Life gets crazy; try not to go with it. Musings.

*as could be expected, through many delays, this post arrives, although late.

Midori, Emily, and I on Independence Day Aug. 15

“All you need is love. All you need is love. All you need is love. Love is just a game. . . .”
“I hate this game!” “I love this game!” I have been known to say this about any number of things in life. “It’s just a game, so you might as well win it!” Life, however, is more than a game I can just figure out, master, grit out, etc. As a friend of mine likes to remind me, “Perfection is letting go of control.” As a perfectionist, I know not where to turn when I feel the spiral begin and self-condemnation arise. But this I call to mind, and therefore, I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed. His compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is Thy Faithfulness. Another wise woman and wonderful prayer warrior turned my attention to Psalm 86 in crying out to my Savior.
This week, that is the cry of my heart, calling God to open my eyes and knowing He has to come through. He has. He will. The great I AM. With all the brokenness in the world and in my own life, we are still the light of the world because of the true light that gives light to every man… Let there be light!

Honestly, I’m in the down-swing of the culture-shock cycle. I may have been naive enough to think I wouldn’t really go through this part. The temptation is to go back to “stupid is as stupid does.” As in, I just don’t fit, or, “The more you complain about it, the better it gets.” Yet, “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may shine like stars . . .”

We jam-packed in a lot this past week. Ups and downs of seeing lovely people, playing volleyball, eating lots of dosa, chicken, or sweets from generous folk. Helping with CE Wednesday night all the way to deaths in families close to us. I started more serious teaching. There’s been drama with student-teaching, including finding out that Emily had to go back to teach in the states and saying goodbye in Madurai. (Still trying to figure that one out) More and more comes to flood or create desert.

Ghee Dosa with Lambarts on Saturday!

Sunday was a gem with worshiping at the Chapel, the glory of sunshine, sports, good friends, even good coffee, and deep-cleaning at least one room in our apartment.

Now, the week has begun, and the joy of the Lord truly is our strength. Sweet treat to touch base with a few of you from home. As I read to the kindergarteners today, sometimes one just feels a bit lonely and wants to go to where someone loves her best, like Max in Where the Wild Things Are. Still loving those walks up and down the mountain and the chance to play football like tonight with the middle school boys in between washing laundry loads in the shower or the kitchen. ; ) We hopefully get to hike all the way down to the plains again this weekend to visit Bethania!

Of course, the internet is not up, currently, so where do we go other than sleep, from here?
Clinging to the cross,
Linnea Michelle

Masala tea :) They're all pros at this. Some of the students have it down with hot chocolate or boost in the caf, too.

Our final "3 cups of tea" before the journey to Madurai

Theme of the week: running…blind?

“The LORD alone led him.” Deut. 32:12

Reflecting on lessons of hospitality, generosity, trust, joy, and the fruit of the Spirit from the lives of those who have gone before. The deep, real faith of Noah, who looked beyond the storm that hadn’t even come. The simple trust of George Mueller, whose eye was “not on the dense fog but on the living God, who controls every circumstance of my life.” And so it goes.
The rains truly do come daily, so it’s expected, although unexpected. Sunshine brightens and warms, too.

Downs and ups every day just like our descents and climbs from “home” [Swedish House way up the hill] to town or school. I have made that half-hour walk down with my eyes closed, trusting a friend to lead me; we also did the steep/uneven part today with my friend on my back. I have traipsed up and down singing, praying, skipping, trudging, rain, sun etc. How much of the path do we ever really see? What is it to trust, to run in the path of God’s commands, for he has set our hearts free? To run with perseverance the race marked out for us? To fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him, endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God…? Every tribe tongue and nation…?

Still praying eyes to see.

Last week this time I was finishing up getting muddied and having a blast playing ultimate Frisbee down on the field. The Lamberts’ kindly still welcomed me into their home—we just love spending time there with that lovely family!
This past week has been full! Yes, we’ve had lulls and torrents, but song, laughter, strain, work and play filled the moments between. Independence Day was Monday; we looked so Indian. ; ) That afternoon Emily, Sarah and I hiked to Dolphin’s Nose, where we were not ashamed to act as ridiculous tourists hiking from who-knows-where. If I can upload the video, I shall share a bit with you.

So, then, a 4-day school week at Ganga campus working with different students, planning for field trip week, doing research and substituting for eighth grade from time to time. Excited and nervous to begin taking class this coming week.
Sarah and I begged and snuck in a little thank-you by singing “For Good” for the staff recital on Friday. That song always brings to mind many wonderful people in my life to whom I may or may not ever be able to aptly thank.

Yesterday, a hike down to the plains via Rattail Falls with some of the high school students. It was absolutely beautiful, I promise. (And, it was fitting, seeing as how we’ve been battling an intruder—most probably a rat—this week in our apartment!) We rode part of the way through the coconut farms on top of the bus on the way back. Quite different from my Saturdays in high school. : ] We arrived back bedraggled and quite a mess, and people gave us quite curious looks when we stopped by the grocery store on our way home.

Also had a blast reminiscent of camp counseling in chaperoning middle school activity last night. It was volleyball-basketball-ridiculous-dancing-birthday-party-esque.

This morning we were able to go to church at the chapel and enjoy a relaxing afternoon. Midori and I took our weekly walk down the budge failing in attempts to find football cleats but successful in visiting our tailor friend, Gamesh, and taking in the usual market madness. Now we look forward to dinner with a family that we very much enjoy here.

May your cup overflow,
Linnea

The clouds bring the rain.

malai vanakkam! (phonetic, of course, because I don't type in tamil script ; ))

If I could play you a few of the various sounds I have heard today, they would include: truck idling, beep/honk/helllooo!/hi!, crickets' chorus, students voices calling to one another as they play, clattering in the dining hall…Soon the pitter patter to drumming of consistent rain falls as the fog and dampness sets in for the afternoon, and the women next to Midori and I in the teachers’ lounge commence the nasal, undulating singing of traditional songs in practice for Independence Day.

( I should really learn the national anthem—the celebration’s on Monday! We student teacher’s will surely look absolutely Indian in our sarees and flowers to adorn our hair. ; ) we didn’t even buy skirts with our sarees at first—oops! )

This week has been mostly observation and jumping in as far as school goes. Everyone knows the new student teacher came, and I finally will have my identification card today or tomorrow which I was supposed to have to get in to any of the compounds a week ago. I was welcomed well by students and staff alike, but I still do not completely belong as of yet—do any of us, really??
Pearlin Joseph is my cooperating teacher—what an adventure to work with a fellow educator from such a different background! She is eager to bless and to challenge. The pictures are of our classroom and our students working on an ooblex experiment.

Thursday I got to share with the 8th grade boys for dorm devotions and play football (soccer) with them afterwards. Such a different life as dorm kids—they need prayer and friendship.
Prayer please for the Christian community to stand strong in the Lord with boldness from the Holy Spirit.

(fellow student-teacher/friend, Sarah, refreshing at the vista on last week's hike)

Life lesson/encouragement as once again my body shut down in protest to my burn-out pace. [upon arriving I went for a hike the very next morning and never slowed down from there : }] We often times lament the clouds as we have basked in the sunshine and smiles, but perhaps we need to look beyond the clouds and, in fact, continue singing praise. What is it we always said as children? April showers bring May flowers. The clouds bring the rain, as Ecclesiastes reminds us, and we need that refreshment, nourishment, challenge. As many cultures celebrate with rain dances and are accustomed to monsoon season, there is something to consider in the very lifeblood of creation. May it take us further into worship of the Creator—to ponder his majesty, consider and reflect his glory in ever-increasing likeness. Perhaps we buckle-down, maybe we grit it out, hopefully sometimes we dance. Singin’ in the rain.

home sweet home--part of The lake :)

nandri, vanekum, Not in MN

Although frogs croak and crickets chorus outside the window, and there is even a beautiful lake nearby, it is not a summer night out on the lake in Minnesota. I have arrived at Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu, India and am finally crawling into bed after a long journey, the sort which many travelers make day in and day out. I left my home in Minnesota on a sunny Wednesday morning hopping over to Chicago. When I boarded the Air India plane from O'Hare, however, I stepped beyond my comfort zone, yet not altogether uncomfortable. Greeted by Indian music and decor and the attendants running up and down the aisles with air freshener prior to take off... It was a privilege to meet up with Scott from Wheaton as well as new friends--the family of Sanjiv Edward in Delhi who graciously cared for me.
Much time traveling and a taxi ride with a kind driver through the hot and humid plains with sites and sounds of southern India; we then headed up into the hills to cooler climate where I have been welcomed by a few of the lovely people I will be around and hopefully get to know in the coming months.

Off to sleep in order to wake for a morning hike! Here we go.

Thank you, Lord for your faithfulness and provision. We need not worry, we need not fear. Continue to bless with strength and courage those praying for and alongside me this semester, especially. May you be glorified here in Kodaikanal, even this coming day.

Understanding more and more the worn traveler and being welcomed by strangers : ]