Freeeeeeedom!!!!

[SIGH]. In the words (or should I say word?) of William Wallace, “Freeeeeeedom!” I am done. Well, I’m not really done, but in my opinion, I’m done with the most exhausting/draining part of the year: I’m done teaching, I’m done giving finals, and I’m even done correcting all of my finals. I don’t even have to go into school for my regular 3 hour Saturday morning planning time! Did you hear that? Yep, me too… that was the pool beckoning me to come for a visit both tomorrow and Saturday morning since I don’t have anything planned/work to do! Pretty sure I will be obedient to the calling. :)

Anyway, even though I’m done with finals, the journey doesn't end there. On Monday morning I will depart for Kao Yai (3 hours north of Bangkok) with 90 some freshman for their 4-day SALT trip (serving and learning together). Despite being officially named a “chaperone,” I think it will be pretty laid back since most of the activities that we will be doing are led by either an organization or our students. The only thing that I have to prepare is my testimony on the topic of overcoming obstacles. I say that my testimony is the “only thing” I have to prepare, but it is definitely weighing on my heart. Please pray for me as I continue to seek what God wants me to share with them, and pray that God would continue to soften and prepare their hearts for all the things that they are going to experience and take in during their trip.

It’s hard to believe that our first year at ICS is nearing an end. As I reflect upon the year, I have to admit that it’s been quite the challenging year. As much as I have loved my students and returning to the high school arena, I am thankful that it is nearly over. This year, more than any other, has sapped all of my energy. I don’t know if it was the hot weather or all the crazy things that have gone on here: H1N1, flooding, political unrest, a car bomb exploding just a block away from where we live. Or maybe it was the cultural adjustment to both Thailand and ICS, the transition into being an AP teacher, getting older and feeling like I have less energy, losing my passion for teaching. I don’t know, but I am hoping that next year won’t feel quite as tumultuous as this year did, or else I don’t think I will last too much longer as a teacher! From the sounds of it though, I’m definitely not the only one that feels this way; veteran ICS teachers have expressed the same turbulent feelings, which in a way, is kind of comforting.

Despite how crazy of a year it has been, despite how many times during the year I briefly contemplated never teaching again, despite briefly wondering if we were where we are supposed to be, despite how much I hate having to have my “A-game” on at 7:22 in the morning, at 11:10 today when the last final of the week was over and I heard high school kids running up and down the hallways yelling, “Freedom,” I couldn’t help but wonder how many of those kids really even know what real freedom is? And I’m not just talking about freedom from school or slavery. I’m talking about freedom from enslavement to sin, freedom from condemnation, death, hell and Satan. It was in that moment that God graciously reminded me of His purpose in calling us here (despite how crazy it has been), why I’m a teacher, why I’m in Thailand, why I’m going on this SALT trip, why I was asked to share my testimony, and what my purpose here on earth is.

So yeah. Things have been crazy and the devil certainly is excellent at planting seeds of doubt and worry in my head. But God is good and as He so graciously reminded me today, He has us here not because of anything we’ve done, not because He needs us to be His hands and feet, but simply because He desires to use us as His vessels for our good and for His glory. All I have to do is be willing and obedient. So here I am Lord… because I want others to experience the freedom and joy that I have in you.

Are you free? If not, I would love to talk to you about Jesus.