What laughing does for your soul...

This morning a woke up in a daze, a funk, overwhelmed....with about 8 hours of sleep over the last few days total...I was not overjoyed to roll out of bed at 5:40 this morning to get prepared for my Thursday morning girls group at 6:15, but I went through the motions of getting ready...getting there...yadadiyadadi....I'm not sure why I get surprised to find that in community I find refreshment, a gift....it doesn't mean that everything else that is crazy in the world isn't occurring in my life and all around me, but it does give me a way to embrace the mixture of things in life that come my way. In community, unity is beautiful even in the pain of whoever is suffering at the moment. I love to watch the building of the body.

So on my way back to campus this morning...I was having a great conversation with my friend...as she's driving we make a turn....and a pan goes clunkittyclunk and she makes some funny remark about it....but in the meantime I look over at her and say, "You totally just ran a red light..." In shock, that she was totally oblivious to the red arrow she drove past...in the midst of the interesting series of events...we laughed for a good while that my friend had payed more attention to the pan laughing at its clanking sounds than the street light....anyways it was the best dose of medicine a girl can get...well at least for this rainy autumn day. :)

I'm going to have a day and be at peace...Relief in the storm

Summer Lovin'

I am excited to think about teaching in the future. What a wonderful new dream that has been placed on my heart. I can't think of anything more enjoyable than working with Indonesian students for my TESOL practicum. There is such a joy and life among these students. I miss the bursts of laughter from these little ones. 

They are such a wonderful group of laughing and smiling kids...

and I see so much potential and life with each one of these kids. 

Above: I got to take photos with each class at this primary school I visited a few times while living with a family in Madiun in East Java. The girl in the red outfit, is Titis and I had the privilege of tutoring her a bit, she is bright and I know could change this world! 

Bottom photo: I remember meeting with a group of teachers in Madiun and these students were bursting at the door seams. I couldn't resist and I left the teachers to Mike and joined the children...at first they appeared malu (shy) but they warmed up to this silly bule (white person) and enjoyed running in and out of my photos! 

What a peaceful though to think that I get to go back to this land of familiar laughter...though I was there such a short time, I feel such a connection with the people and Indonesian way of life. I'm ready to continue exploring the many islands, faces, and cultures of Indonesia.