Creativity

Tonight as I was walking home, I passed one of the stores owned by a local family I know. Seeing the family inside of the store, I thought to myself, Do I want to stop and talk for 5-10 minutes, or continue on to the grocery store? (Trust me, these types of things are difficult to assess after a long day of walking...).

Well, my good-natured side won.. I stopped. Or more so, Zeina, the older sister, lured me in with her huge smile and her big eyes full of excitement. She had something to show me: her new laptop.

Now, you may be asking yourself, "Wait, how old is this child?! Her new laptop??..." Now, I must warn you: Before you throw a lot of questions my way, read on..

Zeina had in her hand, her new, thin, Apple laptop.

Made of cardboard (she had drawn the Mac logo on top).

That's right. She constructed it all by herself. No Steve Jobs had to tell her what to do. She had all of the functioning keys written out for the keyboard as well as the latest Mario level she had conquered plastered onto the screen. She is, your average, every-day inventor. Nothing is out of reach. Nothing seems crazy. Everything is worth trying, worth creating.

You say, "Hey, do you want to make a laptop today?" and Zeina does not respond with, "Wow. That's a stupid idea...You can't make that..." No sir-ee, Zeina leaps into all of the materials she deems fit for such a task without even asking for more detailed instructions.

Now, I walk away from this interaction pleased but yet, perplexed.

Have I lost my childhood ability to dream + create?

I sure hope not.

I know that teaching has its demands. It takes a lot of time to plan, to grade, and to set a good example to my students. But, I really hope I'm inspiring them.. and allowing them to inspire me. I hope that I am not turning away from ideas that inspire creativity because of my fear of failure. Opposition. Or, the lie of having a "lack of time."

Whatever it is, I hope I always say, "Yes. Let's create something today..."

Life's less bland that way.

Typical Afternoon Stroll...

Church on the left, mosque on the right. 

Freedom, Even When I Feel Trapped

So, I guess I feel a bit like a writer today-- and so, on to the second post of the day!

Let me explain this title: Freedom.

This is something that is found in Christ. Something I cling to. Freedom knowing that I have the promise of an abundant life because of God's grace. I have freedom to live and live out loud. Freedom to not focus on my past, knowing that Christ's blood covers those sins. Freedom in knowing that I can lean on His leading, His guidance, and His wisdom always. Freedom to not fret over my future, knowing that He has all control over those details.

In Beit Jala, I have freedom, as a Westerner, to roam and wander around the area (as most, if not all, women here are bound to their homes-- especially if they do not have a male escort while out).

I have the freedom to worship the Living God.
I have the freedom to voice my opinions.
I have the freedom to dress as I feel.
I have the freedom to do a lot of things, if I really think about it.

But yet, I feel trapped.

My freedoms suddenly have constrictions attached.

My freedom of worship has constraints, as I can not do so in public places.
My voice is suddenly made silent when out and about.
My dress is now transformed to where I fret about my elbows and knees becoming exposed (well, in parts of the city... not all).

As a Westerner, I also have an automatic stigma of being promiscuous. I have an automatic stigma of being rude. I have an automatic stigma of being arrogant. I have an automatic stigma of being an enemy. (My mother country is, after all, an ally of the "other side.")

You would not even know the number of times I feel others staring at me, because of my hair color and complexion, thinking these thoughts of me. (Here's a hint: It's every time I leave my apartment.)

So, this can be, at times... Well, binding and causes me to feel discouraged. How can one judge me so quickly?!? They don't even KNOW me!

Even though these things can cause me to become bitter, Christ reminds me of where I should focus my attention-- on SHOWING them love. Not only speaking it. This could be the simple smile to the elderly, Muslim woman I pass on the street (after I see her glare at me questionably). This could be saying "Marhaba" (hello) to a stranger. This could be a lot of things... the key is to be available for those tasks.

And, another thing is to remember that I am not the one working here. Christ is.

That may mean that I do not see the fruit of my labor. And, I'm fine with that. I know that God is going to cause these dry lands to overflow with the living water one of these days, and that fuels everything I do. I just don't quite know what that is going to look like... but, I'm excited to help the people here prepare for that day.

But for you, my readers, I hope that this post encourages you to not instantly judge those around you, especially our nation's "enemies." Our Arab friends are people. They are not merely a statistic. Nor are they a threat. They are not terrorists. A terrorist has no face, has no country, has no ethnicity. A terrorist is a terrorist.

I urge you to treat all as beloved treasures, for that is how God views them.

Because, let's be honest, undesired pretenses of character are no fun to live through.

Photo Attribution

Under Construction

At the moment I am watching some men add on to a building outside of my window. It's an interesting process here... construction, I mean. It's time consuming, to say the least. Apparently, some men will build makeshift "tent" homes at the base of the building site so that one man can sleep as the others work. They are constantly working and constantly alert.

Of course, I myself am a stark contrast to these men as I lounge around in my apartment. But, what else would one want to do on their day off?!

But then, as I think of my students, the other teachers, and myself, I reminded that we are, a bit like these buildings. We are also, under construction.

I am not the same person I was months ago.
I am not the same person I was last week.
I am not the same person I was yesterday.
Nor are they.

It seems that every day, I am learning more and more about the importance of having a teachable spirit. I don't have all of the answers. I don't know everything. And, I am not perfect.

I am still learning what it means to put others first. Still learning what it means to serve and give my all. Still learning what it means to turn the other cheek. Still learning, it seems, a lot of things.

I'm excited to see the end result. But, it takes time, effort, diligence, and, not to mention, faith in God's work in my life. I don't know why some things happen, and why others don't-- but I do know it is for His glory. The trick is to look for His hand in it all.

I am still under construction, ever striving to be more like Jesus.

Photo Attribution

Opposition

"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." 

                      - Ephesians 6:12

I have to constantly remind myself of the war that is at large for many, many souls. At times, I find myself forgetting my crucial role in this war-- for I should be an active soldier, not one who is sitting on the side lines. I am one who should daily and consistently take up the whole armor of God:

• Belt of Truth
• Breastplate of Righteousness
• Shoes that are ready, at all times, to bear the Gospel of Peace
• Shield of Faith
• Helmet of Salvation
• Sword of the Spirit

Equipped, I should stand firm in truth and watch. Watching for satan's work as it moves around me, preparing myself for his attack. In the midst of everything, I should pray. I should be praying, when I feel like it at all times, for believers and non-believers alike. I should not be focused on the actions of others. More so, I should concentrate on the powers binding them TO those actions--and should rebuke those powers in Christ's name.

Christ. He is the Lord of Lords. 

Heaven knows it. 

Earth knows it. 

Even hell knows it (Luke 4:41). 

Christ is the victorious one in the end, but we are not there yet. 

A war is still being fought in this present darkness. 

Opposition is still among us. 


I urge you to not lose sight of your importance in prayer, your words, and your deeds. Praying that God is victorious in your life today, tomorrow, and always and that He reveals to you His many promises and truths. 


Did anyone else need this today as much as I did?


Photo Attribution

Finger Painting

Today in class we sang a song entitled Yes, You Have. When we got to the chorus, one of my students began to ask about the line: "You've stolen my heart, yes you have..." ("Ms. Angela! What does this mean?!"). To which, another student piped in ("Ms. Angela! Can I tell her at the end of the song???" Me: "Yes, yes, that's fine. Now, let's sing...").

At the song's completion, the definition came pouring out of the student's mouth. (I think you could equate his energy with one gasping for air after being held under water-- My students LOVE to talk!) He spoke on God's love for us and His desire to have our hearts. Amazed, I was taken aback slightly and then added, "Yes, and when you love someone and want to be with that person-- they are said to have stolen your heart. Meaning, all you think about is that person. And, all you want to do is be with that person. That's what God wants from us. That's what this song is about. The singer is talking about how God has stolen his heart."

Amazing how we can "sum up" God at times. But, really, when I stand away from the song... I come to find that in no way could I ever sum up God. I can tell of His wondrous, steadfast love for the world, His desire to use me to show others His love for them, and His desire for me to follow Him. But, summing up God.. no. Impossible.

This is comparable to painting a picture of the forest, but using only my fingers.

Wow.

This "technique" doesn't even BEGIN to resemble a forest. I can't translate the forest's beauty with my fingers alone! It's impossible to grasp the intricacies that so much exist.

This is what it's like when trying to explain God with words. I feel as though I am handicapped, at times. I don't have all of the paints necessary to paint the picture I desire. The picture I see.

But really, I find no words comparable to God's greatness, God's vastness, and God's depth.

All I know is: He is Jehovah Jireh. Yahweh. Alpha and Omega. The First and the Last. Holy of Holies. King of Kings. Lord of Lords. Steadfast Love. My Refuge. My Hiding Place. Elohim. El Shaddai. God Almighty. The Sufficient One. The Great Provider. Adonai. Master. Prince of Peace. The Great Deliverer. The Righteous One. The Redeemer. Everlasting...

...and that is only the beginning.

Photo Attribution