Coming Around The Mountains...

Korea is a very mountainous country. That is according to me, a Midwesterner.  If you grew up in Colorado, you would probably only call the Korean countryside hilly.  As of right now, I am a week and a half into the 2012-2013 school year and have been in Korea almost one month. Time flies! This past week has been full of mountains both literally and figuratively.  

The theme of my first day of school speech was that to be successful in life (or in math classes) there is a series of walls or mountains that one must overcome.  I want to teach my students math and how to be successful.  How foolish it was of me to not consider that I would encounter my own mountains to overcome.  Praise God that He is standing at the bottom giving me a boost up, beside to me to guide my next step, and at the top to reach down a helping hand.

Looking back on the week, I had some lessons that totally flopped and others that went great!  In the course of three 44-minute periods, I find myself going from the mountain top to the valley and back up again and again, all before I eat lunch! Emotionally, it is exhausting.  Professionally, I have plenty of opportunities to reflect on my practice.  :)

One bunny hill I have overcome is to learn all my students by name.  I will probably still mix a few up here and there, but for the most part it is easier than I expected to differentiate my students.  Each of my students and classes have a special place in my heart, already.

The Lord is teaching me that through times that are rough and times that are marvelous, He is still the same.  The message of the gospel remains constant:  it is because of love He has redeemed us, and we are called to follow His example to show mercy and love to others.  I need to preach the truth to myself as much as (or more than) to others.

Not only have I encountered mountains personally and at school, but also physically, in my workouts.  Two ladies from the office at school, my roommate and I went hiking up a mountain yesterday in the rain.  We had a wonderful time.  I apologize for not remembering to take my camera to capture the beautiful view from the top.  Today I went back to the same area and ran a similar trail.  The incline was killing my legs and my pace,  but when I finally reached the top and had recovery time on the downhill I felt a sense of accomplishment and will be stronger because of it.  Oh how I can't wait for the recovery time for my whole being on the mountains I am currently facing.

We are all climbing mountains and the following is my prayer for you and for me.   Pray for pure joy when we face mountains of various kinds because the testing of our faith produces steadfastness.  Pray that when I and others fall into the valleys, we turn to the Lord for hope.  When we are going uphill and want to give  up, He is our strength.   Praise God for the successes of reaching the summit.