Field Trips & Baseball

This entry's title would seem strange and completely disconnected from each other; and you would be right outside of the fact that my life has been severely influenced by these two things in this past week.

My good friend is a kindergarten teacher at a private school. She's had three field trips these past two weeks that I was enticed to help out with. I mean come on who wouldn't want to go to the fire station or the pumpkin patch with sixteen crazy little kids! It was a workout for sure but also a good reminder of how to enjoy the variety of life and how to view things through the eyes of a child at times. Not to mention my immeasurable respect and awe of my friend who deals with these little ones each day, but even more then that she loves and invests in them in ways most teachers never fully grasp. So that is my nugget of wisdom and encouragement for the day, with an added picture and now we can move on to the less edifying highlight of my week!

I have to admit this second topic has been a really fun and intense addition to my life since being back in central California: BASEBALL!!! First, watching the Oakland Athletics almost make it to the playoffs was like a dream after an incredibly surprising pre-season. Then, we get to pain-staking anticipate the Giants make history getting into the playoffs, then only to pull that stunt once again as they slide right into the World Series last night for the second year in a row, after drawing it out to the seventh game with the St. Louis Cardinals! I know professional sports isn't everything in life but I am sure glad God made some humans capable of playing these games so that the rest of us can comfortably watch from a distance, on the edge of our seats of course, ha ha.

Hope you enjoyed my simple excitements for the week and can now look back at your own and see a few things God graced you with as well.
Laina

Being Present

Some times when God has put a call on our life to go some where, there is still a preparation period before we leave. This time isn't always about studying and maturing in our skills, though those things are important, it is more so about being present in a certain place at a certain time for the Lord's intended purpose.

I have been eager for the time when I can return to Tunisia, but God has taken this extra time in the United States to remind me of the importance of the body all over the world and what my active role is in that body regardless of how long I will stay in one given place. God can use each of us in unmeasurable ways for just one moment or one day, as long as we obediantly follow His orchestrated plan.

Throughout my time in America while support raising I asked the Lord one request, "If you are going to keep me here longer then I would like, please at least show me why". He has been answering my prayer ever since I got here but I only realized it in these past two weeks. God can do anything on his own but he chooses to use us to love each other, support each other, and speak into each others lives.

I was blessed in Los Angeles to be there for a close friend during a time that she really needed someone to understand her expereince and speak acceptance and love into her life. Also, once I got back to San Jose last week, my Grandfather had unexpected heart surgery. I was honored to be the family member that held my Grandmothers hand and pray with them both before he went into the operating room.

God gives us purpose in different, most of the time, unexpected ways. All I know is that I am so grateful for the time He has given me to be with and care for my friends and family, because He knows there will be many times in my life to come that I will not be able to stand by my loved ones in person when they go through scary, painful, and surprising situations.

Thank the Lord today for the people he has provided to surround you in hard times,
Laina

When the Tables Turn

In this past week I have been following a situation in Tunisia that has caught a bit of news, so some of you may be aware of it, but if your not I would like to enlighten you. A little over a week ago a woman and her fiance were sitting in there parked car when two police officers came up to them. One of them took the man to a bank to extract money, while the other two officers proceeded to rape the woman.

I know this is not a fun topic to discuss but it is important. The main issue now is that the officers' lawyer is using the defense of saying that the couple was found in an "immoral position" by the officers which is against the law and punishable by 6 months in jail. Of course this does not excuse the act of the officers in the eyes of the Tunisian courts, but it has definitely caused them to take their focus off of the appalling actions that did take place. Now the woman is being put in a position of criminal and not victim.

We all ask ourselves how can this kind of thing happen in our world today. Well, that is exactly my point in sharing this with you. In the Arab world due to their strong conservative beliefs, still have laws against basic public affection and appearance, which when men especially, are trying to get out of punishment for heinous crimes, those laws can be used against woman in unbelievable ways.

There were many women demonstrating on the main street downtown yesterday, so please pray for this woman and the legal counsel defending her. Also, as you read the article I have linked to my post, realize that it is situations and events like this that cause my heart to break and motivate my soul to do God's work in empowering woman and helping them fight for basic rights of security. Despite this unfortunate news that I'm sharing with you, I pray that you have a blessed day and through this story, be grateful for the rights we have as women in this country.

Sincerely, Laina


Article