June 8. It is Steve’s birthday, and it is the Queen’s birthday, a holiday for the people in commonwealth countries and in PNG. It is also a day that the Lord hath made, and we have rejoiced and been glad in it.
Woke up a little early this morning, but I had gone to bed early yesterday evening. It was warm, around the same temperature as yesterday morning, so I did not start a fire this morning. I read my Bible and ate breakfast while I was waiting for Daddy to call. After we talked a while, I had time to talk with the Lord.
Mata’s mother came by with a few onions this morning. I was very thankful to get some onions.
While I was working on a new Bible school lesson outline before school, Esau came in. I was delighted to see that he was still smiling. He asked if he could still talk to the students this morning. He wanted to ask the students’ forgiveness for what he had done and to share with them those verses from Psalms that had been such a help to them because he felt the verses would be an encouragement to the other students also. I told him that, if he feels that’s what God wants him to do, then that is what I want him to do.
I went back to working on the lesson, and then went into the schoolroom a couple minutes before 8:00. After prayer, instead of singing as we usually do, I let Esau come and talk to the class. The class listened attentively and were very sober. When Esau finished, I shared Matthew 18:21,22 — How often should we forgive our brother? I also stressed the importance of encouraging one another. Esau still has some trials to face, consequences of his sin, but he needs the support of his classmates and other believers to help him keep his eyes on the Lord and do what’s right when the difficult times come. Afterward everyone assured Esau of their forgiveness.
I still didn’t go to our planned program after that, but asked them what they thought of the singsing on Friday. I waited a bit and nobody answered. So I asked, “Even more, what does God think of the singsing?” They were all of the opinion that God was not pleased with it, but nobody could give any verses. So we turned to Exodus 32 and reviewed parts of the story of the golden calf and read a number of the verses telling about the incidents that occurred after the golden calf had been made. By the time we finished, I believe they could see how much God is stirred to anger by that kind of “playing.” God was ready to destroy all the children of Israel until Moses interceded for them. God did use the Levites to destroy about 3,000 people, but later God plagued the people so that others died.
One goal was to help the students understand how important it is to know and be able to say what God’s Word says, rather than just to say they believe something is wrong. Others could say, “That’s just your opinion.” But God’s Word is authoritative.
Then I asked, “What about just going and watching the singsing?” Most of them seemed to feel that wasn’t right either, as it would be a temptation to them to join in the “fun.” So we looked at some Scriptures which showed that to be true. Satan uses the eye gate to catch many people in his trap. I had them think about his temptation of Eve. When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and was pleasant to the eyes and desirable for making one wise, what did she do? She took.
When Israel conquered the city of Jericho, Achan saw, and then coveted, and then took.
Last of all, I read to them Proverbs 4:14 and 15.
We had a little time left after that, so we sang “He Cares for You.” With still a little time left, I asked if they would like to choose a song. Graham wanted to sing “More About Jesus.” When we sing both English and Pidgin of that song, it takes a fair bit of time so we ended up going overtime. Before they took their break, I shared with them how I had been thinking a lot about the song over the weekend. In the Pidgin, the song says, “I want to know more about Jesus so I can be like Him.” The questions had come to me, “Do I really want to be more like Jesus? Do I really want to be like Him? How can I know more about Jesus? How can I be more like Him?” I left them with those questions. I hope they will think about them as I have been.
With the Lord’s help, the rest of the day went well. After school, Graham brought firewood in and filled up the wood box for me. There wasn’t enough work for him and Sunny to bother to come this evening. Several of the students stayed and moved ahead on some of their work. Dallas was the last one to leave, just before I took my nap.
Bethuel said he was going to come back in the afternoon to make up the work he had missed on Friday. I told him to come around 3:00 or 3:30, but it was 4:30 before he arrived. I graded the rest of today’s lessons while I was waiting. By the time he arrived, I needed to go make tortillas for my supper so I got him started on his phonics lesson and then went to the kitchen. Told him if he had any questions, he could come and ask. The only other thing he had to do after phonics was his spelling test. I had all the tortillas rolled out and some on to cook. Couldn’t leave them so had Bethuel come into the kitchen and sit at the table for his spelling test. I dictated the spelling words while I was watching the tortillas. Also had some eggs on to boil for egg salad.
It was almost 6:00 before Bethuel left and I was able to eat my supper. I was happy to sit down, as my legs were aching after being on my feet so long. Got Bethuel’s lessons graded before sitting down here at the computer.
“….what is that to thee? follow thou me.” John 21:22b
June 9. Pretty much a quiet, routine day. I was up a little bit early again as I had gone to bed somewhat early yesterday evening. It was another warm morning so I did not start a fire. Fixed oatmeal for breakfast; and, after talking with Daddy, I spent time with the Lord until students started coming. After that, I swept our bedroom and the kitchen and office areas. Then it was time for school to start.
It was already 2:30 before I got to nap this afternoon. After nap, I just had math lessons to grade. I had checked the English lessons while I was eating lunch and the Spelling and Phonics lessons during classes while the students were doing seat work.
After I got the lessons graded, I made a tuna pie for my supper. Looked over tomorrow’s lessons while that was baking. Did some reading while I was eating.
“For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.” Ezra 7:10