Not all titles are good titles. (this happens to be one of them.)

Yes, I know it's been a long time....

Bible School is going splendidly. I am really enjoying the other students, the teachers, the classes, the campus, the food, the work, the dorm, and everything else that I am leaving out.

This weekend was "free weekend." At the invitation of a very dear and good friend, I have left the fair woods and am spending my times of luxury in the lap of the E. S_____d household.

I have had a very relaxing time sleeping, eating, painting with watercolors, knocking around a volley ball, watching ping pong, reading, and enjoying plenty of wireless Internet.

I am currently sitting on a couch, typing a blog post, and watching a Red Sox game with four avid Sox fans. I personally don't follow sports very much, and if I had to choose a favorite team in baseball, I would have to choose the Braves. After all, I am from Georgia. But, if the Braves don't win, that's ok. I'll have no problem getting on with my life. Other than that, I am not really partial to any team...though I'd probably cheer for anyone who beats the Yankees.

Ok....now that the whole world knows about my position in baseball...I need something else to talk about.

Time for a list...after all...I am my mother's daughter.

1. Don't expect me to post very often since I am at FBI.

2. My family had their camp out this weekend. But I wasn't there so I don't know how it went. You will have to look for details elsewhere. This is the second camp out I have missed. Last year I missed it because I was in Taiwan. But I was there for a portion of it via Skype, giving me a record Skype call of SEVEN hours. However, this year, I did not call home via Skype or cell phone, or anything. I was totally and completely out of it. :-( I missed seeing everyone so much.

3. I am enjoying pet sitting Mary's fish while she is taking a vacation at my family's house. They do a good job keeping me entertained with their playing and swimming back and forth, back and forth. I set up an automatic feeder to care for them while I was gone. I hope it works and they aren't dead when I get back.

4. I miss my family. I miss Kinmen very much. I miss my students. I miss my team. I miss my friends. I miss the Chinese language.

5. I love my family. I love Kinmen. I love my students. I love my team. I love my friends. I love the Chinese language.

6. I love my God! He is so incredible. He is so good at timing things. Like me being here at Bible School this year. For example: two years ago, I considered graduating from High school a year early and attending Bible School. God had other plans and I took my Senior year in High school. One year ago, I considered going to Bible school. God had other plans and I went to Taiwan. This year, I considered staying home. God had other plans and I went to Bible school. Looking back, I can see so many reasons why each time, it was the right thing for me to do.

7. I like the number seven. So, I think I will stop right here.

Good night. God bless!
:-)

Others have excuses, I have my reasons why.

Ok. So, apparently, blogger just doesn't work on my computer. I am currently using my sister's computer in order to write all this. I apologize deeply for not having updated in so long. For all you know, I am still on the plane coming from Taiwan.

I will continue to try to find out why my computer is working right. I have recently posted on my facebook. Those of you that know me there can simply read it there. Or, if you don't know me there, or you don't want to know me there, you can simply read it here...

Just in case you were wondering why I hadn't posted on my other blog in a great long while, I do have a good reason.

That reason is not that after arriving back in the States on July 14th, I had 6 days to recover from Jet lag, say good-bye to one of my good friends who was moving up to New Hampshire, unpack my two huge suitcases, my boxes, and my backpack wash my clothes, and repack my bags to go on vacation with my family in Florida.

That reason is not that after spending a week at a condo on the beach in Florida with my family, Frank and I went to spend another week at Jeff and Fritha's house. Don't worry. We didn't go there to visit them. Actually, we did, but we didn't...if you catch my meaning. That being that even though we were staying at their house, they weren't there and we got to spend all our time with Kerby, the dog...and a big screen TV and all the Good Eats episodes you could wish for.

That reason is not that after I got back from Jeff and Fritha's house, I unpacked, and repacked my bags and left again with my family headed for Indiana for the ATI conference. While there, I assisted in the Pre-EXCEL program. I had a great time and was quite tired when I returned.

That reason is not that after returning with my family from the ATI conference, I spent a week with my grandma helping her out as she recovered from a minor surgery. During that week, I also had a chance to visit with my uncle who was doing his best to assist.

That reason is not that the next week, I spent a large amount of my time helping my sisters get into school and looking after my dear old Aunt Bertha.

That reason is not because I went on a totally cool rafting trip with two of my brothers, my sister, and about 45 other people. We went down the Nantahala River and it was VERY cool.

That reason is not because I have been trying to decide what I will be doing this next year. For those of you who are still in the dark and don't know what I will be doing...it has finally been decided! I will be going to Fairwood Bible Institute! It is a small Bible school in New Hampshire. It is a three year school, but I will be taking it one year at a time. My amazing sister lives on staff at the school with her family. My brother, Jeff graduated from the school about two and a half years ago.

That reason is not because I have been trying to figure out what this weird rash and eczema type stuff is on my skin. Turns out it is probably an allergic reaction to something. I will be having a patch test done on Tuesday to figure out what that something is.

That reason is not because I have been having to make a list of everything I come in contact with in order to figure out what I might be allergic to.

That reason is not because I have been researching what kind of car I want to buy. I finally decided on purchasing my older sister's mini van. Her family has out grown the seven passenger vehicle, have super sized, and wanted to sell the minivan. Even though it isn't exactly the hot rod I was looking for, it will do the job I need it for and is in my price range.

That reason is not because I just spent my entire afternoon today, babysitting two boys, and two girls for a friend. I was able to bring my little sister with me and she helped me tons.

The reason I have not posted on my blog for such a long time is simply because blogger is not allowing me to sign in. I have the correct information and everything, but it just keeps redirecting me again, and trying again, and redirecting me again, and trying again, in a never ending cycle. Who knows, maybe one day I will post again there. I really like it, but I am just not able to on my computer. I wonder if it is that way with all the computers? or just mine.

Tomorrow, I will be going with my family to a picnic with a large group from our church. We are bringing fried chicken fingers, spinach dip, crackers, apricot-nectar cake, and sweet tea. We might be bringing something else as well, but I don't know.

I leave for Bible school on September 9th! I am totally thrilled! But at the same time, it feels like I just got back. Above all, God is in control, and He knows what He is doing!

Smile :-)

One more thing....

By the way...just so everyone knows, I will be leaving the campus at 8:00 P.M. (8:00AM EST), Friday, to travel to the airport. My flight leaves at 11:55 PM (11:55 AM EST), Friday. I arrive in the Atlanta Airport at 9:30 AM EST Saturday.

I will be travelling with several other people part of the way. Please keep us in your prayers as we fly.

Smiles :-)

Saying Goodbye

As I left my kids in the classroom for rest time, I told them that they must be very quite. They must sit in their desks and not talk. They could not play games on their cellphones, they couldn't take all the things off the teacher's desk and put it in the team mailbox. They couldn't mess with the TV. They must be very quite.

After rest time was over, I went back to the classroom for the last small group before I left. I quietly walked up to the door. I peeked in and saw them up, walking around, and talking. :-( I went inside prepared to jump their case for being disobedient. As soon as I went in, they ran back to their seats, and the room was dead silent. Each child looking at me with their most angelic face. And then I saw it. Tears began to well up in my eyes as I read on the blackboard...THANK YOU TEACHER JANE! They had decorated it and signed their names. Then, if that weren't enough, they each came up to me and presented me with a thank you card they had made during rest time. We spent the remainder of the class time playing UNO, signing books and papers, giving gifts, and taking pictures. No lecturing.

I am going to miss my kids from camp. I am going to miss Jessica, my TA (Taiwanese Assistant). I am going to miss my team in Kinmen (Andrew, Lucas, Rebekah, Megan, Lauren, Rachel, Jarita, Dominique, and Wei-Lun). I am going to miss the big team in Taiwan. I am going to miss the Taiwanese people. I am going to miss my friends that I have gotten to know and love. I am going to miss my schools. I am going to miss my students. I am going to miss the people of Kinmen.

I pray that God will bless each one of you tremendously! I am so glad and feel so privileged to have worked and spent time with you this past year. I hope that we will see each other again soon. Either here, There, or in the air!

And now, the lyrics to the song that has been running through my head for the past two or three days...

Saying Goodbye (from the Muppet's)

Saying Goodbye, going away
Seems like goodbye's such a hard thing to say
Touching a hand, wondering why
It's time for saying goodbye

Saying goodbye, why is it sad?
Makes us remember the good times we've had
Much more to say, foolish to try
It's time for saying goodbye.

Don't want to leave, but we both know
Sometimes it's better to go
Somehow I know we'll meet again
Not sure quite where, and I don't know just when

You're in my heart, so until then
Wanna smile, wanna cry
Saying goodbye
It's time for saying goodbye.

Closing up the loop

Well, I am back where I started almost one year ago. Hsin-Zhu English Summer Camps. It is hard to imagine it has really been a whole year since I was here.

Things that are different between then and now....

1. I know my way around the campus.
2. I can understand what the kids are saying more easily.
3. I can order a drink at the drink stand all by myself.
4. I am one of the "old teachers."
5. I have experiance teaching on the fly.
6. I am use to eating "camp food."
7. I am getting ready to go home instead of having just left.
8. I enjoy sleeping on a very hard bed.

Things that are the same between then and now....

1. I still can't do it in my own strength. I despretely need God's grace and strength to get me through each day. Perhaps now more than ever.
2. I miss my family tremendously.
3. I have great friends here who are an encouragement to me and remind me to rely on God for all my needs.
4. God is still in charge.
5. I still have times of being perfectly clueless as to what I am suppose to be doing.
6. I love my kids!
7. I think my team is the best!
8. I am where God wants me to be.

My motto for the remainder of this week is a quote from Jim Elliot.

"Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be in the will of God."

Your prayers are most coveted and desired. If you need something specific to pray for, then please pray that I will stay focused on where I am now. It is so easy for me to get swept away with the fact that I am just 5 days away from home. My desire is to be all here and to live these last few days here totally for God and what He has planned.

See you soon!
~Jane :-)