English the Elson Way

English 101

I just thought you'd all like to know what a typical day in my English class looks and sounds like! :) We work hard :). Actually, this class is the wildest bunch I've ever taught and Sione singing is the only way to calm down at the beginning of class. The words don't match up with the movement of his mouth in this video, but this is him singing. He is so talented and he's only 14!

Thirty and a half

Ok, it's time I finally talk about something that happened to me this year. Most of you have been kind enough not to mention much about it or ask how it went, but I am sure it is on more than a few people's minds. On April 1, 2006, I turned 30. That's a really big three and a really big zero after.

I realize turning 30 happens to a lot of people everyday and honestly it's not the number itself that bothers me so much. In fact, it's a pretty cool age. You have done a lot of dumb stuff already, gotten it out of the way and learned from it. You are more comfortable with who you are and make less apologies for it. You have been humbled more times than you'd like to admit and you can relate to people better. It's actually a good age.

But what isn't so great about being 30 is being 30 and single. There I said it. It's out in the open. I'm 30. And I'm single.

So, this is what I'm going to talk about for just a minute or two or forty nine. :) Oh, where to start... well, first of all, being 30 and single really crept up on me. When Jeni and I lived together last year, we had decided (on some days) that maybe we never wanted to get married so we could hang out all the time! Well, we have always wanted to get married, but we valued our singleness because we knew we were getting a rare chance to spend so much time together. Because of that, being single wasn't such an outstanding issue in my life. Until... that little rat decided to move to Hungary. (Yeah, Jeni, I called you a rat but only because you left. If you come back, I'll call you something much, much nicer).

Of course, living alone again brings the issue screaming up in my face. Add to that loneliness and it's a recipe for disaster I tell you. But, I have found that God is teaching me patience... perseverance, trust and faith. I really do have a peace that God is going to bring the right guy into my life at just the right moment. And a tremendous excitement about it too. The Bible talks about difficult times refining us, and I can say this time in my life has brought so much growth. I'm even going to go out on a limb here and say I'm glad for this time in my life. I have had time to sit with Jesus and it is amazing.

But I did hear a pretty hilarious thing on the radio the other day. They were talking about "bio-panic". I guess it's when... ahem... older women... such as... ahem... myself... start to panic about getting too old to have kids. They actually gave a name to this condition! Apparently talking about your biological clock has gone out of style. But bio-panic is sweeping across the nation at rampant rates because women are waiting so long to get married. I wanted to call in and share my sentiments... I don't think I necessarily have a case of BIO-panic. I think mine could be called MAN-o-panic... just can't seem to find a good one! :)

So, yes, I am thirty and extremely single. (And living in a land of very tiny men but that's a different subject all together). Just thought I'd throw that out there because pretty soon I won't be thirty and single anymore... because I'm turning 31 in a couple of months :).

I'm Almost Ready

I am just about getting ready to get ready to write something... any day now :). No, to be honest, I am not sure what to write. On one hand, nothing really exciting happens now that Jeni is gone. She seemed to have been the main mischief maker- just kidding Jen. It's just hard to get into those crazy situations by yourself.

On the other hand, God has been showing me so much about Himself that I am still processing all of it. It's one of those times in my life where I haven't quite grasped it, so it's really hard to write about. And trust me, you don't want to know what goes on inside my mind while I'm putting all the pieces together! It can be a mess! :)

So, I think I'm going to go back to getting ready to get ready- I'm doing real good at that right now :).

"Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!" PS 34:8

A Road in the Wilderness

Guess who! I doubt anyone checks this much anymore since I haven't been writing much... or at all :). But I have had people asking, "Are you alive out there? Are you ok?" So the wonderful answer is YES! I'm alive and ok, but I will admit I have had a rough month or two.

From the minute Jeni decided to go to Hungary, I knew this year would be rough- I think God really prepared my heart by at least giving me a heads up. And I also knew that the hard times would be a stronger character in me and bring me closer to the Lord. So before it all began, I was all for it. And then "it" started. "It" was loneliness and it's no friend of mine, let me tell you. I knew that I don't like to be lonely, but I didn't know I was going to freak out so much. But even in the hardest of days, I knew for a fact that God was showing me that He can be my everything. I have such a tendency to run to people for support and although that's not bad, I should be running to God first. And through this time I have found that He is faithful. He is loving and kind and merciful and I've never felt for a second abandoned by Him. This is a huge, huge lesson for me.

God gave me this chapter in Isaiah and the part I have clung to is the verse about God showing me a new thing. He has grown my faith and prayer life so much! And also the part about making a road in the wilderness and rivers in a desert. Hard times in our lives feel like wildernesses and deserts, seeming to have no end in sight. But its at these times, God meets us and makes that road and river. For me, my circumstances are still the same. I'm still pretty lonely, but God has refreshed me with His living waters and given me a sense of hope that surpasses this difficult time.

So I am doing well! Living each day by God's grace and learning more about Him. I do not like this fiery time, but I am rejoicing that I know my God will bring me through it and is with me every step along the way.


Isaiah 43

But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel:

Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.
For I am the LORD your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I gave Egypt for your ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
Since you were precious in My sight,
You have been honored,
And I have loved you;
Therefore I will give men for you,
And people for your life.
Fear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your descendants from the east,
And gather you from the west;
I will say to the north, Give them up!
And to the south, Do not keep them back!’
Bring My sons from afar,
And My daughters from the ends of the earth—
Everyone who is called by My name,
Whom I have created for My glory;
I have formed him, yes, I have made him.
Bring out the blind people who have eyes,
And the deaf who have ears.
Let all the nations be gathered together,
And let the people be assembled.
Who among them can declare this,
And show us former things?
Let them bring out their witnesses, that they may be justified;
Or let them hear and say, “It is truth.
You are My witnesses, says the LORD,

And My servant whom I have chosen,
That you may know and believe Me,
And understand that I am He.
Before Me there was no God formed,
Nor shall there be after Me.
I, even I, am the LORD,
And besides Me there is no savior.
I have declared and saved,
I have proclaimed,
And there was no foreign god among you;
Therefore you are My witnesses,”
Says the LORD, that I am God.
Indeed before the day was, I am He;
And there is no one who can deliver out of My hand;
I work, and who will reverse it?”
Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer,
The Holy One of Israel:

“ For your sake I will send to Babylon,
And bring them all down as fugitives
The Chaldeans, who rejoice in their ships.
I am the LORD, your Holy One,
The Creator of Israel, your King.”
Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea
And a path through the mighty waters,
Who brings forth the chariot and horse,
The army and the power
(They shall lie down together, they shall not rise;
They are extinguished, they are quenched like a wick):
Do not remember the former things,
Nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert.
The beast of the field will honor Me,
The jackals and the ostriches,
Because I give waters in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert,
To give drink to My people, My chosen.
This people I have formed for Myself;
They shall declare My praise.