Isaiah 50:10-11
¹⁰ Who among you fears the LORD
and obeys the word of his servant?
Let him who walks in the dark,
who has no light,
trust in the name of the LORD
and rely on his God.

¹¹ But now, all you who light fires
and provide yourselves with flaming torches,
go, walk in the light of your fires
and of the torches you have set ablaze.
This is what you shall receive from my hand:
You will lie down in torment.

When in darkness, don't light your own torch!