Thanksgiving Sunrise

We met at the bottom of the hill of Kakapu lighthouse at 5:30 a.m. and hiked for 30 minutes up the paved path with only the light of the moon and a few flashlights. Venus, Orion and the Seven Sisters observed from above the mountains while we enjoyed the ocean winds and worked our way to the top. From the summit we could see the same beautiful coastal road we traveled in the dark. Our friends, the Wilks, provided yummy burritos when we made it back to the bottom after wishing dozens of other sunrise hikers a Happy Thanksgiving. I think we have discovered a new tradition to bring in the holidays here in Hawai'i.

This month, my third graders studied the 7 major biomes of the earth. As we celebrated Thanksgiving in our own classroom, I read to them "Over the river and through the woods" and asked them what biome was reflected. They recognized the deciduous forests descriptions and tried to sympathize with the difficulty of breezes that sting the nose and bite the toes. I read this poem to challenge them to appreciate their own colors and culture because there is a sense that the holiday isn't real unless the leaves have fallen and the weather is cold. I can honestly say that I have not seen a single maple, oak or sycamore tree here in Hawai'i, yet all the stores, classrooms and lobbies are covered with silk replicas of their leaves. I asked my students if not having those trees or experiences makes our holiday less real...they weren't sure. The association with fall colors and leaves and harvest is a good one, but not the only one. Surely the most important association with this holiday is thankfulness. In that light, we each held three kukui nuts (in abundant supply on our island and often used in making leis) and filled a glass bowl (that we watched being made at a field trip to a glassblowing shop) as 23 children counted their blessings. Another thanksgiving tradition to continue. We also discussed our own version of that popular thanksgiving poem.

Over the ocean and through the canal to Tutu's house we go

The crew knows the way to carry the canoe through the blue ocean foam

Over the mountains and through the Pali oh how the Trade Winds blow

The rains come down and rainbows abound as over the hills we go....

Happy Thanksgiving from the lovely Pacific....

Veteran's Day : A Rest from Work

Our school closed for Veteran's Day last Thursday so the family went for a road trip towards the North Shore, where the waves can reach as high as 40 feet in the Winter. We came upon this park. Its name means a rest from work.

What a joy it was to soak in the sunshine and hear the waves. Dave and Lydia and Daniel waded out to a small island and walked around. Laura, Shawn and Jonathan climbed the foundation of an old building. And I sat still, something I don't do very often.


It's hard to believe our life in Hawai'i has only been a little over a year. The changes in our school have been quite substantial. Very few schools actually navigate successfully through the waters of changing to a Classical and Christian curriculum, but Trinity is doing just that. Our teachers are writing jingles, songs, chants and rhymes to help our grammar school students memorize. Our secondary teachers are challenging, debating and focusing. All this in just a few years. God is clearly at work in every detail and we are constantly humbled to see His loving and firm hand guiding the work here. I was recently asked to take on the role of Curriculum Instructor, coming alongside the teachers as an administrative support and I am excited by the opportunity to serve the Lord and the school in this way. I'll still be teaching third graders, but this gives me an opportunity to have an impact on other students as well.

The challenge for me and for Dave is to remember to rest from work from time to time. There is so much to do and we often find ourselves stretched too far, forgetting that "graveyards are full of indispensible people." So, I'm thankful for the rest on Thursday...and for the Veterans who gave me the freedom to work, and to rest.

What I Can and Can't Do

I can be a faithful teacher and a faithful mom at the same time.
I can't try to be Wonder Woman.

I can work and still enjoy making meals for my family.
I can't try to be Martha Stewart.

I can keep an orderly home.
I can't try to do it all myself.

I can live with less.
I can't try to have it all.

I can use the Internet to help me stay organized.
I can't stay organized if I am distracted by surfing the net.

I can do all that I am supposed to do.
I can't lose my focus.

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter 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." Hebrews 12:2

I marvel that the Lord of all left the throne, endured poverty and shame for 33 years, died for all and returned to that throne considering His work done (He sat down). That Lord is my Lord. He began the work that I take part in as a Christian. His kingdom is my focus. By His grace I can accomplish His calling. But I must fix my eyes. Ever try balancing without finding a focal point? "Let us fix our eyes"...

Along the way

The first time Dave and I hiked Olomana was in 2008, the summer that we visited Hawaii. I didn't make it to the top. That was before I knew about my heart condition, before the medication, before the recovery. So, yesterday's summit was invigorating and encouraging. You can see by the final view that the hours of pushing and pulling and laboring up the mountain are completely justified. The doubts, frustration and even fear are completely lost in the euphoria of "We made it!" So many times in my life as a Christian I've felt like I've been hiking up a mountain...will those ropes hold? Can I make it any further? Should I take the narrow path or the wider path? What is it about us that longs to see the big picture, the view from above? If only we could know the outcome of our paths before we begin...

But we were made to walk by faith; to look around us and see not rubble and dirt but paths and challenges. We were made to test the ropes. The creeds that define our faith do not bind us...they hold us. We can trust them not because they are ancient or because they are familiar, but because they are true. "I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth"....There is a Creator; microbiology affirms that. "I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord." Take the narrow path; go the higher ground.He really is who He said He was. "He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified , died and was buried;" Don't look at the crags in the rocks and wonder if they'll collapse, seek the opportunities in grabbing hold and hanging on. Keep pressing on, keep believing in what is true. When you reach the top, you will see..." The third day He rose again from the dead." At that point the clarity of vision will sharpen you to see that what you thought was an obstacle, was really an opportunity. What you saw as impossible was in fact possible. "He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty." Each step of our lives is a step of faith in something...but what? Ourselves? The economy? The government?

When this hike is over, what's next? "I believe in the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting." The difference between Jesus Christ and every other leader in history is one thing: an empty tomb, a body that was never found...for 2010 years. That causes me to turn my head...and walk by faith.

And So It Begins...

Our school has been in session for 7 weeks now. The marathon of juggling motherhood, teaching and teacher training has begun. I didn't think that this year could possibly be harder but it is. However, I know that I'm right where I belong. I love this island, its history, its culture and its people. Over the summer I worked on a curriculum that begins with what our students know and draws ever broadening circles outward, allowing students to make connections so that school feels less like a compilation of subjects and more like an unfolding story. I am most excited about our science curriculum. The focus is what students living in Hawai'i know...ocean, volcanoes, mountains and geckos....and only about 4 mammals. But by starting with what they know and teaching the history behind the science, our students will not view science as an isolated body of facts. They will learn the story of the discoveries behind the periodic table as it unfolded in history so that they will have a solid understanding of the facts. They will study the plants and animals of our island (my class is studying fish), learning the English, Latin and Hawaiian names for each. My hope for our students is that they see the world with clearer vision and curiosity. Curiosity is the greatest scientific skill of all.

The Keiki Room

After the living room and lanai were redone, I began to work on the kids' room. It needed a more local and colorful look to it. It started with nicely priced quilts from my favorite store here, Ross. Then I made leaf prints from some of my favorite native plants. I've never painted on canvas before so that was a new and fun experience. They still share a room and a bathroom and a closet and it still works, mostly. We all agree it builds character. In Maryland, all 6 of us shared one bathroom so this isn't so bad.

A Not So Extreme Makeover

Last summer I began a quest to find a leather recliner for my husband. Poor guy, he sold his papa bear-sized chair to make the trek here. I was so excited to find a chair that was just right at the Salvation Army. It was so large that it made our other furniture look like something from a Hobbit hole. Then the quest began for a leather couch, which we bought from a really nice guy named Rick on Craig's List (see Google Chrime to find out more). Once the living room was all on the same scale, we rearranged the lanai. Little by little, our house had a new look. So I thought I'd post the pictures here since you can't come for tea.