Marulaon Daybook

For Today...Monday, April 11 

Outside my window...cloudy, muggy, still.  We are praying for rain.  A steady stream of neighbors visits the rain tanks in front of our house every morning and evening. 

I am thinking...about controlling my tongue's complaining and criticizing and using it instead to speak pleasant words that promote instruction and are sweet to the soul and healing to the bones 

From the learning rooms...Ancient Assyrians and Babylonians, Sarah - using elaboration in paragraph organization, finishing up Teaching Textbooks Math 7; Benjamin - imperative sentences, math review; Olivia - learning about flowers and seeds, adding detail to her writing with vivid vocabulary; Katherine - big, medium, and small (so fun to read "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" in all of its different versions), Letter N 

I am thankful for...the twelve translators that have been selected so far.  Only one village remains, so Aaron is beginning to plan for translator training in early May. 

From the kitchen...coconut crab left from yesterday's bounty 

I am wearing...purple cotton skirt, white t-shirt stained with SITAG truck oil, purple dangling earrings (a birthday present from SITAG's Auntie Karen) 

I am reading..."Created for Work" by Bob Schultz, I think this will be our family's evening reading when we finish our Lenten devotionals. 

I am hoping...that the Bikoi 1 really does come next Sunday with our refilled gas cylinder and any care packages that have arrived (last we heard, all of the packages from the States were stuck in Brisbane!) 

I am creating...room in my brain for Lavukaleve 

I am hearing...the washing machine spinning and the modem clicking while I run back and forth between the computer and the washing machine trying to multitask. 

Around the house...chocolate oatmeal "no-bake" cookies on the cabinet, a great way to celebrate Letter N week, freshly mopped floors 

One of my favorite things...village e-mail that works! 

Pondering these words..."We cannot make one inch of progress in sanctification apart from the powerful working of the Spirit in us.  And He does this, not because we have earned it with our commitment and discipline, but because of His grace."  --Jerry Bridges, "Transforming Grace" 

A few plans for the rest of the week...language learning with Margaret this afternoon (update - she had unexpected company when I went down so we rescheduled for Thursday); going to the garden on Wednesday morning; trying to cook peanut butter cookies on the fire again with Kiko Wednesday afternoon; penance on Friday (last one); the houses in our village are shaped like an eye and Hensi's and ours form the "pupil", I'm hoping to walk around and learn from some of the ladies of the village who live on the "upper lid" during my free afternoons since most of my closer friends live on the "lower lid" 

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...what I found when I walked into the kitchen this morning.  Katherine with a mocha mustache - what a great way to start the day!