Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

kol 9am w inta bachair (or something like that anyway)

I ran into this Christmas vacation like a freight train suddenly skidding off the tracks. I went from being unbelievably busy to having nothing to do. It was difficult at first, but now I've settled quite nicely. I have another week before I have to start thinking about going back to school.

Christmas Eve we went to Bethlehem, of course. What else would we have done? I'm sorry to say that I don't have any pictures to show you. I haven't been in the picture-taking mood lately.

I've received some very good news as of late, which makes me very happy. Pardon me for being so vague, but I'm not in the habit of disclosing very good news on the internet for fear of stealing someone's thunder. Mabrook (Congrats) to all involved, and for the rest of you, you'll find out soon enough.

When 2007 rolled around I was very excited about it, and rightly so, for it was a very good year. I'm a bit wary of 2008. I'm not sure why. I have a lot of uncertainties about what direction I'm headed in, and I feel...conflicted. I guess it's a growing season. Perhaps I will be pushed out of the nest once again. Should I make New Year's resolutions?

I'm going back to Bethlehem or Beit lahem for New Year's eve. That should be fun. Perhaps I'll take pictures...


I found this friend in Galilee. He came as far as I did. :)

I felt an earthquake the night before last. It was awesome. It rattled the windows and lasted for just a second. Now all I need is to see a tornado form in the sky and I'll feel complete.

We had a wonderful thanksgiving. All the teachers got together, Arab and American (even a couple Koreans and Columbians), and we shared a huge dinner. Everything you could want was there; all the traditional fare, and Arabic food as well. If I may brag for a moment, I do believe my sweet potato souffle was the most popular dish by far. It's nice to be able to share our very American holiday with others. At least it gives us a chance to eat together.

I am so thankful for so many things: for the chance to be doing what I'm doing; for my friends who are my lifeline, and without whom I could not be who I am; for every one of my students; my family (and the fact that my brother is here with me). I'm thankful for trivial things as well, like my hair, and chocolate, and the new clothes I got for my birthday.

Thinking about being thankful reminds me of how much I fall short in this area, how little I show God how much I love him. Not only am I incapable of showing enough gratitude, but I seem to forget most of the time, too. I am very thankful for my God who loves me despite how miserable of a person I am.

It seems that some people are coming my way soon, and there are some things that I would love to have brought to me. Maybe you're feeling extra generous this Christmas season, and would like to give me one of these things. Then you could give it to Alli, and she would make sure it would get to me. I would really appreciate it. :) Then maybe I could send you a little something special from the Holy Land!

The List:
Good Earth Tea (from Trader Joe's)
B & B Works Warm Vanilla Sugar lotion
brown paper lunch bags (for spirit bags)
albacore tuna in the foil packs
Hershey's kisses and assorted christmas candy
apple cider mix (packets)
Paul for Everyone/Tom Wright books (used, borrowed until next summer, I don't care)



I also have a couple of bigger, more odd requests. I mentioned that I make spirit bags for the sports players. (They've never gotten anything like this before.) Our mascot is the Yellow Jacket. You live in Atlanta (probably). You have a lot of Yellow Jacket stuff around you. I would love to get about 35-40 of the "Buzz" yellow jacket tattoos for the basketball players. They would have to be just the jacket, no Ga Tech logo on them, or anything. They are probably expensive. Maybe you could join forces.

Also, I have a weekly Bible study for jr. high girls, and lately we've been going over what it means to be beautiful, inside and out. I thought, with my connections, it would be great to get them each a lip gloss from MAC for Christmas. I'm pretty sure Yesenia could help me out with this (though I haven't asked her yet!) There are about 10 of them, and I would want them to get close to the same color. I was going to pay for them myself, but if someone would like to help, that would be awesome.

OK. I've exhausted myself. :) Now on to grade papers!

p.s. love you!

I suck at blogging. I pretty much suck at keeping in touch with people. I'm sorry friends. I love you lots and lots. I just don't think about writing.

My favorite cut his wrist at the soccer game sunday. He fell on a broken bottle while fooling around on the sidelines. (too much trash in this country) It scared me to death. (Not that it's about me.) He almost lost movement in two of his fingers, but they fixed them. He's home now. I got to see him smile tonight, and that made everything better.

I miss you all so much.

It's the end of a short vacation. Back to school tomorrow! I feel pretty good about it.

Ramadan is officially over, which means that we go back to a full school day and I'm allowed to drink in the classroom. Yaaaay! I can have my coffee again! Also the longer periods mean that I might actually get to cover everything in class that I want to.

Right now, I'm in the middle of making spirit bags for our soccer players. Do you remember those from high school? We used to make them in the marching band. (Yes, I said marching band.) These kids have never had anything like spirit bags before, let alone any school spirit, so we're changing that this year. I'll post a picture when they're done.

I'm working on getting a newsletter out. Or rather, I'm thinking about it. I know I need to do a better job of letting everyone know what's going on, especially so you can pray!

I've had a little dilemna lately with high school boys flirting with me. Now, if you know me, you know that I smile/laugh at just about anything. Let me tell you, this does not help the situation. It is serious, because it could become a bigger problem if my reputation is marred in any way. But for now I have a lot of good laughs (once I'm at home). Some of my favorite quotes:

"Do you love me, miss? I'm thinking about dumping my girlfriend."

"Will you go to the banquet with me? .....You'll change your mind once you see my BMW."

"I wish I was born five years ago." (Which, ironically, would put them right in my fave age bracket. :)

"My uncle married a girl 12 years older than him."

This one takes the cake: "I'm going to georgia. Everything's hot in Georgia."

I recently gave most of my belongings away. I have some stuff here, in Jerusalem, and I have a few special belongings left in various places around the U.S. of A. But the point is, I own very little, and that makes me very happy.

On the other hand, I spent a lot of money on new clothes this summer. They really are cheaper and much better quality in America than they are here. "Dressing the part" helps you act the part, too. When you dress professionally, then somehow, magically, your persona is changed into someone much more efficient than slouchy, jeans-and-a-tshirt you. They've done studies on this, you know. (And it does make me so happy to look in my closet and see all the pretty things to wear.)

I've recently discovered that my 10th grade students really like me. They've told other teachers and the secretary that I'm a good teacher and I explain everything really well in class. (You don't know how much this thrills me!) I've also found out that they watch everyday to see what I'm wearing. Apparently they like my style. How cute is that?

The thing is, the fact that they like my clothes makes me more relatable. There are, of course, many other ways to relate to students. But the point is that those clothes, that can seem so frivolous at times, are actually aiding my ministry somehow.

Please don't misunderstand me. I know there are countless ways to read this. My point is that there is a balance to everything. It is honorable to live with almost nothing to your name, but sometimes it's not. Sometimes God wants us to have things in order to use them for his glory. (I'm trying to figure out how I can convince him that I could really use a new black macbook for his glory.)

Here is a conversation you can have no where else:

Where is that other mall? You know the one down where what'sit was born.

Moses?....No, no. Elijah?

Was it Elijah?......No, John the Baptist!

Yes, John the Baptist.
What is the name of that mall?


I taught school today, and tutored, and then had an arabic lesson. Not to mention preparing for class tomorrow. Busy day.

Yesterday we went up to Galilee. It was too hot, and not that exciting, but it was nice to be able to show my brother new things. It is beautiful up there.

I'm tired. Good tired, though.

Before we get too far away from it, I want to tell you a little bit about my summer. I was able to do many of the things that were on "the list".

Six Flags twice! (Thanks alli and kevin!)
Went on a road trip (with my grandpa, from MI to TN)
I had a very patriotic 4th (including a lake, a boat, amazing friends, hot dogs with all the fixin's, fire works and fire crackers, singing "God Bless America" at the top of our lungs, listened to Leonard Skynard on the radio, and just a bit of sun burn.)
Ate good food (including taco bell)
I did go out with friends (and did a tiny bit of dancing)
I saw an old friend and a new friend play their sweet music (Meagan Coffee and Tyler Lyle)
I did not raise money (oh well)

The best things were not on the list. I got to spend time with the most amazing people on earth. I made new friends, the rare kind that I would actually like to keep for a very long time. (You know, I say they're rare, but I seem to have a lot of them.) I learned a lot about relationships and a lot about myself. I invested in people, and they invested in me. There was some reconciliation, some healing, some releasing.

I saw a store in Mount Pleasant, MI called Assmann's flooring and rugs.

It doesn't get any better than that.

I walked into my 10th grade World History class, and it all came together. Everything. I am a teacher. I mean, I really, finally, feel like a teacher. All the hours I put into preparation, all of the time I invest in the kids is actually worth something....to me. My paradigm is shifting. I no longer do the work simply because I have a deadline. I actually love and am excited about what I do on a day to day basis. You have no idea how huge this is.


I am learning to work when I'm working, and play when I'm playing. This is harder than some might think.


I am at home.

It's 3 a.m. and I can't sleep. (I feel like there's a 90's grunge song in there somewhere.) I went to bed at 12:30 last night and got up at 10, so I thought that I had beat the jet-lag demon. Apparently not.

I've been doing some seriously damaging introspection. That was no fun, so moved over to praying for all my problems. That did no good either, so I started praying for my friends. Good in theory, but it just made me miss you more. So here I am, writing to you instead.

I feel more homesick now than I ever did last year. I'm not sure why. I think all of the novelty has worn off and I'm just not as excited. I know how hard it is going to be.

Also, I had the most amazing summer. You have shown me more love than a girl can handle, and I miss that.

Really, I need more of Jesus with me right now. I need more of his love, and peace, and all that good stuff, and instead of asking for that, I'm whining to you.

So, Jesus, I need all that.

I love you friends, and Jesus, seriously.

I'll post more fun things when I feel more fun. Pictures will come, I promise. I took a tylenol pm and I'm hoping it will kick in soon.

I admit, my last post was a bit....melancholy. I am leaving in 12 hours, and I can honestly tell you that I am excited. Maybe the idea just had to set in.

I'm coming home!

Some things that I want to do while I'm in the U.S. of A.:

Six Flags
Road trip (even if it's short. the farthest we can drive here is about 4 hours, and that's through the desert.)
A very patriotic something for the 4th of July, including fireworks
Eat a lot of food, especiallly mexican
go dancing quite a bit
raise enough enough money for next year
go to shows of friends' bands

Hallas, that's enough for now. More to come later

I'm coming home, and I'm nervous and scared. Excited?........yes, to see my friends, but if it weren't for my friends and family I would probably just stay here. I cant't explain it to you. I'm sorry if I act awkward when I see you. Maybe I won't. I don't know.

I realize by coming back here in the fall I'll be forfeiting my friendships with most of you, and it breaks my heart. I wish I had a community in Jerusalem like I found in Atlanta. But I didn't find most of you until after I had lived there for 3 years! So there's still hope.

By the way, I love you.

It's Mother's Day, and since I'm so far away, there's not much I can do for my mom. I can't take her out to dinner, or give her a big hug. But I can write a tribute to my mom on this blog, and that's what I'm going to do.

Tribute to Mom:

You are amazing, mom. I am so blessed to have you as my mother.
I think the Bible says it best:

"She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. Her children arise and call her blessed."

I love how you support me and encourage me in the things that I do. When I decided to move to Israel, you were all about it, and there wasn't the slightest bit of hesitation in your voice. I trust your wisdom, and your opinion means the world to me. I have watched you overcome incredible obstacles and come out stronger. I have watched you handle these difficult times with faith and prayer. You have taught me so much about what it means to be a woman of God, a woman of grace. You are always there for me with a love that can only come from God; that wonderful, never-ending love of God.

Thank you, mom. I love you, and I can't wait to see you! (One month!)

"Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."

So...I was reading online, and I came across a comment written by a supposed Christian about how he had seen a vision of George W. Bush telling him to keep up the good work. I'm sorry. This is just so funny I had to share. Oh, he had also said that Iraqis deserve to be blown off the face of the earth so that we can share the Christian message of "peace and love." Is he listening to himself?

I’m happy that the Israelis have their independence. Really. But I’m starting to feel how the Arabs do about Israeli Independence Day.

Last night, just down the street, a Jewish guy went to a bakery in an Arab neighborhood with Israeli flags all over his car. Chaos ensued, complete with gunshots, helicopters, and a car-chase. I heard a couple of different stories: one that three people died, and the other that no one did, but a couple people were hurt. I’m not sure which one is true, but either way, it was madness.

As I sit in my living room typing this, I here the fireworks going off for Independence Day all around me, sounding eerily like gunshots. I can’t imagine what it sounds like to the Palestinians.

I’m in a difficult position with lots of fuzzy lines and gray areas. I don’t always know whose side I’m on. But there are a few things I’m sure of: A car in an Arab neighborhood, decked out with the Star of David, looks a lot like trouble to me. And soldiers, is it really necessary to drive your vehicle, blaring your siren, flag flying high, through my neighborhood for no particular reason at all? I am biased on both sides, (is that even possible?) but I usually end up rooting for the little guy. Over here the Israelis look like the big bullies on the playground picking on the little kids just because they can. So the little kids have a wild, fire-bomb throwing, suicide bomber reputation, but they are not all like that. Actually, very few of them are. Most of them just want to live their lives. And this is where God put them, unfortunate as it is for them.

It doesn’t look like it’s going to be quiet around here this summer. But just for the record, it hasn’t daunted my plans of coming back in the fall. I have so much more to write about, but I’m not going to do it tonight. I’ll leave you with a picture of Ross, my leader/headmaster, with Arafat. Yep.

Also, I finally went up to the temple mou.....oops, I mean Dome of the Rock yesterday. I'll have to tell you about that soon.

Sorry about the orientation. This is a currency exchange storefront, with a well placed dollar sign. We had a few laughs over it. You'd never believe what that girl looked like when she came back out....

We just got back from a trip to Mount Hermon (read about it in Joshua....3, I think) and the Golan. It was awesome, and so needed. Christy and I had so much fun exploring a Crusader castle from the 1200's called Nimrod's Fortress. We also rode something called a "coasterbob", which is like your own personal roller coaster in the snow. Very fun. It's so beautiful up there, expecially compared to Jerusalem. Even driving was a blast with beautiful scenery and good music.

Things have been tough lately. One of our teachers is leaving this week. We're short on teachers, and on money. The government will not release the money that was promised, even though so much money was used to fulfill the requirements they put on us. My kids, God bless them, are constant sources of both reward and pain. I'm too sensitive. Please pray for me/us. We need it desperately.

I am so happy that I have a purpose, even when it brings so much difficulty with it. It makes all the difference in the world to know that God is using me here. I could get through anything with Him by my side. :)

It has been a long time since I have updated this, and to my faithful readers, I am truly sorry. You are probably no longer faithful, since I have failed to hold up my end of the bargain. I have been very well, generally speaking. So much has happened that I will not be able to catch you up entirely, so I’ll hit the high notes. Christmas vacation was wonderful. I was able to see a good bit of the North Country: Nazareth (I’m sure you’ve heard of it), Galilee, the Jordan, and we even drove through Cana. It is so peaceful up there. Leaving Jerusalem feels so good. It’s like a breath of fresh air, or weight taken off our shoulders. We went to Haifa for New Year’s and saw a very meager display of fireworks (more like fire crackers.) Riding on the train up the Mediterranean was a nice experience though.
I received the best Christmas present ever, and that was that my mom was able to come visit at the last minute. She, and another friend, Sarah, stayed for about a week. We had overlapping visitors from England, which made for quite a full house. It was so much fun, though it was really difficult to let my mom go.
It’s looking like I’m going to make this place my home, at least for a while. I think I want to come back next year. Though, if I do, I will have to raise support. I don’t know when my heart turned. About a month ago I was ready to pack my bags and say “adios,” but I don’t feel that way anymore. We’ll see. God will make it clear in His timing.
One of my 6th grader’s wrote this poem today. It touched my heart, and I wanted to share it with you.

The Beach
By Celesy Dabbagh

Have you ever went to the beach
And heard the preacher preach
About God and His wonderful things,
And about His great blessings?
Water, rocks, sand, and shells,
Which remind you of church bells,
Bringing you the sound of the waves
That tells you about how God saves.
Come to the beach, oh my friend,
And let’s enjoy what God hath sent!!


Since school has started back, it has gone by so fast. I can’t believe it’s the end of February. Winter is almost over! I have a feeling that the next few months are going to go just as fast. We have found a church to attend that is very westernized. The pastor is actually Canadian, and the worship is much like we would do in the states. It’s a blessing. My community is growing, and that helps me feel more at home. With my mom, came my guitar, and with my guitar, word to people here that I play. Somehow I got roped into playing worship for our little church on Saturday nights (for our school). Now, I have no problem with singing, or even leading (I’ve been doing it for years) but playing is another issue entirely. Please pray for a miracle. Seriously. I need help.

Oh, yes!! I am super-duper excited because Melanie (our very own) is bringing a team over from Switzerland and is going to be here for 6 weeks! How amazing is our God. Would you have ever thought…..