So I realized just a few days ago that I never posted the post I wrote for last Friday. The internet was down all weekend and then this week was a very busy week. I apologize, but I did just post it below.
An update on my geometry class. I did say I could not take it anymore and feel a great peace about that and a great burden lifted off of me. However, I have not heard yet if they have found someone else in my place until the teacher returns. So you can still be praying for a replacement.
Right now it is 5:08 PM on Friday and I am leaving campus when I am done posting this. I will then not have to teach for 10 DAYS!!!!! Wahoo! I am so excited. It is fall break, even though it doesn’t feel like fall, and we have a whole week of school off plus the following Monday. I am heading west with 20 of my closest new friends to a place called Kribi. It is on the ocean and a beach! I am so excited. There are indeed 21 of us missionaries either single or young married who are going from Sunday through Wednesday. I have checked 5 books out of our library for my personal reading over break! Those of you who know me well are either laughing or rolling your eyes. But I am so excited to sit on the beach and get lost in another world. I am also really ready for some quiet time with just me and my savior in a beautiful place.
I received several more things in the mail lately. Some birthday cards that I got about a month late, but it felt like my birthday all over again. Thank you so much for the letters and emails that you have sent. It really does brighten my day to hear from each of you.
I am making this post short because I am ready to get out of here and start my rest.
I hope you are well. I don’t know if it feels like fall there yet, but when it comes, enjoy the leaves for me and the apple cider. Each fall I miss the Pennsylvanian autumns. That itself seems proof enough to me that God exists. Well, you enjoy the fall and I will enjoy the beach. Different parts of the world, same creator, same God.
May God’s peace be with you this next week.
Blessings,
AMY
Look forward to a beach update and pictures next week!
Friday, September 28, 2007
Completion of Week 7 and two months
It is by God’s grace that I have finished week 7 of teaching. No great stories to tell. This week, I would say, was my second most stressful week of teaching. Coming in line after my very first week of survival teaching. The stress was due to geometry. Teaching in the classroom went ok. They have their test on Tuesday and I hope they all do well. (For my sake and theirs). The stressful part was planning for it and for my other classes. In teaching 4/5 more periods a week, that takes away from planning for my other classes which caused a lot more stress in my life. I don’t like stress. Right now on my mind is a decision I have to make. The geometry teacher is going to be delayed in returning, at least 4 more weeks, and possibly the rest of the semester or year. I have a choice as to whether I will keep teaching the class or not. I would choose not to. But it is not quite that simple. There are limited other people who have time and can teach it. I feel like I am the only person who can do it. But how conceited of me is that, when I know I am not the best person to do it and I know God is bigger than all this and will bring someone else if it is not me. I am really praying about the right choice. I have made a pro/con list (like my favorite TV character, Rory Gilmore) and the cons have come out on top. But I am still seeking God’s wisdom and would truly appreciate your prayers as I make this decision. For some it may not seem a big deal, but for me facing a new job, a new home and new culture, it is a lot to take on. So I ask, what does God ask of me?
I am doing an Ephesians bible study with some ladies and I want to share something from it that really sunk in this week. Ephesians 3:20 tells us that God is “able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us…” As a believer in Christ I have the power of the Holy Spirit living in me. That power is the very same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead. I so often forget that the power of the Spirit lives and works in me, in all who know Christ. A quote from the study says, “His power enables you to live a supernatural life as a man or woman of God. It is a life beyond your own wisdom or abilities.” This week, I feel I have lived beyond my own wisdom or abilities and the only reason is because of the power of the living God. That is something I hope to never forget. If God brought me all the way to Cameroon to learn that lesson alone, than it was well worth it.
I pray you too can see the power of God at work in your life this week. Thank you for your prayers, thank you for your support and encouragement!
“To Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.”
Amy
I am doing an Ephesians bible study with some ladies and I want to share something from it that really sunk in this week. Ephesians 3:20 tells us that God is “able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us…” As a believer in Christ I have the power of the Holy Spirit living in me. That power is the very same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead. I so often forget that the power of the Spirit lives and works in me, in all who know Christ. A quote from the study says, “His power enables you to live a supernatural life as a man or woman of God. It is a life beyond your own wisdom or abilities.” This week, I feel I have lived beyond my own wisdom or abilities and the only reason is because of the power of the living God. That is something I hope to never forget. If God brought me all the way to Cameroon to learn that lesson alone, than it was well worth it.
I pray you too can see the power of God at work in your life this week. Thank you for your prayers, thank you for your support and encouragement!
“To Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.”
Amy
Friday, September 14, 2007
Random thoughts on random things......
Well, on Sunday I didn’t even remember that Theorems or Postulates existed let alone what all geometry included, now I could tell you all about the ones that have to do with parallel and perpendicular lines or triangles. I learned them one day at a time and I taught them either the following day or the very same day. Geometry 101 for the high school non-licensed teacher. I think I am qualified to teach that class. Things have gone well in regards to teaching this week. Now I have two more weeks till quarter break. Crazy, that is almost here, yet I am so excited and ready for it.
I came down with a cold and fever this week but was able to teach all my classes. Kleenexes are rare here and toilet paper is so scratchy, so I carried around a bandana hanky with me all day. I felt like you, Dad. My worst day was Tuesday and today, I am feeling so much better, I even went for a run! Praise God that it was nothing major and I was able to keep going.
Tonight the 11th grade class is having a fundraiser community event. It is a hamburger supper and a movie, A Night at the Museum. I am going over for the supper, but I am not sure if I want to sit on hard metal chairs with lots of kids and watch a movie I have already seen. Yes, it was funny, but that is not my ideal Friday night. I think I will return to play games with some friends instead. We will try girls night again this tomorrow. Last weekend it didn’t work out. But I did make a chocolate cream pie from scratch and it was so very tasty. I am enjoying the learning process of food here. I try Cameroonian food when I get the chance. Some of it I enjoy, some I can eat, some I am finished after one bite. But I still enjoy the process. You can get lots of fresh fruit and veggies here, which is very nice. My roommate, Liz, and I make lots of fresh carrot pineapple juice in our juicer. Mmmm, so good and good for you. If any of you have some great family recipes with veggies, beef, potatoes, rice, peanuts, fruit, milk powder, whether it be cooking or baking with any of the above, it would be fun to try new recipes. You could post them or email them at amyoxendale@gmail.com.
Well, my water for my shower is hot now, so I need to go (we have to turn the heater on and wait for it to heat up, but at least it is hot). This entry may seem scatter brained, well that is because I am right now.
A thought I enjoyed this morning: God is constant. My routine changes, my attitude changes, my dedication to time with him comes and goes, I fail, I win, I mess up, I succeed, I am stubborn, I am flexible, I am so inconsistent! But God, he never waivers in his love for you and me, he never changes in his dedication to us. God is constant.
May God’s peace be with you as you seek to live out each day in its problems and blessings.
Blessed by God,
AMY
I came down with a cold and fever this week but was able to teach all my classes. Kleenexes are rare here and toilet paper is so scratchy, so I carried around a bandana hanky with me all day. I felt like you, Dad. My worst day was Tuesday and today, I am feeling so much better, I even went for a run! Praise God that it was nothing major and I was able to keep going.
Tonight the 11th grade class is having a fundraiser community event. It is a hamburger supper and a movie, A Night at the Museum. I am going over for the supper, but I am not sure if I want to sit on hard metal chairs with lots of kids and watch a movie I have already seen. Yes, it was funny, but that is not my ideal Friday night. I think I will return to play games with some friends instead. We will try girls night again this tomorrow. Last weekend it didn’t work out. But I did make a chocolate cream pie from scratch and it was so very tasty. I am enjoying the learning process of food here. I try Cameroonian food when I get the chance. Some of it I enjoy, some I can eat, some I am finished after one bite. But I still enjoy the process. You can get lots of fresh fruit and veggies here, which is very nice. My roommate, Liz, and I make lots of fresh carrot pineapple juice in our juicer. Mmmm, so good and good for you. If any of you have some great family recipes with veggies, beef, potatoes, rice, peanuts, fruit, milk powder, whether it be cooking or baking with any of the above, it would be fun to try new recipes. You could post them or email them at amyoxendale@gmail.com.
Well, my water for my shower is hot now, so I need to go (we have to turn the heater on and wait for it to heat up, but at least it is hot). This entry may seem scatter brained, well that is because I am right now.
A thought I enjoyed this morning: God is constant. My routine changes, my attitude changes, my dedication to time with him comes and goes, I fail, I win, I mess up, I succeed, I am stubborn, I am flexible, I am so inconsistent! But God, he never waivers in his love for you and me, he never changes in his dedication to us. God is constant.
May God’s peace be with you as you seek to live out each day in its problems and blessings.
Blessed by God,
AMY
Friday, September 7, 2007
Life Goes On....
This week flew by for me! I cannot believe it is the weekend already. (And I didn’t even have Labor Day like you folks!) I am now done with classes for the day and off to home then to a wine tasting with some other ladies. It will be interesting. The only other wine tasting I’ve done was in Homer, Alaska. I KNOW this will be different. Saturday night we have a ‘girls’ night planned, movie, chocolate, sweats. A great time to be had, I am sure. Life here is different, but you can see it is similar to what I know and treasure at home.
More and more I am settling into and enjoying life here. Two things I have deciphered from my subconscious thoughts about myself. I brought a year worth supply of toiletries, which I think will last me most of a year. I have been slowly watching those supplies diminish. I realized at first I wanted them to diminish, because that meant the year was passing and I could return to all I know and still say that I followed God to Africa. Now I see those supplies slowly diminish and I feel slightly disappointed that time is passing me by in this great land and am reminded that I need to fully experience life here and what God has brought me here to experience. That is the first thought. The second is this. In realizing I am over 1/8 of the way through the school year I get excited and wish it were passing faster. This has not changed from when my first week passed to my fifth. I still get excited another week has passed. I have come to this conclusion about myself: I am enjoying life in Cameroon and growing to enjoy it more each day, even amidst the days of missing home that I go through. I will say I am getting more comfortable with teaching, but my thoughts tell me that it is not something that I have yet relaxed into like life here. I wish it would pass because it causes me more stress than joy right now. With that said, I am improving, I just don’t see it as my ideal job nor a job I am ideally suited for. I have come a long way, but that is something I could always use prayer for.
I got my first piece of mail just this Monday. I was bummed because it wasn’t personal but a check statement from my mission organization. It was still very exciting to receive mail though. It was sent on Aug. 8th and arrived on Sept. 3rd, just short of a month. Then when I really looked at it I got very excited because it listed numerous deductions that I just tested my students on in Business Math. I was able to use it as a current visual tool to show them how what they learned can apply to real life. That day I felt like teacher!
I continue to say, and pray that I always will say, that God is good. He is constant and will never change. The sun rises and sets, school days pass by, toiletries disappear, but my God still remains and ever will remain right by my side.
Summer is now over. Fall is beginning. Enjoy the beauty around you. Praise God for the blessing of life lived in each day. Praise God for his faithfulness and his love. I pray for each of you who read this, that you may encounter God in his true form. What a blessing.
Enjoy your weekend!
In God’s care,
AMY
More and more I am settling into and enjoying life here. Two things I have deciphered from my subconscious thoughts about myself. I brought a year worth supply of toiletries, which I think will last me most of a year. I have been slowly watching those supplies diminish. I realized at first I wanted them to diminish, because that meant the year was passing and I could return to all I know and still say that I followed God to Africa. Now I see those supplies slowly diminish and I feel slightly disappointed that time is passing me by in this great land and am reminded that I need to fully experience life here and what God has brought me here to experience. That is the first thought. The second is this. In realizing I am over 1/8 of the way through the school year I get excited and wish it were passing faster. This has not changed from when my first week passed to my fifth. I still get excited another week has passed. I have come to this conclusion about myself: I am enjoying life in Cameroon and growing to enjoy it more each day, even amidst the days of missing home that I go through. I will say I am getting more comfortable with teaching, but my thoughts tell me that it is not something that I have yet relaxed into like life here. I wish it would pass because it causes me more stress than joy right now. With that said, I am improving, I just don’t see it as my ideal job nor a job I am ideally suited for. I have come a long way, but that is something I could always use prayer for.
I got my first piece of mail just this Monday. I was bummed because it wasn’t personal but a check statement from my mission organization. It was still very exciting to receive mail though. It was sent on Aug. 8th and arrived on Sept. 3rd, just short of a month. Then when I really looked at it I got very excited because it listed numerous deductions that I just tested my students on in Business Math. I was able to use it as a current visual tool to show them how what they learned can apply to real life. That day I felt like teacher!
I continue to say, and pray that I always will say, that God is good. He is constant and will never change. The sun rises and sets, school days pass by, toiletries disappear, but my God still remains and ever will remain right by my side.
Summer is now over. Fall is beginning. Enjoy the beauty around you. Praise God for the blessing of life lived in each day. Praise God for his faithfulness and his love. I pray for each of you who read this, that you may encounter God in his true form. What a blessing.
Enjoy your weekend!
In God’s care,
AMY
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