Halloween Stories - Written by my Students 2013

Halloween stories by my students:

After School Class (Grades 4-6)

This group of 5 students are among the more advanced reading students in their classrooms.  Their writing reflects their reading levels to a large degree.  I have not corrected their mistakes, and these represent their first drafts.

Faked Halloween by Sam

     SCR-EE-CH!  There was that eerie noise again!  I just had to see what it was.  I opened the door and gasped!  A car crashed on a haunted house!  There is a red liquid coming out of the broken car.  A Vampire drank it all and none was left.  A green Zombie walked out of the car, followed by two Frankensteins.  I screamed: "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" As I slamed closed the door.

     After one year......

     I find out that the car was actally bumping the house very slowly.  And the red 'blood' was just tomato sauce.  The Zombie and the Frankensteins was people covered with green painted mud.  Yuck!

     Don't let the fake things fool you.

Haunted House by Susan

     Sally and Tom were playing basketball.  Then, Sally missed a shot and it bounced off into the old haunted house which was Miss and Mr. Hin's house, but they passed away.  Tom and Sally knocked on the big, ugly door.  Their legs shook and they had a lump in their throat.  They almost ran away, but the door creaked open.  The looked around, but saw nothing.  

     Suddenly, Sally shrieked and was pulled inside the house.  Tom shivered as he creeped into the house.  Suddenly, his foot stepped on a creaky toy and froze as it made a silly sound.  

     "Sally?" Tom whispered as he started moving again.  Suddenly, he saw it, the basketball.  It was lying in the hands of a asleep ghost mummy.

     Tom crept deeper into the house, hoping that the ghost mummy wouldn't wake up.  When he touched the ball, it suddenly bounced out of the house!  Then, he crept closer to the mummy and spotted Sally!  She was chained near the mummy. 

     Tom freed her and they both ran out of the house, and int their house.  Luckily, the ball had bounced into Tom's bedroom so he didn't worry. 

     From that day, they never played near the old house, and lived happily ever after.  Sally also appreciated Tom's rescue.  She could not have escaped without him.

Halloween Scare by Nicol

I knocked on the big, ugly door.  My legs shook and I had a lump in my throat.  I almost ran away, but then the door creaked opened.  I saw many ghost flying in the house.  Then I step foward a little bit I want to see what is in there.  

Suddenly, the door closed.  I want to get out.  But the door locked.  "Help!" I shout.  But no one answered.  Then I saw a pumpkin with a size of a key.  I know that I need to find the key.  But it is a big house.  And I don't have clue.  Then a paper drop from the roof.  I pick it up.  And I saw a sign.  It said ghost are coming!  If you want to find the key turn right.  And go into a room with a black door.  Then I thought I can't stay here forever!  So I followed the direction.  And I go into the room I saw the ghost are having party.  Then I saw saw the key.  It was hidden under a table.  I ran to pick it up.  And many people follow me.  I ran more faster.  Then I use the key to get out of there.  "Finally!" I said.  Then I'm back.

Scared By a Ghost by Christina

     A full moon loomed over the leafless branches.  Their spiny limbs reached out as if to grab Sam and William.  But they kept walking... (from a sample intro)
     They see a old house.  then walk in. inside they step on creaky flood (floor).  next they see many skeleton, and bat fly all around the house.  Sam and William have many goose bumps, now.  Wait!  Who is in that room?  Yellow lights sprit out.  the ghost come out with many spider house.  When ghost saw Sam and William, ghost sprit out the spider house to Sam and William.  good thing is they ran out the scared (scary), old, ugly house...

More Halloween After School Class writing to continue...

     

Intensive English - Grade 3-4 Combined

This group of 6 students are the least advanced reading students in their classrooms.  Their writing reflects their reading levels to a large degree.  I have not corrected their mistakes, and these represent their first drafts.

Halloween by William

yesterday is Halloween!  At 1'o cadk eveay body, go to beasroom (bathroom) cogs (?) clst (?) and grate 4 and grate 3 go to see muze (movie).  bet the computre is burks (broken) os (so) we can't see muze.  And we play one game.  and we go to take pick, and we go to trickortreat!  First we go to miss Nelon roon, she gate we a ? (William's question mark - he wanted to write "pencil sharpener" but he didn't know the vocabulary).  and we go to art room.  And we go to libilly.  And we go to music room.  And we go to I (abbr) - This is William's parentheses.  And we go to dagke baeber (Dr. Brockberg's) room.  And we go house. (Finally, we went home.)

Haunted House by Tiffany

Today is Halloween, I see many ghost, monster, skeleton, mumy and vampipe, I am afried!  But they are afried to me too!  I am a ghost.

We going to trick or treat.  I thing we are very happy but is not happy.  my friends has many candy, but I not has many candy, they has 10 candy, I not has 10 candy, I has 2 candy.  I am very sad.  Barbie walk to me.  she side you not sad but I can give to you 3 candy and I have five candy, you have five candy.  

Thank you!

I like HALLOWEEN!

Halloween by Kiki

Halloween is on October last day, is thursday.  I like Halloween. 

On Halloween I and my classmate make a jacko'lantern.  My jacko'lantern has triangle eyes.  circle nose and big open mouth.

We finished jacko'lantern then go to bathroom wear costume (to put on the costumes).  Some studens look like vampire.  some studens look like witch.  some studens look like mummy.  some students look like monster and ghost.

I like Halloween very much because Halloween is funny and scare!  (scary)

As a side note: What Kiki shares about the various costumes is not true to fact.  There were no vampires, mummies, monsters, or ghosts.  There were a couple of witches but they were not scary ones.  In fact, our Halloween at BCIS was not scary at all though that is part of the reason that Kiki likes Halloween.

Trick-or-Treat by Young

At school, we have a Hollaween party.  first, we go to office, they give pentor our for me and clasroom.   we go to liberay, artroom, grade 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, we are so happy!

Ms. Fisher said we can use candy corn make a hand of candy corn, and if you finish, you can use the sticker make a funny jack-o-lantern, I make a big nose and a small mouse (mouth).   now I finish!  I can glue on my candy box.  I drawing so many cany and jack-o-lantern on me candy box too.  now Ms. Fisher said we can go to music room to see a movie above Hollaween, but Ms. Fisher said First we play a game.  the game callled "under the ground", is like we under the ground, is you running aroun the classroom, you shold under the log, but don't touch the log, if you touch the log, you can't play.  the cici and tiffany is can't play, becouse they touch the log.   now some one said "broed! I wan't see movie!"   the teacher said "but the computer is not work.  you shold wait, you can't said AAaa!" but the computer is not work, but we happy, is no sad, we like Holllaween party!

The end

To be continued...

Oh, the joys of teaching my students!

How did you like their stories?

Earth Day at BCIS 2013

http://youtu.be/adpBmHIhPTQ

Monday, April 22, our school is observing a special day to give the children opportunity to learn about maintaining and saving our earth... Earth Day will be a day in which our kids will participate in many activities to give them a picture of what it means to save the earth and what they can do on a daily basis to that pursuit.  It should be a wonderful day!  One of the things classroom teachers will do is read the book "The Great Kapok Tree."  I think it has a great lesson for all to learn.

http://youtu.be/adpBmHIhPTQ

Tips for International School Teachers and Staff - Deerfield, IL, United States, ASCD EDge Blog post - A Professional Networking Community for Educators

Tips for International School Teachers and Staff - Deerfield, IL, United States, ASCD EDge Blog post - A Professional Networking Community for Educators

Grade 1 Prewriting

These are stories written by my Intensive English 1st graders.  While they make a ton of errors, I must give them accolades for their creativity and accolades for their attempts at writing.  Remember, English is their second language.  They work very hard at developing their English skills.  The children read in an online reading program called Raz-Kids for 30 minutes every day at home in addition to the 30 minutes English Language Learning Lab work they do at our school.  That program is called Imagine Learning and our school is the first to use this program in China!  The students also spend 1.5 hours each day with me in an Intensive English program where we learn phonics, spelling, sight words, Grade 1 vocabulary, grammar, and how to read the calendar.  We also are actively engaged in Guided Reading and Writer's Workshop together with the 6 +1 traits of writing.  There is never a dull day and rarely is there enough time to complete everything as scheduled for the period!  Rome wasn't built in 3 days yet over time, it was built!  I can see the fruit of these children's hard work and I am so very proud of them!  Please pray for them and be proud of them, too!

There stories... not written in any specific order:

1.  The Magic Pot by Ariel

One day a bear haf a Magic pot and the little bear came home.  The little bear said Dad what are you dowing

Dad said I have a Magic pot and little bear said I want a popcorn

the Magic pot give the little bear lots of popcorn.  The dad said I want a candy  (to be continued)

2.  The Little Turtle by You-Cheng

One day the boy go out sigd.  But the boy see the little turtle.  The turtle slool   walk anany.  But the boy to walk to turtle back .  The turtle see the boy is his back.  The boy said turtle what are you do.  The turtle said I like to walk.

3.  A Rainy Day by Moon

Long long a go there, was a seet girl.  She was, going to her mom office.  But going rain.  So she, put on her raing coat, so she can't get wet.  Them she go to mom office and she sees her mom.  She is so happy and her, mom also happ too.  Her mom, put on her raining coot and, they live happily.

4.  I Go With Grandpa by Harry C.

Long long ago have a, Grandpa and boy is leve in, the magic house 

one day, they go to the magic, Forest 

boy see a magic pot, boy see unicorn fly to, 

cach boy say Grandpa, 

Grandpa Grandpa is gone 

jesus help the, boy.  thunk jesus, 

jesus happy 

jesus, say this unicorn is, good 

I give you

5.  No Snacks by Winnie

One day a boy have a dog and his dog name is Jack.  And the dog.  

Evday the is eat and eat.  so the boy is said plesae doat eat.  And the dog is not eat and he evday is not eat

And the boy is eat and eat so the boy is fat and the dog said doat eat sasd the dog and the boy is doat eat.

And his mom is eat so his mom is fat.  And the boy said doat eat so his mom is not eat

And his friengs is eat and eat and eat so.  He say to his friengs doat eat but his friengs is not listen to he so he is sad and his teacher said doat be sad.

6.  After School Fun by Jiankun

Atter school I go to home I play in My home and home is Fun.

and I look Mokie is to good to see and I play game.

and look ras-kie and is Fun

I like to jump in the dad.

and My lEgo is Fun to home and I go dad

I'd love comments from anyone reading these!  

Let me know if you understand what they are trying to say in their stories and if you have questions, please ask them!

Thanks!

Have a great day!

"Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement, nothing can be done without hope and confidence." -- Helen Keller

News update - February 2012

Hi, again! It’s February 19!

The sun is shining in Shenzhen today and it’s a welcome change from the past rain and cold during the last 3 months. It’s actually 64 degrees at the moment and there’s an expected high of 79 by Friday. Rain is not completely out of the picture, but by the looks of it, there will be less of it and more sun for the next couple of weeks. Rain, cold (40-55), and no sunshine are no fun when there isn’t central heating anywhere including my apartment. We are all blessed, however, that our classrooms are heated and the heaters have worked all winter!

I am growing accustomed to the noise of the streets below my apartment and the nocturnal disturbances of unhappy neighbors above me and to one side of me as well as the sounds of babies crying and horns honking at all hours. My neighbor, Family, has been living 4 hours from Shenzhen as he and his brother start up a new business making a machine that makes stationary and paper products. His wife, Janny, and their little boy, Xuan Xuan, as well as her mom continue to live next door. It is always more joyful for their family on weekends when Family is back home. Though our schedules don’t connect most of the time, a couple of weekends ago, Janny went with me to the open market (called a wet market) nearby and bought me a new kind of fresh water fish still swimming around in the tub. It was her New Year’s gift to me. She also shared her recipe with me. It was delicious! And of course, it was steamed! It is an expensive fish and when given as a gift it is highly regarded as a symbol of friendship. I am blessed!

I’ve decided to continue teaching at Buena Vista International School next year believing this is still the will of God for my life. Though adjustments have not been easy regarding life in Shenzhen and though the situation regarding the development of the school has been stressful, things are looking up. Some days are better than others, of course. The first year in Thailand was extremely difficult, too. In the end, I loved it there and could not see myself anywhere else in the world. Staying another year will help move me in that direction for China, too… for the sake of what God is and wants to accomplish through me, I must be faithful to this purpose.

In January, a new interim principal and his wife came to lead our staff of Chinese workers and American teachers. Todd and Janet Luedtke have been LCMS educators and headmaster in Papua New Guinea for years as well as the US and Concordia International School in Shanghai. Their expertise is proving very beneficial. The school officially has a policy regarding many things, which previous to their arrival, was non-existent. Welcome and needed changes, additions, and adjustments are being made across the board.

We have two new teachers. One is dedicated to teaching ESL both after school and with the lower functioning English learners. The other is serving half time as PE instructor and half time as a classroom Chinese translator/presenter of content being taught in grades 5-7. Wow, you say! What’s that all about?

As of February 20, the school will be using a different format and system for teaching. Because the student population is 100% Chinese with poor use of the English language with the exception of our two teacher’s kids, we are switching to bilingual classrooms as much as possible. Research shows that kids learning in both languages, both their 1st and 2nd language, learn not only content better but also the 2nd language. The students will have pre-teaching in Chinese, teaching in English, and summary in Chinese. Additional teaching if needed will also happen in both languages. The Chinese instructor for grades K-4 will also be spending her time in those classrooms teaching Chinese content and as mentioned above, the PE instructor will be spending afternoons in grades 5-7 combined lower level English learners. Students in all grades will continue to receive ESL though grades 5-7 combined lower level English learners will have two classroom teachers all day in addition to the ½ time PE instructor teaching content in Chinese. Their all day classroom teachers will be the new ESL instructor for those grades as well as the teacher who up to this point has been teaching grades 5-7 Social Studies and Literature.

Grade 5-7 will be divided into two groups as you may have guessed from my writings above. The lower level English learners and those more able to master content because English usage is greater. The woman who has been teaching Science and Math up to this point for those grades will now teach Math, Science, Social Studies, and Reading/Writing/Speaking/Listening/Grammar/Vocabulary to the upper level English learners.

How do I fit into all of this? I will continue to be the ESL teacher for Kindergarten, Grades 1 and 2, and Grades 3 and 4 as well as the upper level English learners in Grades 5-7. Grades 3 and 4 as well as Grades 5-7 upper level English learners have two English level groups. In addition, there are students from all those grade levels who need extra ESL time in pullouts which I will be able to do because I won’t be teaching the lower level Grades 5-7 or Grade 7 which was broken into three different groups before.

In my next letter, I’ll share how the new program is working for our kids. Our goal is to give them the best education possible based on their needs. It will take all of them at least 3-5 academic years to become proficient in the English language to the level of 1st language English speakers in the US. However, almost all of our students if studying school in Chinese rather than English would be the cream of the crop. Intelligent they are indeed! Their parents also push them hard and some seemingly merciless, too.

Behavior issues are common in some of the kids because both parents work (often out of the country or out of town) and these kids are raised mostly by nannies called “ah-eeys” or “aunties”. Some students have their own drivers. They all wear designer clothing when school uniforms are not mandated. Usually, however, school uniforms are the norm. Most students have ipads and iphone4s. By next school year, each student will be required to have Apple Mac Book Pros or Airs. Some students already have them and use them in studying while at school. Of course, teachers also have to monitor a few of the students who do not stay on task with their computers, iPads, and iPhones. IPhones are permitted as they have dictionary functions. Teachers confiscate these electronics just like in public schools in America for the day when caught being used for off task items.

I love my first and second graders the most as well as the upper level English learners. The upper level English learners are able to move faster and make more progress… so what’s not to love? It’s the same with my first and second graders… those little kids are sponges! They came to the school not knowing a word of English and now just over 100 days of school are creating complete sentences and phrases with correct English! They are not writing very well yet but that will come! They do well on their spelling tests and are reading better than some of my 3rd and 4th grade students! They know their phonics, too, and a bit of grammar as well… they can name all the nouns and verbs in sentences and can even define a homophone (and give examples)! The area where they have the farthest to go yet in terms of their grade level is in vocabulary, which stands to reason. As they read more and more books, their vocab will increase, of course. Little kids are so fun to be around. They are happy eager learners with such great attitudes!

The school continues to provide after school ESL classes for the students as well as Guitar, Choir, Art, a type of English Kung-Fu, and outdoor English games. ESL is offered to between 2-4 levels of English learners each day. The other classes mentioned are offered once per week. Art, PE, Chinese, and Music are also a regular part of the weekly school schedule as well. The kids play golf every Friday at the nearby golf course/club for that day’s 1 hour PE class. The club has its own golf instructors. (See note at end of letter.)

English Kung-Fu is a big hit with the kids. The instructor comes from Hong Kong. The rest of the after school classes are taught by the teachers. I teach two times after school and in addition, I tutor a student after school 1-2 nights per week. We also have a faculty meeting after school each Tuesday. Of course, it has taken a lot of extra time and meetings to get the new bilingual system in place for Feb. 20 but it’s been worth it for our kids!

Prayer Concerns:

1. For the students’ English to improve quickly for the sake of their academic success and forward movement in school.
2. For the Light to shine forth through me, the other Light teachers, and the new principal and his wife who are LCMS. The 2 new teachers hired recently to help with ESL, PE, and Chinese content are LCMS as are the two grades 5-7 teachers.
3. For a continued growing sense of contentedness in Shenzhen for all of us.
4. For a good friend for me… someone to “hang” with on the weekends or after school.
5. For the school and its continued development and progress.
6. For the school to obtain the needed government license so that we teachers can get teaching visas and permits.
7. For new teachers… anyone interested should contact Dr. Allan Schmidt at allschm@aol.com. Dr. Schmidt is the school’s LCMS consultant. He consults for all Asia LCMS related schools. My school is not LCMS, however, but rather LCHKS.

Note: Our new PE/Chinese content teacher is Italian, fluent in 5 languages, plays guitar and piano exceptionally well, is a great artist, is a wonderful cook, and excels in soccer and fencing! Chinese was his major in college and he speaks and writes it as well as the Chinese! He’s been living in China for 8 years already, too! The only thing we know about that he’s not good at yet is golf! Poor guy! Can’t be good at everything, right? His wife is surely blessed! ☺

The Story of Jesus

http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/devotional/story-of-jesus/01

This link from Biblegateway.com gives a wonderful free online presentation of the story of Jesus. It tells the story using Scripture passages and short interjections to help with transitions and/or explain concepts or background. Copy and paste the link to your browser and book mark it. Listen to the story gradually. It's not really something that can be listened to all at once unless one has the time. But do listen. And share the link with others. It helps sharpen our skill in sharing the story as well as serves as a tool for presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who have never heard His story.

Blessings in the New Year!

Web Link: http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/devotional/story-of-jesus/01

With my godson, Waan, and friend, La, at Doi Tung, Chiang Rai, Thailand - December 2011

CWEFT hill tribe children's hostel - Mae Sai, Thailand

CWEFT hill tribe children's hostel - Mae Sai, Thailand

CWEFT hill tribe children's hostel - Mae Sai, Thailand

Doi Tung, Chiang Rai, Thailand - December 2011

My godchildren & I in Thailand - December 2011

Some of my godchildren and I at Doi Tung in Thailand

Outside My Apartment in Shenzhen

Lights Out at Christie's Apartment & More!

Nothing much but wanted you all to know that according to my neighbor who speaks a tiny bit of English, our electricity went out in the apartment complex where I live which consists of 7 - 31 story buildings with anywhere between 8 and 12 apartments on each floor. I live on the 23rd floor! On the 4th floor, there is a walk way that connects all 7 buildings together with a huge walk-way/garden/and play area for children. It's nice but VERY crowded with people 24/7!

The complex is connected to our local Wal-Mart! Yes, that's right! Wal-Mart! But it's not like the Wal-Mart's in the US so don't get too excited! It is expensive compared to local street shops but it is large and air-conditioned so many people walk around inside it to get cool... and they do make a fair amount of sales, too!

The electricity went out about 8 am (after I had already left for work... his wife's mother stays home all day to babysit their child) and it didn't come back on until 8 pm tonight, Tuesday, August 23! That makes a full 24 hours it was off. The tiny freezer I have in my dorm room sized refrigerator had 2 - 2 cup frozen bags of veggies... needless to say they were mush. The six eggs I had boiled no doubt are spoiled and not sure how the fresh veggies fared as I did not open the quart sized bags to find out.

One good thing is that I was needing to defrost the tiny little freezer as it had frost quite thick in it and was not freezing well to begin with. So, that's taken care of! Water was all over the floor when I got home at 6:15 pm. Mess cleaned up and dinner consumed in the dark to a single mini-flashlight I brought with me.

My neighbor, Family and Janny (pronounced "Jenny") came over to visit in the dark after their little meal was over as well. We had a great time talking small talk about where they are from, where they work, how they met, the size of their birth families, their education, etc. I learned a bit more about China tonight though in all reality, I do every day in some way.

Family and Jenny assisted me one night about 3 days after I had arrived as well.... a policeman came knocking at my door wanting my passport info, a picture, and my signature on a formal looking document. I didn't have a phone yet so between Family, Janny, and a bilingual operator I was able to get on my cell phone from America (the only communication I could have on that phone and before the expiry date), we took care of everything the policeman was wanting.

On another note, Family and Janny came to my rescue again (as did a Chinese speaking teacher at the school), when a week ago, some teenager (supposedly) played a prank and locked me out of my apartment by putting quick drying cement glue into my key hole of my apartment door! That was almost a 4 hour ordeal to take care of but patience and perseverance as well as my friends Family and Janny (and the Chinese speaking teacher) saved the day... I mean night! The good thing there is that with the new door handle and locks installed, I don't have to get a spare key made! There were 5 of them that came with the set! And, of course, it set me back by $45 American dollars!

But, I'm not complaining! I'm safe and sound and back to "normal" now with a functioning locking door, electricity, a refrigerator that works... and internet... well, most of the time... it's not working at the moment so you won't get this no doubt until tomorrow!

Night night! Sleep tight! And don't let the bed bugs bite!
God's blessings to all of you and thank you so much for praying for me!
Love you all!

Christie Goes to China, part 2

Deaconess Christie Nelson, former LCMS missionary to Thailand and Guatemala, has recently completed teacher certification EC-6 and 4-8 including bilingual (Spanish) and ESL. Christie has accepted a teaching position to serve as the English Language Specialist (ESL teacher) at Buena Vista Concordia International School (BCIS) in Shenzhen, China. BCIS will be in its first year (grades K-7) and is being established by the Lutheran Church Hong Kong Synod (LCHKS) at the request of the Chinese government. The school is being modeled as much as possible after the 3 LCMS international schools in Asia. There are an expected 50 - 100 students this first year. LCHKS is a partner church body with LCMS.

Though the teaching position cannot be considered an official LCMS call, Christie believes with all her heart that she has the call of God to take this position and be used by Him in the lives of the children, their families, and the teachers at the new school. Christie will be serving directly under the LCHKS with salary in Chinese currency and Chinese medical coverage which will cover her while in China, Macao, and Hong Kong only. There are hopes of receiving an "add on" coverage for when Christie may travel outside of those 3 areas. She returns for summer in June 2012 and will go back out to China for a second year provided God wills it.

Christie departs on August 2nd in the wee hours of the morning. Sunday, July 31st, she will receive a blessing at her current church, Messiah Lutheran Church, in Keller, TX during the 8:00 AM service to serve at the new school. Please remember to keep her, this new opportunity to share Jesus in subtle ways, the children, and BCIS in first year of operation in your prayers.

Christie thanks everyone who has been upholding her in prayers since 2006 when she returned from Thailand and especially during the last couple of years that she has been seeking the Lord's will for her life for its next chapter and while obtaining teacher certification to broaden her opportunities for service to the Lord.

Christie Goes To China!

How truly exciting!

I depart August 1! I'll be teaching ESL to the students at the new international school being established by Lutherna Church Hong Kong Synod in Shenzhen, China! I'll be the English Language Specialist there and serve together with 5-7 other teachers. There will be grades K-7 this first year of the school and most classroom teachers will be teaching two grades. There will be a music/art/dance teacher as well as a Chinese teacher. It is possible yet for teachers to be hired. Thus far there are 3 classroom teachers, the Chinese teacher, and myself, the ESL teacher.

Shenzhen is a city of about 10 million people so in terms of the number of people, it won't be much different than living in Bangkok which you know I did for 15 years, and loved it! The Chinese culture while distinct from Thai culture has a few similarities which will assist me in adjusting to the country. There will be, however, many things which will be different.

I've been told that it is not an expectation for me to learn Chinese because the Chinese parents who have their children in the school, fear that if the teachers know Chinese that Chinese will be spoken in the classroom instead of English... and they are paying to have their children learn English and get an education on the American system. They have a point. That said, I plan on learning some Chinese just the same to help me get around and feel more at home.

I'll be living in a one bedroom apartment (possibly two but no guarantee) most likely in an apartment building that is many floors high. I won't have a car like I did in Thailand and will be using local transportation... buses, subways, trains, and taxis. That will take some getting used to! I'm used to being able to just get in a car and go! :-)

The school is absolutely beautiful looking like a Spanish villa but going up 4 floors. There are two elevators, however, for which I am grateful! I'll be doing the stairs, too, but glad that I'll also be able to use the elevator! The school will also have wireless internet and all teachers will be given a laptop to be used for school work for which I am grateful, too. I understand it is also air-conditioned which is wonderful as well!

Weather in Shenzhen is hot and muggy much of the year with a high level of humidity all year round. The months of January - March can be quite cold, however, with temperatures getting down below 40 at times... it has never snowed in Shenzhen but when it is in the low 40's and raining outside (which it often does), it can be bone-snapping cold! One of the teachers who has lived in Shenzhen for a year already said that her son would go to school in shorts and a fleece jacket even on the coldest of days while all the Chinese students were bundled up in coats, mittens, and scarves as well as double layers of clothing! She and her son are from the state of Maine... I can imagine why they would not feel the cold!

As I write, it is 84 degrees there with a Feel Like temperature of 94 and a 76% humidity. Tomorrow's high is 92 with a Fell Like temperature of a 102! The average annual temperature (including highs and lows) in Shenzhen is 72.5 while in Bangkok it is 82. Daily highs in summer can reach as high as 102... which it will be doing tomorrow!

The average annual rainfall in Shenzhen is 79 inches but often rains as much as 98 inches where in Bangkok the annual rainfall is 59 inches. And I thought it rained a lot in Bangkok!

In comparison to Keller, TX, the average annual temperature is 63 (that's hard to believe with the high temperature into the 100's for so many days and the winters not going below 40 most days) and the rainfall is only 29 inches!

Something tells me I'm going to get wet a lot this year! Oh my!

It will all be a great experience and I'm looking forward to all of it but using the local transportation and the rainy humid weather but I'll get used to it, I'm sure! Not having a car and having to walk and climb stairs all over the city will definitely be good for me physically!

I'll be super busy this month of July sorting, throwing out, giving away, selling, and finally packing my bags... will most likely have a few excess bags.
I'm trusting God that all the bags and excess boxes will make it through airport and border customs without any issues!

I am looking for people to help me with the expense of shipping books over via the ocean... if you are interested please do email me or make a comment to this post to that affect and I will be in touch with you.

Thanks for reading this and for your interest.
I'll keep you posted!

Lord, Lead Me, Guide Me, Walk With Me

Push It!

It is not vain to serve God.

We did right. We told the truth. We suffer. We prayed for this and that yet our prayers are not answered.

The arrogant and wicked - those who curse God - are the ones who are blessed. It's the ruthless, the hypocrite, the tyrant, and the dishonest who prosper and increase in riches.

Our flesh says, "It's not fair. How vain. What's blessed in this world?" What's in it for me? God owes me for all my good deeds. This philosophy says then, all is in vain.

But the new man says, "It is not futile... not vain." Christians talk to God and He hears them. They fear/love/respect/trust/ and have confidence in God no matter what is happening... God hears. These people talk to each other about these things and encouraged one another in times of crop failure, loss, pain, death, mourning. And this is the kind of conversation that God wants us to have with each other all the time so we don't grow weary in doing good. It is paramount that we have talk that is edifying coming out of our mouths.

When God hears complaints being made by we Christians, He rebukes our complaints as sin and lack of trust as well as lack of thanksgiving.

May He work in our hearts and deliver us from self pity, pride, and materialism that would say life is not fair. God sees and hears and feels our pain, and He sees those things we do when no one else sees. He honors those things we do in His name. God has a home prepared for us. This is our reward and we forebear it all.

If whatever is happening to me at the time is the worst thing that could happen to me, then I am truly blessed. I push it. And I push it to the limit.

The Christian Presence in the World

The following notes were taken from a sermon by Rev. Glenn Huebel of Messiah Lutheran Church in Keller, TX. The sermon was based on the Gospel for the day: Matthew 5:13 - 20.

We are in the world, not of the world. Some separate themselves out. Some are eager to be in the world but become like those of the world. However, Jesus describes Christians as those who are distinct and visible to the world. It's contradictory to God's purpose for Christians to be like those of the world. He has breathed His light into us through Christ so that we shine His light into the world.

We are Christ's bride and we are not embarrassed to say He is our Lord even when we may be ridiculed because of His name. Many have suffered persecutions for their faithfulness to the Lord. They are faithful loving witnesses to Christ... we see and /or hear of them and they serve as good examples for us.

We are not entrusted with the Gospel to keep it as our own private domain. It is designed to be shared and it is given to us to be shared with everyone... to the hurting, to sinners from all walks of life, to those in high places and to those in lowly places, and to those close to you, near to you, as well as those far from you and/or in distant lands. The Gospel is to be shared with all so that all might be saved.

Many have retreated into monasteries or choose to live their lives separate from the world around them. Even some of us, yes, us... could be living like this. But this is not God's intent for our lives. By our example, the world sees Christ and that is God's intent - not to isolate ourselves. And it is not to become like the world either as in the salt that has lost its saltiness.

If we are going to remain relevant, we must not give in to the thoughts and pressures of society which says it's OK to have sex before marriage and that it's OK for those of the same sex to be in relationship with each other. It's not OK to be friends with permissiveness. Jesus says those who do not confront the Church with the Truth have no place in the Kingdom of God just as salt that loses its saltiness is of no value.

We often say we desire to depart and be with Christ but it is more necessary for us to remain as the Apostle Paul declares. We are to remain in the world as a light for those who do not yet know Christ as it says in verse 16 of today's Gospel: "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Love your enemy and all those who persecute you. This is when the world will see God's grace at work in our lives - they will see the difference... even in our secular vocations. Peter and Paul both say we are a royal priesthood. We are to declare His praises. We must be careful that we don't become so much like the world that people can't see the Light of Christ in us.

The Lord says in verse 19, "Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teachers others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven." Jesus fulfilled the moral law for us - Moses believed God and it was credited to Him as righteousness. So it is with us.

The Pharisees had the moral law but they did not believe in the promise... the promise of the Savior.

We don't bring the Light of Christ into the world by moralism.

We bless the world through the power of the Gospel and through lives that bask in God's love and forgiveness... lives that know He is the foundation for our very being. That is what draws people to the Light of Christ. And we say, "To God Be The Glory!" Amen.