We're Graduating

{50/366 - Graduation}

Here's most of my class. One girl couldn't make it and another was late. I can't believe my time with them is up! It was pretty emotional. I'll remember these kids and this experience forever. It changed my life. Who knew that teaching English would have such a strong impact on one's life... sigh. 

Some kids were pretty emotional while others had no reaction. It was really moving to see young children become emotional about saying goodbye. 

While it was an emotional and sad day, it was also a really good day. I'm really thankful for my managers, my co-workers and all the students I worked with. Normally when a chapter in my life is ending I end up feeing some regret for all my inadequacies. This time, I felt confident in everything I had done. No use in filling your head up with regrets. I'm looking forward to what is to come :)

Last day of work ended with a pizza party, my final pay cheque and a severance pay ^^ along with awesome gifts from my students' parents. 

Now I'm off to Singapore for 5 days! 

Last Day of Teaching

{49/366 - Phileo Love}

It was our last day of class today! Rather than doing work, we ended up playing a lot. We spent time practicing our graduation song for about an hour and then we ended with a final game of dodgeball with the students against the teachers. Here I caught Rina and Jenny being really loving with each other. I loved that every student in my class loved and liked each other. Phileo love is brotherly, friendship love. It was definitely seen in my class everyday. 

little jenny

{48/366 - jenny and me}

Here I am with my little Jenny. I'm starting to say my goodbyes. I don't know if they fully comprehend that it'll be rare that I'll see them again. This makes me really sad. Who knew that seeing them almost every day for a week would get me so attached. Tomorrow is our last day of teaching and then Friday we have graduation. I can't wait to be free but I'm going to miss my kids terribly. This was taken by my co-teacher Hannah.   

Cloud-Like Cake

{48/366 - Cloud-Like Cake}

Rina's dad brought our class a cake. It was a surprise since we didn't have any reason to have cake. It was delicious. Normally I don't like cake but this was really nice. It was delicate and fluffy. Most cakes tend to be too heavy, but I felt like I was eating clouds! Look at Rina looking at her cake. 

For MY Good

As a Christian I often heard the words, "It's not about you, it's about God." What does that really mean?

Romans 8:28, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" tells me otherwise. It is about me. My Father in heaven works for my good. He wants the best for me. Even with 7 billion others on this earth, God orchestrates everything so that things go well for ME. This is pretty tough to swallow since I've always been told that it's not about me. How can it be about me when I'm not perfect and have so much to work on. Yet, it is about me. It's about me because I am His dearly beloved. It's about me because I am created in HIS image. It's about me because I am his daughter. It's about me because I am his bride, the one he shed his blood for. It's about me because Christ lives in me which is the hope of GLORY. His glory is manifested in ME so it has to be about me. When it is about me it becomes all about the Lord. I used to have this terrible view of God. I was suspicious of his provision for me and really believed that I didn't deserve anything good in my life. This is NOT true!

It sounds a bit ludicrous but I find this truth to be liberating. It's about me because I am no longer me. It's a paradox. When there is less of me, there is more of Him. When good happens to me, it automatically means good will happen to those around me. It isn't selfish to want blessings in my life because it will naturally flow into my relationships and the different settings I enter into.

Run with this. We don't have to remain in a place of false humility and defeat. This truth tears down all kinds of anxiety, fear and uncertainty. It gives me hope and a new passion to live.

Matthew 11:11

I tell you the truth: 

Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

5th Last Day

{47/366 - hula hooper}

It was my 5th last day with the kids. I have a countdown. I'll miss them, but I'm also ready to be done!

Here's Belle NOT hula hooping. I love when kids are missing their teeth and they're laughing. I know they're insecure about missing their teeth because they won't smile when you ask them to, but they have no shame when they're laughing. It's great

The students made their own popsicles. Here is Jenny going in for a bite into her popsicle. 

Just Do It

Just do it. These three simple yet powerful words have been guiding me for the past few months. I actually wrote a blog post on my tumblr about a month ago on how I don't want to be a dreamer anymore but I want to be a doer. Dreaming makes you think you're doing something, but you're not. You're not going anywhere unless you DO something.

Marcus really confirmed so many things for me tonight. I'm currently living in Seoul right now and I've been here for technically 2.5 years. I'm going home to Canada in 3 weeks. I have no idea what awaits me, but I'm really excited. Terrified and excited at the same time. I've got an open road ahead of me. As scary as it is, I know it's going to be a beautiful journey.

In his sermon, Marcus shared with us three keys that would allow us to create and recreate the truth and love of God in our everyday lives. He redefined what it means to be creative.

1. Receive your inheritance. 
We need to be in a place where we receive words of life. A place where we are being guided by those who are wise and mature. That would mean to be in submission to someone else other than me. We love independence. We think we know it all, but that's may be the biggest red flag to the terrible truth that you may not know it all. Wisdom and truth from a mentor is so necessary. It's a humbling place to be at, but a place where life flows.

2. Beware and stay away from the pitfalls such as fear
Fear limits us from trying anything. We dream something for 2 minutes and then fear destroys it. Fear keeps that dream far away. It'll never be a reality because we give too much control to our fears rather than controlling that fear.  When we have the first key, we should know that we are in a completely safe place.

3. Be Willing to JUST DO IT!
This is so obvious. We have to just do it. We need to take small simple steps. Not doing anything doesn't take us anywhere. How does a song get produced? The artist sits down, jots down a few words here and there, plays around with different melodies and BAM, you've got beautiful music. My small steps will take me higher. These small steps will let others take giant leaps into their own destiny.

Hold onto these three keys and you'll do great things in your life; things you thought you could only dream of. With these three keys we're going to change the world. No more of the same ol' same ol'. The worlds needs for us to be creative! Go and just do it!

Isaiah 43:9

See, I am doing a new thing! 

   Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? 

I am making a way in the wilderness 

   and streams in the wasteland.