Friday, March 5, 2010

Tough Times 2

A little update. Mariangel is recovering quite well in the hospital. She still does not know her mom is dead. They are waiting for her to gain more physical strength before she breaks emotionally. Teachers have been able to go visit and they give good reports. Mariangel remembers pretty much everything that happened. The nightmares that little girl will have. Continue to pray for her.
Claudia the girl that was stung by the scorpion is just fine. She was limping yesterday and back to normal today.
Swine Flu shut down grades PK-6. So the elementary teachers haven't had to teach the past 2 days. Us high school teachers on the other hand had the privilege of shaping and molding young minds for the past 2 days. It wasn't hard at all to be motivated when your friends are sleeping in and not having to teach. No sarcasm in that at all...Everyone will be back at school on Monday in hopes that the flu disappeared. If the whole school takes another day off we will be having Saturday school. So truth be told, teaching the past 2 days was just fine with me in light of not having Saturday school.
So if that wasn't enough to deal with this week, last night I get a call from my mom telling me my sister Jessica is in the hospital experiencing contractions. She is 31 weeks. Her contractions at one point were 2 minutes apart. Not good...They got the contractions to slow down but then she started to dilate. So she spent the night last night at the hospital and will again tonight. They are hoping to get her to 34-35 weeks. She will be on complete bed rest. It is killing me not to be home right now.
Thank you all for your loves and prayers!

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Tough Times.

"-then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search out, man cannot discover its meaning." Ecclesiates 8:10
I cannot comprend what is going on under the sun right now.
Ecclesiates 3
"There is a time for everything and as season for every activity under Heaven: a time to be born to die." Today one of our 4th grade girls named Mariangel got off the bus and was greeted by her mom. While they were walking they were approached by evil. Men tried to kidnap Mariangel and her mom refused to let her go and Mariangel was shot 4 times and her mom was killed. Why? Mariangel, if she survives, is an orphan. Why?
"...a time to kill and a time to heal" A time to kill?! Definitely not a time to kill. What do you pray for this little girl? If she survives she will have so much physical healing and even more emotional. But she is so young and has so much life to live!
"...a time to weep and a time to laugh" This weekend at the beach we laughed a lot. Laughter is a gift, and now we weep. We weep because of the evil that is so present. We weep because of what has been robbed of Mariangel.
"...a time to search and a time to give up" We search for comfort in this situation. We search for wisdom when talking to the students. We search for peace. We search for what right can come from this. We will not give up. We search for Him.
"...a time to be silent and a time to speak" Be still and know that He is God. Words cannot comfort, words cannot give this life back. I pray that those who are surrounding Mariangel will know when to speak and when to be silent.
"...a time to love and a time to hate" I hate satan. I hate the work that he is doing. I hate the pain that he brings. I hate evil. I love that we have a God that is so much bigger than this situation. And I love that He hears and knows our hurts and pains.
Hebrews 13:5-6 "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. So we say in confidence. 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"'
Our students have to live in the fear that this could happen to them. I pray that they can find peace and strength in Him. We never know when our time is up. This story is a true example of that. I pray that this will be used as a wake up call for some. Are you living with Christ?
My heart is heavy. I struggle with knowing what to pray in the situation. I am thankful I serve a God who hears the cries of my heart when all I can do is cry.
Pray for this situation. Pray for the family and friends of this little girl. Pray for the students and the teachers as they try to sort through their emotions. Pray that God's will be done.

Also pray for the school as swine flu is back. There are 5 confirmed cases in the school. We can't afford to miss more school!
Also pray for a girl named Claudia who got stung by a scorpion today. She went to the bathroom and while in the bathroom she got stung 3 times on her leg. Last I heard she was on her way to the hospital and her like was completely numb.
Much to pray about. Good thing we serve such a powerful God! Thank you for storming Heaven's gates with me.