My Oh My

Here I am in my warm house just minding my own business. The time: 10:30pm. The place: My house. The conditions: Calm. Unsuspecting situation, isn't it?

From out of nowhere, my green, round, dollar store brush attacked me. It wrapped itself with my hair and created a death grip on my long strawberry blonde locks.

Ok well maybe my brush didn't attack. Maybe I unknowingly wrapped my hair around my brush, tried to untwist it, and realized that it was a hopeless mess. I tried for about 30 unsuccessful minutes to untangle the situation.

After realizing it was a lost caused, I grabbed my phone and called my awesome friend, Lisa. Lisa would know what to do!! She promptly came over and found me sitting on my floor with a green, round, dollar store brush hanging from my long strawberry blonde locks. After laughing with me, she got to work. It didn't take long for her to spell it out to me: we're going to have to cut it. It's hopeless. So, I held my breath while she utilized the...*gasp*...scissors. It was over before I knew it. It really was over...

Now I sat, looking like a redneck with a mullet, with a brush full of hair. Awesome. I unmatted what I had left of my hair and decided that it wasn't THAT bad. I mean, a chunk of jagged hair that's about half as long as the rest smack dab on the side of my head isn't life changing or anything, really. I mean, really, it's not that bad. Just funny.

Yes, this time I laughed a lot at my mistake as well as shed a few confused tears and a few of frustration. It could be a lot worse...like the time when I was 5 and my sister used plastic Playschool scissors to cut my hair which resulted in a boy short cut later on. Yes, this was much better. I guess I'll just be wearing my hair curly until it grows back. Now I'm left with a green, round, dollar store brush covered in hair. Maybe I'll burn it...

In other news...my floor is warm right now. That's one thing I'll miss about Korea is the heated floors. So nice in the morning. You can roll out of bed onto the floor and continue sleeping on its warmth. I'm thankful for heated floors.

Wednesday was a half day of school. We had an assembly in the morning with grades 1-6. Each class had prepared something. My class recited Psalm 95:1-6 and sang "Count Your Blessings." They did a great job! All the other classes did as well. One class did an adorable play about the pilgrims, one class led a sword drill using verses about thankfulness. Of course the kindergartners were just precious. After the assembly we had 5 different stations (game, food, songs, etc.) in 5 classrooms. Each one was led by one or two teachers. The kids were in groups and moved around to the different rooms. The 1st grade teacher and I led the the games. We played music chairs except instead of using chairs we taped turkey foot prints on the floor. We also played a game where you had to pass foods such as cranberries, nuts, and oranges with chopsticks and spoons. The final game was "Duck, Duck, Turkey." Go figure. :) The kids had a great time, but the best part was the end. Like, the end where we get to leave. At noon. To start our vacation.

Lisa and I went to Costco and then I promptly fell asleep for several hours. Because I accidently slept from 6pm-12am (I'm a night owl with an early morning job...it catches up to me) I had to stay up until 5am. But it was alright because I'm on vacation. Yesterday I went to the City Hall area of town as well as the bustling popular shopping area, Myeongdong, and shopped. Three different groups of people asked me to do interviews. One had a large TV camera. It was an interesting day. I came back to a lovely turkey dinner and a fun time with the other teachers and Lisa's kitten.

Today was a relaxing day of shopping in Insadong, the long street that is filled with traditional shops, tea houses, and art galleries. And now I come to...now...as I write this thinking of going to bed with my redneck hair. I think it's time. Peace.

Night Walk

Two in one day. This is just a story.

So, tonight my friend Jen comes to my house to stay the night. She was telling me about her day when I got the idea that we should go for a walk. So we bundled up and went out. I stopped to buy a drink, she stopped to take something out of her shoe, and we went a different direction than we had planned to go. I was going to take her up a big hill, but since we were talking, I figured that it would be difficult to walk up the steep hill and talk a lot at the same time. At one point I thought we should cross the street to go up the big hill, but I changed my mind at the last second.

So we're walking and talking and all of a sudden we hear a huge screech and pop and RIGHT next to us a white car swerves all over the road and eventually slams into a small parking garage with a metal cage covering it. We stopped traffic and had someone call 119 (our Korean is limited) and we ran over just as the guy, about 25, was staggering out of the broken driver side window. He had a huge gash above his eyebrow that was gushing blood and was obviously in shock and possibly semi-intoxicated. Jen grabbed him around the waist because he wanted to walk away, but she knew that was a bad idea. So while she asked him questions, the police were called and the ambulance as well. Jen told me that cars don't blow up like on TV.

Anyways, the police took care of him and they all left. Jen wanted to take some pictures of the crash scene, so we stayed for about 5 more minutes while she took pictures. We began walking again and were about 500 meters away from the next intersection when we see a taxi hit a white car at the intersection. We ran down to the intersection to see if everyone was alright. The white car turned out to be an undercover police officer. We used our detective skills and presumed that the taxi driver was at fault.

We finished our walk that was supposed to be half an hour and ended up to be an hour. Quite an eventful night walk.

I just have to say that I saw God's hand in it all. He obviously gave me the thought, "Let's go for a walk." At midnight...on a cold night. And Jen agreed to go. I stopped and she stopped along the way. He didn't allow us to cross the street or go up the hill which might have put us directly in the path of the car. Jen stayed to take pictures so we weren't at the intersection when the second crash happened. Why? To help the man in the first car. Maybe. All I know is that God has every one of my steps planned out. He's a good God.

SO

SO. I'm in my new apartment, 3/4 of the way through November, and loving every minute. Back to that November part, I cannot even believe that this month has passed so quickly. Did we even have October? Christmas is coming...only 17 more school days, in fact. Then it's on to Taiwan for some fun in the sun Christmas style, and then on to Detroit for the much anticipated nuptials of my sister! Someone recently called me crazy for doing so much in 2 weeks, and I might be crazy. Crazy excited! Sure, jet lag might be my best friend during that time, but it's worth it. I was going back to past Christmas traditions, and I was thinking how strange it will be to spend Christmas in a Taiwanese hostel where the weather is 70 degrees and there isn't the hustle and bustle of Christmas shoppers and dazzling trees everywhere. I think it will be awesome! I'll miss my family, though, but we'll be together soon.

School has been going really well! I got a new student who has extremely low English. My other students are all excellent English speakers, and it makes it difficult to have two completely different levels. The new boy is very smart and super precious! I know in time he'll learn quickly and improve leaps and bounds. I'll just keep working with him.

We were reviewing States and Capitals recently.

Me: "What's the capital of Hawaii."

Student 1: "Honolulu!"

Student 2: "That's where Obama was born. Or so he SAYS, but I think he's lying."

We recently celebrated the birthday of my new student. The mother had brought chicken, pizza, oranges, kimbap, juice, soda, and a cake (a feast!!) The kids had just finished eating their pizza, and some had started on their chicken. There were two plates left so one of the boys went over and brought both plates with him.

Boy 1: "Which plate of chicken do you want?"

Boy 2: "JOY. I left the bigger one for you."

JOY means Jesus Others You. I taught the kids that a while back, and I was so happy that they were not only listening and remembered it, but I've seen them put it into practice. Sometimes they struggle back and forth with what they want to do and what they know would be putting others first, but they always choose others. I'm so happy to see God working in their lives.

When I was in school and report card time rolled around, I always got 3 (1=highest, 3=lowest) in "cheerful prompt obedience." I shared that with my students because we all have trouble obeying at times, some more than others. They were surprised, but I'm human too. We looked up "prompt" in the dictionary, I one of the boys summarized it as, "obeying right away with a happy heart." Pretty good! We call it CPO now. It goes well with JOY, DIC (due in class), RO (rip out), RB (reading buddies), and our various hand signals for "repeat", "bathroom", and others.

I got back into beading. I found out that Esther loves to bead, and that fueled my fire. I also discovered that the wife of another teacher also enjoys it. I found that I can go to this massive underground shopping place where they have loooong necklaces for a dollar, buy a bunch, and then take them apart and use the beads for all sorts of new projects. It's MUCH cheaper than buying individual beads!! Anyways, that my new hobby too.

I learned how to make this yummy cinnamon tea using fresh cinnamon sticks (I'm never going back to powder) and ginger root. A perfect fall/winter warm up! When I was making it, I discovered that I in fact have an electric burner! I grew up with electric burners, but since being here and using a gas oven, I've gotten so used to it that I forgot how easy an electric one is. WOW! I just turn the dial and BAM! :) Granted, I only have one and no oven, but it's better than nothing. They thought of everything in this apartment. The kitchen sink even has a pulley-outey thing. Not sure what it's called. There's a hanging drying rack, built in closets and desk, a fridge, and it's just really really nice. God has totally blessed me with this apart.

The other day I decided to give my students a short break because they had been working hard all day, and I felt like they were fading. I hardly every give breaks...maybe never, except recess and lunch of course...anyways, they looked at me with quizzical looks.

Me: "I'm going to give you a five minute break to walk around and talk and stretch."

Student: "Really?"

Me: *laugh* "Yes. YOu better start before the time runs out."

a few minutes later...

Student: "I'm not sure what I think of this. I think maybe you're testing us."

Of course I died laughing. Later on they were working on a worksheet. I don't usually let them talk because then they don't get their work done. I decided to allow them to talk because the worksheet was basically just coloring the different regions of the U.S.

Me: "You may talk while you work as long as you don't get distracted and keep working."

Student: "Miss Janke! Why are you letting us talk and have break time? I really think you're testing us and I'm kind of nervous!"

Me: "Ok." *chuckled*

They didn't know what to think. It was pretty great.

One girl walked up to us at lunch, said "my tooth is very loose," touched the tooth and surprised us all when it fell out as if on command. We laughed, and she was shocked because it started to bleed. I'm not sure what she was expecting...glitter to fall out or something?

The 4th grade class was learning about plants and how they need carbon dioxide to grow. The teacher came across one boy breathing on the plants.

Teacher: "What are you doing?"

Student: "I'm helping his plant grow. It needs help because it's very small."

I love kids and their logic!!

I forgot how cold winter can be. I haven't pulled out my winter coat yet. I read that it's snowing in some places in the U.S. I'd like to be in Taiwan right now where it's sometimes in the 80's and 90's. Ahh sun!

^"27But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; ²⁸God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, ²⁹so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. ³⁰And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, ³¹so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:27-31

BECAUSE OF HIM

Because of Jesus I was found in my sin

Brought to a cleansing stream and washed from within

Because of my great God I stand on a solid Rock

I have new life and it's all because of Him

Because of Him, I am saved

Redeemed, made new, and justified

Because of Him, I cannot boast

Except in Christ the crucified

I find the strength to fight

My hope in life

The peace I cannot understand

In Him

Because my Savior loved me more than His life

Unconditional, He bore the cross for me

He knew how I would sin and went there anyways

I'll never die and it's all because of Him

I recently experience deja vu, and it brought my mind spiritual deja vu. You know, when you sin, ask forgiveness, and then ask God to help you defeat that sin. Then later on, you commit the same sin and repeat the process. It brings to mind the thought, "I've been here before." Spiritual deja vu. Only this kind is real, not simply an imagined thought. It's one thing to ask God for forgiveness and help. It's another thing to actually take and put on the armor of God, daily, hourly, even minute by minute if need be ask God to help you fight Satan and his attacks, and consciously think about the right. I've had too many times where I've experience spiritual deja vu, and I for one would like to get rid of that and start taking up the armor of God.

^"10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. ¹²For 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. ¹³Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. ¹⁴Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. ¹⁶In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; ¹⁷and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, ¹⁸praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints," Ephesians 6:10-18

Here are some pictures of my new place. Peace!