The Rules

Story:  I was sitting at the table in my room, checking my Facebook, when a HUGE moth went flying by my head.  Its wing span was probably half a foot.  "How in the world did that get into my room?!?!  My door's been closed all day!"  I turned around and started getting up to shoe the moth out of my room when I realized it wasn't a moth.  It was a BAT.  Okay.  Bats aren't annoying or gross or anything when they're just flying around in the dark outside. They're eating mosquitoes and other annoying bugs, anyways, so who cares?  They never bother anyone.  But when one is flying around in circles under the ceiling fan in the middle of your tiny apartment, they aren't so nice.  I tried opening the door wide so maybe it would fly away and be free...or free me, rather...but for some reason it decided that circling my room and getting whopped by the fan blades every few seconds was a better idea.  It eventually got hit one too many times, and thunk it was lying under my chair.  It was actually kind of fuzzy, and maybe a little cute.  Maybe.  Anyways, after being prodded with a towel (I wasn't doing the prodding, another guy from staff housing came and helped me), the little guy flew away.

Apparently, the hole in the corner of the ceiling above my shower is the perfect size for bats from the attic to come visit me.  I stuffed a washcloth in the hole.  That should keep them out, for a little while, at least.  The new rule is that no bats are allowed in my room.

Last week was probably the most stretching week I've had so far teaching.  One of the missionary grandkids I'm teaching, who's 11, and I had a little bit of a difficult time, for different reasons which just seemed to all pile up on both sides at the same time...a new hard family situation at home for him, I was tired, he was getting tired of school, etc.  Mostly it was me saying, "This is the rule, and that's what you have to stick to" or "This is what we're going to do now" and then the lack of desire to follow the rule or do the work on the other side and the ensuing arguing/complaining/yelling.  When it comes to disagreements or power-struggles, it's hard for me to know when to insist and be strict and when to give in and show gentle love.  I tend to ere on the firm side when it comes to rules and obedience.  I know, though, that always smacking down on disrespect or deceit or whatever isn't necessarily the most effective method of teaching and the best way to love...  I could use prayer for wisdom in that area, and patience and humility, as well.  I want to be a good teacher and example to my students.

I went walking on the beach with Sarah and Rebekah Pirkle, two MK's, on Sunday afternoon.  In case anyone is wondering if Honduras is beautiful or not, here are two of some pictures I took.