Beth

This site may be to promote some of the Bay Area's local artists who sing and play music (guitar).

So here they are!  Hannah Ford http://www.hannahford.com/       
                              Justin McRoberts http://www.justinmcroberts.com
                              Sherri Youngward http://www.sherriyoungward.com/

An excerpt from Outreach International:

"In September 2000, the United Nations adopted the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) a list of eight global priorities to be accomplished by the year 2015 in order to make the world a more livable place for everyone. Goal number eight is to develop a global partnership for development. This means building links between people and institutions from all sectors of society in order to build a better world."

Here are the goals of the United Nations: http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/

"We will have time to reach the Millennium Development Goals – worldwide and in most, or even all, individual countries – but only if we break with business as usual.
We cannot win overnight. Success will require sustained action across the entire decade between now and the deadline. It takes time to train the teachers, nurses and engineers; to build the roads, schools and hospitals; to grow the small and large businesses able to create the jobs and income needed. So we must start now. And we must more than double global development assistance over the next few years. Nothing less will help to achieve
the Goals."

United Nations Secretary-General

This is one of the main reasons I believe, support and love education. I have been discouraged, disappointed and bewildered at my own journey regarding involuntary or vouluntary poverty. I am tired of working all these jobs, I am spoiled and yearn for a life of ease. So what if I had to pay for my education. I am over it. Do you know who inspires me? These kids who want to be out of poverty. What does that look like? Learning to read and write, doing what you can...

Here is to say that you don't suck at life, because there are obstacles to overcome.  There are challenges we face as human beings to be well...human.  Enter: God.  He fills, never destroys.  He validates... then solidifies (what has gone to mush such as a dream)  He melts that which has been hardened over.  He can (heal) and will do what he has promised. 

The idea of being used by God....I must say that he is fighting for me to want to be used for his pleasure.  Like a flower is not merely used, but enjoyed.  A relationship can be enjoyed through play.  I have been working with 4 year olds just diagnosed with Autism spectrum disorder, I caught God's vision from working on the "other" transition age going from school to a job, and the need for early intervention in the just being diagnosed with the disorder, wild huh??..Enter: Shadelands Preschool...If you aren't familiar with the Autism disorder, if it is somewaht of an enigma to you, well it is, but here are some web definitions...

affects three crucial areas of development: communication, social interaction, and creative or imaginative play
 

form of pervasive developmental disorder with an unknown origin

A probably genetic condition in which a person is dis-associated from the reality around them

is a bioneurological disorder, not a mental illness, which affects the functioning of the brain

In other words, they are in their own world, they have no "filter".   External stimuli is hitting at them all at once without any organization of where to connect with it all.  Some students hear everything and then repeat it in a sing songy voice, other see eveything , like the fan moving and can't focus on anything else that is in front of them.

 I have been blessed to work at the preschool where 9 or so kids come through everyday, their ages are around 4 or 5.  There is a saying on a poster I read at teacher Phylis's class, another class with kids with the same level  of development:  "Just because someone can't speak doesn't mean they don't have anything to say."  I have learned the value of bonding, of attachment, of need to express desire, of order, of routine, and repitition, to complete the communication process.  There is always an exchange of information going on.  There is never a dull moment.  Keiko says she would make all the assistants not talk.  That was a huge problem these lst two weeks with a sub teacher coming in.  I got scratched up pretty bad from one of our students because the pace was dragging for these kiids who need structure.  Their minds cannot focus on one thing and when they can't filter, they act out for attention.  One of those ways is screaming, the other kicking...natural progression of just not being up to their speed.  I am afraid to say that it is so hard to be in a classroom where there is this awakening of learning going on, and other times this heart breaking lack of support of missed opportunity...lack of planning, thought, or knowledge...ultimately passion, heart, or committment.  I think I am just tires, and a little disappointed that I see this stuff...I could probably be a catalyst for change, or just step back and let others learn the process that I see and move on from there.  I may be in the wrong field.  It is crazy how much I have seen in these kids, the social, the emotional journey in just 7 months.  A student who just played with one car, isolated in his own world...now interacting with his classmates, totally engaged in playful activities, just today was laying in the plastic pool, while another was pouring water on him, both laughing, I also said good-bye to him on the bus, his eyes fully on me, another one smiling and saying, "Good-bye"...sigh...those moments...utterly sweet.  There has been this intervention that has taken place, a history changing to how these children will be able to interact depite their diagnosis I feel.  I feel that the brain is so moldable anfd fresh at this age, that anything is possble to learn, despite their genetic inheritance!  I think God has just given me a glimpse of how he can heal, and how he knows us so radically, that we are so much alive, we can overcome obstacles.  These kids laugh at each other, make jokes to us and use our names...they sing at circle, they play tickle monster, they wait in line, and eat heartily their favorite subject in school: Lunch! 

I am thankful for this insight, and am thankful that one of our other teachers is coming back on Monday.  Whew! 

 God Bless all 

My heart goes out to the man who has done so much for God. 

Some interesting thoughts about life: taken from Relevant magazine, one of my favorite pieces of literature

 Writer, pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in his journal only a few weeks before being executed by the Nazis,

“I have seen an end to everything, but your way is very wide.” He believed that when we take the steps to do justice and peace, God’s way widens and leads us out of the present horror and hopelessness.

More from a different article, but just as good...

"Loneliness plagues our culture and its effects can be seen all around us. Whenever we face the valley of loneliness, we often falter under the pressure. In a trying time, we often collapse under the stress and feel abandoned. Instead of being strong and staying disciplined, we often are influenced by our emotions and feelings. As an emotional tide seems to flood our hearts and minds, we often forget the simple truths that can rescue us and help bring healing to our lives."

"We can also rely on God’s love and help to get us through. David went on to write in Psalm 42:8, “By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me?a prayer to the God of my life.” Even in the midst of loneliness and pain, God directs His love toward us. He gives us His peace and presence in the midst of turmoil and confusion. When our tears fall, and we have questions that don’t have answers, we can cling to Jesus who is faithful and true. "  

More... taken AGAIN from: 

The Paradox of Passion

The past year of my life has been pivotal, to say the least. I could fill space listing off all the things I’ve done, missed, failed, achieved…but that is quite honestly not the point. It’s not about me or what I think I know of life. It’s about the One who has so delicately woven together this existence (more so, this coexistence) called humanity. The lessons to be learned in His grand design are innumerable, so I hope to share one small piece of what He is saying.

Allow me to begin with a realization I had as I spoke with a good friend recently. In my recently completed college degree, the classes I worked hardest at ended up being the ones in which I received a B. It puzzled me for a while, even troubled and disheartened me. These are the milestone classes in my collegiate career. Shouldn’t I be getting an A every time? Shouldn’t I be excellent at what I’m passionate about? And that’s just it…passion does not automatically equal excellence. Passion is a volatile thing. (defined below)

Excellence is difficult to achieve. Being human makes the process messy. And we often learn a great lesson through trying and failing in some way or another than by trying and succeeding the first time. Though I worked countless hours and lost sleep over some of my passionate endeavors, it didn’t mean I received the grade or result I feel I earned.

Sometimes what God is trying to teach us is this: in the end, the grade (or whatever method of judgment is in place) is arbitrary. The experience gained and lessons learned are the true things of value. How many years did I spend troubling over a letter on a piece of paper to determine my progress? And how many times do I apply this same paradigm to my life outside of academia?

Life’s richest experiences are anything but cut and dry. There is no formula for how to do this thing called life. All we know is that we are to do it together. The Bible instructs us over and over again through the stories of ordinary people like Moses, Esther, Nehemiah and David. We see God’s glory and power displayed through the acts of the heroes of our Christian faith.

Hebrews 12:1 tells us of a cloud of witnesses that surrounds us as we run this race. We follow in a legacy of unspeakable power and grace. We were meant to follow through on God’s calling in our lives, even if it sometimes means going against the grain of our culture or taking a risk. The example we follow is that of paradox, faith, trust in God and so many other dynamics of this upside down Kingdom.

Too many days we are caught up in meeting an expectation—be it spoken or unspoken. In light of understanding my own passions and seeing how those who have gone before accomplished their callings, I must ask myself often what really drives me. Is it fear? Passion? Eternity? Faith? Many days it chalks up to approval, validation, success. But ultimately, I rest in the fact that God knows my heart. Beneath all the surface desires and distractions I battle each day, He sees my deeply rooted motivation. It is to know Him and be known by Him…and to bring others into the folds of His Kingdom.

Volatile: vol·a·tile (vŏl'ə-tl, -tīl')
adj.

1. Chemistry.
2. 1. Evaporating readily at normal temperatures and pressures.
   2. That can be readily vaporized.
   3. Tending to vary often or widely, as in price: the ups and downs of volatile stocks.
   4. Inconstant; fickle: a flirt's volatile affections.
   5. Lighthearted; flighty: in a volatile mood.
   6. Ephemeral; fleeting.
3. Tending to violence; explosive: a volatile situation with troops and rioters eager for a confrontation.
4. Flying or capable of flying; volant.

[French, from Old French, from Latin volātilis, flying, from volātus, past participle of volāre, to fly.]

Hello! 

Whether you have a large or small family it is a time to celebrate what the Lord has given.  I realize that this life is getting shorter and I want to be open to new relationships, a bigger life that God can only give.  If it was up to me I think I woould want to be alone in the wilderness isolated from the world.  THANKFULLY God has picked me up and braught me to others to commune with and to learn from.  I love my shelter, Seven Pillars, and Concord Bible families.  It may be a time for me to be that pursuer, to love more, and as a friend would say "if at all else do it for yourself" regarding blessing others.

 I am thankful for:

Our team has raised 5k for all of our tickets!  We will be having a Benefit Concert on December 8th, 2006 at Valley Christian Church to believe God for 8k for ministry and travel expenses.  Thank you for all of your prayers.

People that know me better than myself, believe in me, and ENCOURAGE me, despite my feeling of lack of self-worth. I only ask for God to keep showing me himself and to live fully in him.

Pray that I can be bold in my giftings, especially intercession, teaching, or playing guitar...

Lord thank you for this day, you have made it...wisely.  You provide energy to go through our day, through food, music to worship you, through the sunshine to see that also brings us nourishment.  Thank you for my job that I can see so many different people that are trying to make a difference in the public education system.  I love the people that are in my life.  I yearn for your love , you are my life...

Today I met a nurse who too thought he was called to missions and God has shown him that he needed to be a missionary wherever he was...he told me he was scared of money and now he is on his way to being a millionaire.  Crazy! 

I realize that I may be a woman of few words.  Please pray for encouragement in my life.  So far it is showing up in peculiar ways, through friendships.  I always thought I would see it in this blog, through my family, through going on a mission trip, little do I know that God has other  plans.  He always does...

I got my shots tonight for Uganda...all covered through my basic health care at the County Hospital.  Living by faith and not sight has really been stretching for me.  In more ways than one, through relating, through Uganda, and through my job...I only ask that God will show himself to me and prove he is bigger than all of these things. 

beth

Today was cute.  I laughed at Trader Joe's labels to myself, something about specific eggs that involved a rooster, saying, "We don't actually know if hanky panky was involved" (I LOVE that place), had exactly 17 in cash and my groceries came out to $16.90, AND my car made it to Hayward and back.  This week was my first week after my long term assignment at Concord High finished.  I was at Highlands Elementary in a 2nd and 3rd grade resource class.  I am not a fan of resource as much as I am with severe handicapped because of Cappernaum Young Life.  Yet, I am open to new things and am learning, such as humility, bc I miss Keiko's class.  I miss my routine and just getting to know the students from her class (I was there since the beginning of the year!).  I am still waiting to see about Uganda.  We shall see.  I learned that my parent's house got broken into, and their computer and digital camera were stolen.  Can you say-opposition? The computer has a warranty though-whew!  The digital does not.   bum deal fer sure.  

Things I love lately:  worship music, dsl, my house, my parents, wool socks, down comforters, Trader Joe's, hikes with Keiko and the dogs on Mt. Wanda, tye-dyed dishwashing gloves from the dollar tree,  Barlow Girl, Ellen and Allison from The West Wing competing against each other, Shelter and 7 Pillars peeps...