100

Today I am writing my 100th post! (Applause, applause) I'd like to thank The Academy... ha ha :)

I could have arrived here a lot faster if I had gotten on this everyday-blogging-kick a bit sooner! Also, too bad it wasn't last Monday, since that was our 100th day of school. Oh, well, better late than never!

On the theme of 100, my students have created the "Guinness Book of SMCA Records"... 100's style! One day last week we finished up our Anatomy lesson early, and since I had not really done anything to commemorate the 100th day of school, I decide to let my kiddos join Miss Ruby's class in the record setting. It was also fun to get outside and give my students some semblance of a PE class. Here is what they came up with:

Alonna jumped rope 100 times in a row...

Luke dribbled the basketball through his legs 100 times in a row...

Josh circled the pole 100 times on his Rip Stick...

Mark kicked the football 100 feet (literally 100 of his feet counted out)...

Way to go SMCA kids!

And me? What did I do 100 times? Well, I am glad you asked!

I POSTED 100 BLOGS!! :) Not nearly as athletic, but still an accomplishment I would like to think!

Hasta Luego~

Wondrous Deeds

"You have multiplied , O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told."

- Psalm 40:5

Amen! The wondrous deeds of the Lord are more than can be told, but there is one that I want to tell of tonight.

Last month the kids from Casa Hogar Douglas (CHD) took a trip to a small village about an hour outside of Monterrey. This village is much like the squatter villages that we work in, with people living in complete poverty.

Quick interjection/foreshadow: How amazing is it that the Heavenly Father can bring beauty out of pain and poverty?

Back to the story: So the children from CHD- the children who have been abandoned by their parents and have nothing by the standards of the world- each took one of their Christmas presents to give to the children in the village. Can we just take a moment and let that sink in? The kids from the children's home- who have nothing- gave of the little that they do have to kids who have even less than they do.

That has to be one of the most beautiful examples of generosity that I have even heard.

I cannot stop thinking about the lyrics to "Our God" by Chris Tomlin-

Into the darkness you shine,

Out of the ashes you rise.

Where there is darkness, ashes, poverty, pain, neglect, and abandonment, the Lord can bring healing and make something beautiful. Praise his holy name!

Spirit Week

In SMCA last week we celebrated the 100th day of school! In honor of this milestone, we had a Spirit Week! Woo Hoo!

Monday: Hat Day

Tuesday: Jeans Day

Wednesday: Crazy Hair Day

Thursday: Backwards Day

Friday: Pajama Day

We've got spirit, yes we do! We've got spirit, how 'bout you? Gooooooo SMCA!

Hasta Luego~

Miss Jessica (Yep, that's what the kids call me)

Out and About

After school today, Ruby, Caroline, Becca and I went downtown to run some errands. Can I just say that I thoroughly enjoy being downtown in Monterrey? It is true. There are so many moments when I stop and say to myself, "Wow, this is Mexico, and I live here. This is home. Crazy!"

Today was a very smooth trip because all the roads were opened. This was indeed a pleasant surprise! Pretty much whenever Ruby and I are going downtown you can guarantee that there is going to be a parade in honor of a saint and all of the main roads will be blocked. Therefore, Ruby and I drive around for an extra 45 minutes while we wind through back roads in an attempt to get to our desired destination. Running errands in Mexico is always an adventure!

While we were out I snapped some pictures to show you what a typical trip to the Centro (downtown) is like here in Monterrey.

The main shopping street in the Centro...

Palm trees everywhere, beautiful!

This next photo absolutely screams authentic Mexico!

I love the vibrant colors all around!

After the Centro we stopped by the glass shop to pick up an extra centerpiece vase for Becca's wedding reception. While we were there, in walked a man selling donuts! Fabulous! It doesn't get any better than this. I am clearly very excited about the donut man... in the glass shop no less! It was delightfully random...

"Yes please, that one.. the one loaded with chocolate and sprinkles..." Mmmm deee-lish! And only 6 pesos. You can't beat that!

After the donuts in the glass shop we headed home, worn out from shopping and sun. I sure do like it here.

***

The last picture (posted below) is one that I took last night when I was out on a date with my roomies. Since Becca is getting married next weekend we wanted to spend some quality time together. We went to Parque Fundidora, had a picnic and walked through the park. It is safe to say that this park is my favorite spot in Monterrey. It has old buildings, museums, fountains, art work, free bike rentals, an ice skating rink, miles of trails, a river boat, restaurants... you can see why I enjoy it so much. Even though it has so much to offer, my favorite part about it is that it used to be an old steel mill and all throughout the park are the original things from the factory- the ovens, the railroad tracks... and these gigantic smoke stacks. They tower above everything else, massive and majestic. I'm not sure why, but I am fascinated by them. They stand in stark contrast with the things around them and I find that to be beautiful.

Well, there you have it- a typical day of shopping in Mexico. I hope you have enjoyed the brief tour of the Centro and my other random ramblings.

Hasta Luego!

Rhyme Time!

Poetry.

I love teaching poetry.

There are so many fun,

engaging,

creative

things that I can do with my students

that increases their appreciation,

understanding,

love

of poetry.

We do Poetry Slams,

Outdoor Explorations,

Living Anthology Creations,

Poetry Book Compilations.

We Recite,

Create,

Discuss,

Share,

Act Out

Poetry.

Oh! The opportunities are endless!

The latest addition to my classroom:

More to come

on all the fun

of poetry in my classroom!

YOUsical

Today I had a meeting with the whole school (all 13 students!) for the Spring Musical! Last year we did "School House Rock Live, Jr." and it was a blast, exhausting, but a blast! This year I had a bit of trouble getting my hands on any of the scripts that I wanted, so I am trying something new... instead of a musical, we are doing a YOUsical! Ok, cheesy, I know, but I am loving it! I explained to the kids, "Kids, it is a YOUsical because YOU are going to choose the songs and YOU are going to write the script!" Wahoo! Let the fun begin!

Needless to say they are very excited, and so am I! I already have a general outline for the show and over the weekend I will go through their song suggestions and narrow it down to 7-10 songs that we will learn and choreograph for the show. I am really looking forward to beginning rehearsals and seeing all of the details come together. Since I already have one directing experience under my belt I feel much more confident about the whole thing then I did at this time last year.

I have a lot of work ahead of me, but it is a work that I truly love! It is such a blessing for me to be able to share with my students something that was such a big part of my life growing up. My memories of musicals and plays throughout school are so dear to me and I am honored to be able to give my students some memories that they will hopefully treasure for years to come. :)

On a different note, I am feeling 100 times better today! I praise the Lord for antibiotics and your prayers!!

NASCAR News

This is going to be a quick post tonight because once again I am under the weather- although still thoroughly enjoying the gorgeous weather we have been having outside! I am starting an antibiotic tonight, so please pray that I can kick this thing and be ready to go for all of the wedding festivities next week!

Anyway, the title of my post tonight is referring to some exciting news that happened in the NASCAR community over the weekend and how it pertains to B2B! This story has been all the buzz on our campus lately! Check out this article for the story! I'm sorry that I am being lazy and not telling you about it myself, but the article does such a great job!

Love from across the miles,

Jes

Plans

My name is Jessica and I am a planner.

There.

I admit it.

I like to have a plan for the future... or at least a plan about when I can start planning! But learning to nest in the Lord means to stop focusing on my planning and start focusing on what is directly in front of me today. Today that meant downing cough syrup, filling my pockets with cough drops and Kleenex, choosing excitement, and celebrating the 100th day of school. I also wore a hat because Ruby and I decided that this week is going to be Spirit Week in SMCA and we started off today with Hat Day. Tomorrow is Jean Day- Wahoo!

So there you have it, I have planned a Spirit Week, I have planned what I am teaching through Friday, and I have planned to start the Spring Musical on Wednesday. That is all the planning that needs to be done in this moment. I am prepared for tomorrow... next year will work itself out in time. :)

So there are my rambling thoughts. Today I mainly wanted to share a passage from Sarah Young's book, Jesus Calling. In this book she is writing from the perspective of Jesus to us, his children. So as you read these words, imagine the Lord of heaven and earth speaking them directly to you heart...

"Let me prepare you for the day that stretches out before you. I know exactly what this day will contain, whereas you have only vague ideas about it. You would like to see a map, showing all the twists and turns of your journey. You'd feel more prepared if you could somehow visualize what is on the road ahead. However, there is a better way to be prepared for whatever you will encounter today: spend quality time with Me.

I will not show you what is on the road ahead, but I will thoroughly equip you for the journey. My living Presence is your Companion each step of the way. Stay in continual communication with Me, whispering My Name whenever you need to redirect your thoughts. Thus you can walk through this day with your focus on Me. My abiding Presence is the best road map available." (Exodus 33:14; John 15:4-7)

I love that. I wrote it out in my journal and it is something that I often go back and read. What a great reminder to let go of my own plans and expectations and seek to Lord in everything!

~ "The Lord will work out His plans for my life- for Your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever." Psalm 138:8

Secret Spot

As I mentioned yesterday, there are many perks to living in community. One of them is that there is always someone around to talk to. However, this can make things tricky when I want to sit outside in the glorious sunshine (it was 90 today!) and have some uninterrupted quite time. Well, on Friday I wandered behind the building to do laundry, and low and behold... there was a new bench placed serenely under the tree, far from the beaten trail. The moment I saw the bench I had visions of myself curled up in the quite of the afternoon with a good book. That didn't quite happen on Friday due to the Valentine and Cookie party with the CHD girls, but I tucked my vision of the bench away in my memory to be retrieved at the earliest convenience... which was today!

Ok, so that was a very long introduction, just to say that I found my new favorite spot on campus. Welcome to my bench...

And the simple pleasures in life,

like doing devotions in the sunshine...

A tasty snack of Humus and Pomegranate Crystal Light...

And some great music...
I'm currently enjoying the new Jesus Culture CD- thanks Becca! :)

So that was the highlight of my afternoon. This MI girl sure enjoys 90 degree weather in February! :)

This evening we had a whole campus cookout, so the ladies and I spent a chunk of the day prepping the pica de gallo, tortillas and guacamole. It reminded me of my summers on staff at UPBC- spending the days working and laughing in the kitchen with dear friends.

These are the days that I will miss when I am gone.

Many Hands

Today I helped Becca and Rodo paint their new house. It was fun to see that with many hands the task seemed so light. Everyone tackled their own area and worked hard at their task and before we knew it the rooms were transformed from a chipped, scratched, dingy white to a soft buttercream and a vibrant red. Beautiful!

...You know that the nester in me wants to get back over there and decorate! :)

Anyway, the concept of 'many hands' has been on my mind a lot lately. It is one thing that I will really miss about living in this community- that there are always many people around to lend a helping hand. Also, we all have our specific roles, but are working toward the same greater purpose. Unity in the body of believers is truly a beautiful thing.

I know many more things could be shared about this, but I am wiped out. My head is stuffy and my body aches. I think I am fighting a nasty cold (insert sneezes and sniffles). I have been sitting in my bed attempting to put together coherent thoughts for the past 30 minutes. It is terrible that this is all that I could come up with this evening.

It's 9:34 on a Saturday... oops, now it is 9:40, I guess I spaced out for a bit there. I'd better post this, take some Nyquil and go to sleep!

Hasta Manana!

jb

Cards and Cookies

Today Kathy, Ruby and I had the youngest girls from CHD over for card making and cookie eating!

Fun day!

And the Winner is...

According to the True Random Number Generator...

I'm excited to announce that the winner of the cross giveaway is:

Missy Weaver!!

Missy-

I had to laugh when I saw that it was you who won, because when I bought the cross I really did think of you! :) The cross should arrive sometime next week! Enjoy!

Nesting

Today I bought this tray for a steal at Pottery Barn. Oh, online shopping! I have big plans for this tray... I can picture it on my TV console, holding candles and old antique books... or out on my porch with a bundle of gorgeous wildflowers laying inside of it... or using it to bring a dish to pass at a potluck... really the opportunities are endless!

Can you tell that I am excited to "nest"? I love decorating and turning my home into an inviting, cozy space. This is a desire that I have not been able to fill these past two years because I live in a dorm that feels very temporary. Please, don't get me wrong, I have been so to blessed to have my own room and to live with the fabulous roommates that I mentioned yesterday! However my heart longs for a place to call my own. It is my desire to nest.

This leads me to the things that God has been teaching me about nesting. I am always amazed at how God can take my hopes, dreams and desires and turn them into something that teaches me about his glory and goodness. I have felt like my themes for this school year have been nest and remain.

"Remain in me and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. " - John 15:4

This verse has been on my heart all school year, and one night I decided to look up the word remain. What I found was very interesting:

remain [verb]-

(1) to stay or wait;

(2) to continue in the same state;

(3) to be left after removal, loss;

(4) when all else fades, or in the face of loss or devastation, the Lord still remains (ok, I added that one);

synonyms:

abide

cling

pause

NEST

rest

dwell

make camp

There is was, in the middle of the list- nest. It spoke to my heart and brought tears to my eyes. I felt the Lord reaching though the pages of my tattered thesaurus to give me a word that was meant specifically for me- to comfort me and challenge me. The Lord was gently, but sternly saying, "Beloved, nest in me. I am your true home."

For so long I have been desiring and trying to plan a worldly home for myself, when all along God has been trying to show me that IN HIM I AM HOME. I need to nest in him, remain in him- no matter where in the world I find myself. My location or role does not define me because it is just another passing season of dwelling in the presence of the Lord.

Once I began to reflect on this, I realized that my whole concept of waiting was also changing. I have no more need to wait on someone or for something because all I have and need is already found in the Lord, in the one with whom I will always remain. I am no longer waiting. Like the Lord told Moses in Exodus 33:14, "My presence will go with you and I will give you rest." God has already given me all that I need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3), so in him I will remain.

Amen!

Roommates

These are my roommates, Becca (middle) and Hope (left). They are wonderful- absolutely, positively, wonderful! This picture was taken at Becca's bridal shower in the beginning of the month. I felt the sudden urge to post this picture because very soon the three of us will begin three separate journeys and I will miss living with them so much.

In 2 weeks Becca is getting married, thus moving out to live with her husband- I suppose that makes sense. :) However, I will miss peeking out of my bedroom door to see what she is up to and being able to talk to her at random times throughout the day. Then, in a few months I will be moving out and leaving Hope. I will dearly miss all of our kitchen chats that we have had recently. :)

That's all for today. I am just feeling a bit nostalgic...

Thanks for stopping in! Remember to sign up for my GIVEAWAY that ends tomorrow night!

Adios!

Teacher Talk

Hello! This is my first blog post in a new series that I am entitling "Teacher Talk Tuesdays". Now these might not occur every Tuesday, but from time to time they may appear. Consider yourself warned. :)

The Inspiration: While living in Mexico I have been missing traditional professional development, so here is my effort to share some thoughts, struggles, triumphs (etc.) and seek advice and ideas.

Today's topic is: Intrinsic Motivation.

Tonight over dinner Ruby, Hope and I struck up a conversation about this topic. Wouldn't it be a dream if every student was intrinsically motivated? That is just not the case, but as a teacher, what do I do about it? I want to intrinsically motivate my students to work hard, value their work and be excited about learning. So I do things like this...

Making Chinese Scroll Tapestries to accompany our study of Chinese art in the Medieval World.

(They insisted on a picture with their scrolls on their heads. They crack me up!)

The kids loved this entire project. They were excited, enthusiastic and had pride in their work. And they also learned something along they way. :)

But what happens when I sense a slip into the land of bad attitudes and half-hearted effort? There are some days when I work so hard to plan an interactive lesson that is relevant and incorporates multiple learning styles. Sounds like it should be a winner! I am excited to teach the lesson and have fun with my students... but they are uninterested and apathetic. As a teacher, this can be very frustrating. I know that there is only so much that I can do and ultimately the student has to make the choice on their own (thus the "intrinsic" part of the motivation), and if they choose to slack off and complain then there will have to be consequences (and then we are entering into external motivation). But I would love to hear any suggestions that you may have for helping to intrinsically motivate your students.

As I am typing this I realize how much of a hypocrite I am. I talk about bad attitudes and half-hearted efforts, when in reality, how often am I that same way towards God? In my Bible study this week I put the lesson off to the last minute and had to rush through it to get it finished on time. My effort was lacking. I do not have pride in my work because I know God desires more from me. God has given me everything I need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3), and yet so often I choose the path of laziness. The consequence is missing out on a great time of intimacy with my Creator because I chose to watch a movie instead. Praise the Lord he is quick to forgive and he never stops loving me, even when I fall short. I love him!

So teacher talk led to God. Isn't that how it goes? If we pay attention we can see all things lead back to God, all things point to their Creator.

Leave some thoughts about intrinsic motivation and remember to sign up for my giveaway!

Hasta Manana!

Jess

Thoughts on Love

"To love at all is to be vulnerable.

Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken.

If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal.

Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements.

Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness.

But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change.

It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable."

— C.S. Lewis

* * * * * * * * * * * *

I am a fan of Clive (I like to think that we would be on a first name basis)! The above quote is one that I have repeatedly stumbled upon, and each time I read it I am struck by the truth in these words. Loving means taking a risk, being vulnerable and making a choice.

When I moved to Mexico I had a choice to make. I could choose to fully invest my heart in my students, in the orphan children, and in the work that I am doing; or I could choose to go about life with a guarded heart, getting the work done while distancing myself from the pain and brokenness that I see all around me. To be honest, some days it feels so much easier to let myself become numb to the poverty and pain so that I can get through the day without becoming a blubbering mess. But at the end of the day, I must allow myself to feel, so that my heart can be changed, softened, and open to loving people the way that God loves them. I have not even begun to grasp the depth of love that God has for us, but it is my prayer that I will allow God to open my heart to seeing glimpses of it as I begin to have a greater love for those around me.

"For this reason, I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-- that you may be filled to the measure of the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to HIM BE GLORY in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen."

~Ephesians 3:14-21~

The second paragraph of that passage is one of my favorite passages in the Bible! I love the promise that God has more in store for us than we could ever ask or imagine! That just blows my mind! I can't tell you how many times I have read that second paragraph, but today, seeing it with the words that come before it, I realize that it is through experiencing the width, height and depth of the love of God that we begin to more fully understand his love. We need to love like he loves, as painful and heartbreaking as it may be at times, in order to "be filled to the measure of the fullness of God". And once we are living lives of fullness in God, then we will begin to experience an abundant life of experiencing the power and glory of God in ways that we could have never imagined! Wow! So where does an abundant life begin? With love! And this love is not guaranteed to be easy or pain-free, because the purpose of loving others with a radical love is not to make us feel good, but to bring glory and honor to God! How's that for a Valentine's Day message? :)

Love from across the miles,

Jes

Lovely

Last night I had fun preparing for our SMCA Valentine's Day party!

I made valentines...

Oh Cricut, how I love thee!

I baked cookies...

Decorated cookies...

Sampled cookies... :)

Today in SMCA we will have a little party and then tonight I am going to dinner with the single ladies!

~Happy Valentine's Day!~

Sweet 15

Last night we had a Quinceanera for Yaressi, one of the girls who lives at the Manitial de Amor Girl's Home.

A Quinceanera marks the transition from childhood to young womanhood for a girl who is turning 15. There is a ceremony, symbolic gifts, dinner, cake, special dances, and a beautiful girl dressed up like a princess who gets to experience an outpouring of love and support from friends and family.

That's a Quinceanera.

Now imagine that you are a young girl, who was dropped off at a children's home. You grow up dreaming of your Quinceanera, but you also know that there is no one to throw you one. No one to buy you gifts, no money for a beautiful dress, no family to sit with you at the head table.

The thought of this is enough to bring tears to my eyes. I know that if I had grown up here, I would have spent years dreaming about my Quinceanera. My mom and I would have planned for months and found the perfect dress and invited all of our friends and family. It would have been the most special night of my life thus far... Unless I was orphaned. Then it would have been a night that passed without a celebration, a night that added further pain to a fragile and broken heart...

But it doesn't have to be that way, and it no longer is! Our staff puts on a Quinceanera for every girl at every children's home that we serve! At some point during the fiesta last night, I was struck with the thought of, "This is why we are here." To care for these girls. To make them feel like princesses as we celebrate their entrance into womanhood. To help them feel loved and cherished. To help them have the Quinceaneras of their dreams. To gather around them and be the family that they may not have. To show them that God has not forgotten about them and he cares about their dreams.

Our staff women did such an excellent job putting together (Great work Cathy, Rosa and Pris!). Cathy sent out a thank you email to everyone who helped bring all the details together. At one point she wrote:

"You really made a special night for Yaressi. She was beaming. Don't you love when you see someone feel special, the way God wants us to feel all the time."

Last night Yaressi felt like a princess, but this is how God sees her everyday! I praise the Lord for the way that he is using this ministry to help these girls realize how loved they truly are... by us, and more importantly, by God!

Joyfully,

Jessica

ps- Remember to check out my giveaway!! :)

Painted Cross Giveaway! (CLOSED)

Since I love all of you faithful readers so much, I wanted to do a little something to show my appreciation! So, I have decided to do a giveaway to send a little piece of my home to yours. Here it is... an authentic Mexican hand painted cross!

It is 7 1/2 inches tall and would be a lovely addition to any home! Super cute, right? :)

How can you win this cross? Well, I am glad you asked! All you have to do is leave is a comment on this post! Could that be any easier? The giveaway will close on Thursday night at 11:59 pm (EST). I will draw and announce a winner on Friday, February 18th. So leave a comment and stay tuned!

Joyfully,

Jessica

Hoopla

Over Christmas Break I had the opportunity to hear a great sermon at Kauai Christian Fellowship. The pastor was talking about the "hoopla" of Christmas and how the majesty of what happened by the birth of Christ should leave us forever changed. Once the gifts are open, the decorations are put away, and the hoopla has ended, there is still the remaining truth of the Gospel and the way that it should change our hearts and lives.

You may be thinking that it is a bit late for a Christmas post, but please bear with me because I have some big news that I am sharing and I promise that you will see the connection. :)

Back to the sermon...

The pastor shared a delightful analogy about musicals, and for those of you who know my love for all things theater, you can imagine how this one hit home for me. It goes like this: If you have been to a musical, you know that one minute the stage is filled with characters who may not know each other and are going about their normal lives, absentmindedly shopping in the streets of Iowa (I'm going with The Music Man here...) and then the next minute they are all singing and dancing together. A guy tosses the girl next to him in the air as they sing about the "Iowa Way to Treat You..." Then, once the song is over the guy and the girl go there separate ways and it is as if the song and dance never happened at all.

That's the way musicals work, but if you think about it, it is crazy right?! I mean really, if I was browsing the shops at Valle Oriente (the local mall) and suddenly a handsome Mexican flung me in the air as everyone sang about the spectacular sales in Zara this week, then you can be sure that once the song was finished I would not be able to calmly go about my business again! Especially since I would have suddenly known all the words to the song and sung them in perfect Spanish as I Jazz Squared around the food court! haha need I go on? You get the picture. My day would have been drastically altered and I would be crazy if I didn't acknowledge the incredible event that had just occurred. I would run up to fellow shoppers, exclaiming, "Did you see that?! I was phenomenal!"

The hoolpa would have ended, but I would never be the same again.

That's the way our lives should be after an encounter with the One True God. We should never be the same, we should want to share about it with everyone we meet and not go back to absentmindedly floating through life.

So that is the sermon (with a touch of my own local flavor!).

This sermon has been on my mind constantly as I reflect on the time that I have had here in Mexico. Last month I officially told Beth that I would not be returning to SMCA next year. It was a difficult decision to make, but I feel confident that the Lord has something new in store for me next year. It will be hard to leave this place, the people that I have grown to love so much, and the precious children that we serve. However, I am so excited for what the future holds.

Living and serving here has changed me. I have struggled through loneliness. My heart has been broken time and time again by the poverty, abandonment, and abuse that I see around me. I have be stretched and pruned in more ways than even I realize. I have seen the faithfulness and provision of God in powerful ways, at every turn. The Lord has grown in me a passion to serve and fight for the orphan children in the world.

My time here is not yet finished, and I desire to take advantage of every moment while I still have the privilege of living and serving here. I don't know exactly what is next for me, but I pray that wherever I find myself I will be able to be a voice and advocate for the orphan child.

So, in 4 months the "hoopla" will be over.

I will return to the United States.

But, by the grace and glory of God, I pray that I am forever changed.

~~~~~~~~~

"I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the HOPE to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints."

Ephesians 1:16-18

And when the eyes of your heart are opened to the goodness and faithfulness of our God, I pray that you are forever changed.

Joyful Blessings,

Jes

Marco Mania

Last week Ruby and I took the SMCA kids to The Marco, the contemporary art museum in downtown Monterrey!

We love art!

There was one exhibit that featured photographs of horizons from all around the world. All of the photos were displayed so that the horizons in each of them joined together to form one continuous horizon- symbolizing that we are all connected. The artist had hundreds of photographs and it was so fun to try and guess where various ones were taken! Overall an excellent exhibit, and fun to show my kiddos some different parts of the world!

After touring the exhibit, we had the opportunity to make some art ourselves! We made our own depictions of horizons...

... and then joined them together to make a (somewhat) continuous horizon line. The kids loved it- although it appears from the picture that they are going crazy from all of the culture that I am trying to open up to them! :)

Can you believe that it is already February? I meant to blog more in January, but the month was gone before I had time to blink! Ruby and I are trying to decide what the February field trip will be, but I promise to not wait for another field trip to blog!

Any great field trip suggestions? Monterrey has so much to offer and we love giving our students the opportunity to see the city and explore the vibrant culture that we live in. I always look forward to our field trips too. I am trying to enjoy every moment of my time here in Mexico and field trips are a great excuse to get off campus and explore somewhere new!

On a different note, I am thinking of doing a giveaway on my blog... stay tuned for future posts and a potential giveaway! :)

Happy Monday!