Grace and Love

Thursday and Friday this past week, I was the opening person. That means that I had to get up an hour earlier then normal and open the doors for the kids that come until their bus picks them up for school. One of the boys that come is challenging because he gets upset easily at the little things. On Thursday morning, when he came in his mom said that he had some math homework he needed to finish and said if he didn't finish he would have to come to our after school program that day. So, we worked on it for about 30 minutes and he still didn't finish it. So, he realizes that he is not done when I tell everyone they needed to line up for the bus, so he becomes very angry, cries and is upset. He runs into the corner and cries and keeps saying over and over again, "I'm not going to finish, I'm not going to finish". So, I go over to him and talk with him calmly and tell him maybe we can try and finish as we wait for the bus outside. He just yells and says, "I'm never going to finish it". I then tell him, "well, maybe since you only had a little bit left I can call your mom and tell her that it is just a little bit and see if you can take it home instead of coming to A+. This still does not help and runs back over to the table and rips up 4 pages of his homework. So, I looked up at him and said, "that was not a good choice, we will have to find a solution, you may possibly have to do your homework over again, but I'll talk to Ms. Nell and see what she thinks." He looks at me still upset and we line up and go outside and wait for the bus. As the kids climb onto the bus I tell them I love them and as the boy that ripped up his homework gets on I looked at him and said, "I still love you, even though you ripped up your homework."

The next day, his mom had him come in and apologize to me about him ripping his homework and throwing a fit. We talked about different ways for him to react when he is angry and upset. I asked his mom what she wanted to do about the homework and she said she just wanted him to show the ripped up one to his teacher at school.

As, I began thinking about this situation. I realized how much this reflects our Heavenly Father's love for us is and his grace. I realized that many times in life I get upset and angry and make bad decisions. Yet, the Lord still loves me even though I do it and he gives me grace just as this child's mother did in not making him redo is homework. It made me think how many times have cried and got upset and Christ is right there in the corner with me telling me it is going to be ok. He tells me he still loves me even when I mess up. It was neat to see how God used this situation to remind me of his grace in a practical way. I understand God's grace and I know it is there and his love is there, but it was neat to see it in this situation.

Just thought I would share this with y'all.

It has been eventful since the last time I posted. This weekend we have gotten a lot of snow already. I shoveled for the first time. I have never seen snow so fluffy and it is suppose to continue on into Tuesday. Here are some pics so far of the snow!

The snow is also a good reminder of how Christ has washed us clean!

Time sure does FLY!

It is crazy to me that right now it is November 6th? Where does the time go? I constantly ask this question to myself? I feel as though I have always asked myself this question. I guess it is just proof of the verse in James that says, Our lives are like vapors." or the Psalm I recently read, "Man is like a breath, his days are like a fleet shadow" Psalm 144:4 Man o Man. Sometimes I just don't like how fast life goes by, and sometimes it is a blessing. Right now it is bittersweet for sure. And right now the Lord is showing me how treasure every moment.

Things here in Tahoe are going so great. I love my preschoolers so much. They give the best hugs. They say the funniest things. They are so silly and goofy. I never thought I would love teaching preschool so much. God has confirmed to me so much while I have been here that teaching is my calling. What a comfort to know what the Lord wants me to do. I felt this while I student taught in college, but now I know without a shadow of a doubt that I am going to be teaching in some sort of way for the rest of my life. Does this involve the international mission field? The more I pray, the more I feel led to missions overseas. But the Lord has also showed me the beauty of missions here in the states.

Just here in Tahoe lately I have seen the Lord working in some awesome ways.

**One of my students is a from a single parent home. His mother is trying her best to make their finances stretch and fit all their needs. She told her son, whose in my class, not to worry. He said, "I know mommy God is always with us" she said how do you know this, and he replied, "My teacher Ms. Kayla told me".
It was so awesome to hear that God is working in this family through one of my precious preschoolers.

**Another one of my students told her parents that they had to go out on a date because she wanted to go to Parent's Night out which is a program we do once a month on Friday nights from 6-10 so parents can have a night out to do whatever they want without their kids. Who knows how much that could have blessed that couple to spend a night out with each other?

**This past Friday we had Parent's Night Out. The past 2 times I worked downstairs (with prek-6th grade) and parents came and told me how appreciative they were that we had this for them. This past Friday I worked upstairs with newborns to 3 years old. I also received the same feedback from the parents. You could tell when they came to pick up their kids they were refreshed and so happy.

**We also had a big Halloween Party last week for the kids. There were games, bounce house, piñatas, and a haunted house. We had over 100 kids come and it was a blast. Parents were also so appreciative of this party and it was such a great time.

**Each and everyday I am blown away by the love the kids give me. It is awesome to be able to love them back and show them Christ. I love them so much and am going to miss them when I leave here next month.

**My team had a blessed time visiting San Fran. I was able to see the Golden Gate Bridge, Step in the Pacific Ocean, See the Full House Houses, tour Alcatraz, ride the street cars and just have a good time fellowshipping with my team! It was a wonderful time where we got to know each other better and get a great change in scenery!

I know God has big ministry plans for me at home. That is something that he has also been showing me. Is how I can serve him wherever I am at. So often we get mission focused as it being somewhere far away. But I know that my mission will not stop when I get home. I am a missionary here in Tahoe City, CA and I will be a missionary in Acworth, GA too.

Currently, the Lord has been showing me so much as I study the life of King David. It has been beautiful to see what the Lord did through him because he was a man after God's own heart. Yes, he messed up, but he Loved the Lord with all his heart, soul, and mind as He calls us to do. And in return the Lord greatly blessed him. As I am reading David's life in 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles, I have been also reading the Psalms he wrote during his life. It is amazing to me how he never ceases to praise the Lord in all his circumstances.

"I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Everyday I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise his greatness no one can fathom." Psalm 145:5

So I have enjoyed reading these Psalms and praising the Lord as I read.

Here are some pics of my amazing Tahoe Times and I hope that in each picture you can see the beauty of what the Lord is doing here...