The Joy of Thankfulness

This past weekend Korea celebrated Chuseok which is their Thanksgiving. Chuseok is very familiar to American and Canadian Thanksgiving in the way that it is a holiday to spend with family and remember all that we can be thankful for. Chuseok is also a time to give gifts to one another. Many of my students gave me gifts which I felt so blessed by. One gift I got was a dozen Asian pears.  They are so yummy, but I have had to find creative ways to use them. I made pear bread, put some in my salads, eaten them as a snack and have given some way to friends as they are popular fruit on the expensive side. I spent Chuseok relaxing, sight-seeing (the Queen’s Palace), hosting a pancake party, catching up on school work, visiting friends, skyping with family and friends (my favorite skype time was with my grandma… she learned how to skype just so she could talk to me. I love it!) and remembering all that God has blessed me with.

The Queen's Palace

The day before Chuseok break I had the privilege of leading the staff devotions at school. Although I was really nervous I just shared what was on my heart the past couple of months. I was very open with how my transition process has been and what God has been teaching me through it! And this is what God has been teaching me through it:

                As many of you know it has not been an easy transition for me like I thought it was going to be. I thought I would easily be able to transition into a place because I have done it so many times before, but God has taken this opportunity to pour into my life and shape me more into the woman He has created me to be. One thing that God has really been putting on my heart lately is trusting in Him and having a thankful attitude/outlook no matter what comes my way. In college my junior I was a resident assistant for a group of woman that I lived with. One thing that we focus on was having a thankful heart in all things. I read a book called One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp and I am rereading it now. Ann has so many good insights into how to live fully right where you are by looking at the little things God blesses you with each day and thanking him for it. Two quotes that have stood out to me during this season in my life are:

                “… but to give thanks is an action and rejoice is a verb and these are not mere pulsing emotions. While I may not always feel joy, God asks me to give thanks in all things, because He knows that the feeling of joy begins in the action of thanksgiving.”

This quote challenges me to be thankful even when I have a really rough day- I am homesick, my students are not listening to me, I am lonely and I don’t understand what is going on. I can still thank God for the little things and through that I will receive joy. Do you believe this?? I can testify that it is true. I have started to keep a thankful journal where I write at least three things every day that I am thankful for. I have noticed my attitude changing and have felt more joy. On the days that I do not stop to look for the thanksgivings I feel dry. I need to choose thanksgiving each and every day!

 

The second quote from Ann that has taught me something is:

                “the secret of joy’s flame: Humble let go. Let go of trying to do, let go of trying to control… let go of my own way, let go of my own fears. Let God blow His wind, His trials, oxygen for joy’s fire. Leave the hand open and be. Be at peace. Bend the knee and be small and let God give what God chooses to give because He only gives love and whisper surprised thanks. This is the fuel for joy’s flame.”

I need to let go of my expectations, my feelings of loss, my insecurities, my worries, my doubts, and my misunderstandings and I need to just be. I need to find the peace in God so He can use me in all that He wants to use me in. I need to allow Him to give me oxygen for my joy’s fire by bending my knee and allowing God to be God.

I am so thankful for the God that I have a relationship with. He promises to never leave me nor forsake and that is an amazing promise to cling to you. If you do not have a relationship with God and are curious about my relationship with God please contact me. I would love to share with you more about His amazing love and my relationship with Him.

 

These are things that have found their way onto my thankful list the past couple of weeks:

quiet times with the Lord, ipod communication, learning about grace, smooth immigration process, grilled cheese sandwiches, cozy rainy mornings, watching TU soccer, worship, my student’s singing happy birthday to my sister, my family, long runs, fresh life podcast, recipe turned out, homeplus trip with friends, the Houser Family, teaching my students, building new friendships, babysitting, knowing I have a Korean family, parent volunteers, journaling, safeness of Korea and many more things….

Like I mentioned in another blog post, but is something that I am continuing to work on is:

“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord” Psalms 27:13-14

 

Love, Daniella

 

P.S Thank you for partnering with me through prayer, support, and financially. I am so thankfully for each person that reads this blog no matter if I know you or not. Thank you for being you!

Updated Address!

My address has changed! Again!

Use this address to send a letter:                                      Use this address to send a package:
Daniella Rottier                                                                Daniella Rottier
Pyeongtaek International Christian School                      International Christian School Pyeongtaek
PO Box 24                                                                        Shindaegojan-gil 53
Pyongtaek 450-600 Republic of Korea                           Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi-do
                                                                                         450-820

P.S. Thank you to those who have sent me letters. I love them!  J

Happy Birthday

Two very special woman in my life have celebrated birthdays this week. They are two of my favorite people in the whole world and I love them dearly! I have missed spending their day with them for the past five years now and I cannot wait until the day I get to celebrate with them again in person!

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Momma and Sis!

Mom! Thanks for being an amazing example of godly woman who serves from her heart with hospitality. I am so thankful for our friendship! You have taught me to have courage, never give up and to always seek God. Thanks for teaching that every once in awhile you just have to treat yourself! J You are so beautiful inside and out! My prayer for you this year is that you will seek God for the desires of your heart and that you will be able to live out your dreams. Nothing is to big to dream...

 Mia! You are beautiful inside and out. I am so proud of the woman you are becoming. Your heart is as pure as gold full of compassion for others.  You are amazing example of a young lady who accepts and looks for the good in each person no matter what! I love your fun attitude and adventurous side as well!  My prayer for you this year is that you  will grow deeper in your relationship with your heavenly father and that you will stand up for what you believe no matter what. You are light in the darkness! Be courageous and have fun!

Happy birthday, beautiful ladies! I love you to the moon and back! J

 Love, Daniella

Beauty of Career & Passion

This week two thoughts have been on my mind a lot as I have woken up each morning to go to school, as I have taught throughout the day and as I have gone to bed at night…

One: “How I am so thankful for the passion that God has given me to teach!” (This poster sums it all up)

And two: “How amazing God’s love is!!!”

I feel so thankful that God has called me to teaching. It is such amazing and beautiful passion laid on my heart. Someone this weekend asked me if I am excited to wake up in the morning and go to school and I immediately answer with yes even when it is 5:30 in the morning!  And this is why:

I love getting to school and setting up my room for the morning, putting the date on the board, laying out the schedule and writing a morning message to my students. I love listening to our staff devotions and then walking up the stairs to see my 2^nd graders with all smiles as I approach them with a “good morning”. I love the anticipation I have for 15 minutes as I prepare the last minute things for the day or just seat and pray for the day. The bell rings and a huge smile comes across my face as I open the door to my classroom and greet each student with a smile and  a “good morning”. Oh, it just makes me so happy to see each child that is intrusted to me for 6 hours a day. All the worries of being in new country disappear for 6 hours each day as I spend time getting to know my students, as I teach math, reading, science, social studies, spelling , writing and my favorite, bible. This past week my goal was to be fully with my students at all times. I want them to improve. I want them to love learning. I want them to know that I am always with them and for them. I want them to see Christ’s love through me. Often times I do feel inadequate, but this is where my second thoughts comes in

God’s love is so amazing. He loves me for who I am. He loves all of me even when I fail. He loves my students and their families. He loves us! I cannot be the teacher I want to be without having God be the center of my life. I cannot love my students if I don’t believe that God loves me. This week God has shown me in so many ways that He loves me and that He is so faithfully watching over me. He has promised us that He would never leave us or forsake as long as we are in His will. The past couple of weeks in bible we have been learning about Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. These men faithfully waited for God’s promise to them and a lot of times they didn’t feel like they were adequate for the job, but God used them in many amazing ways. Who are we to decide how God can use us?! I need to be obedient to what He has for me and remember His promise that He loves us oh, so much! Yes, He loves me and that brings me so much joy!

Thank you God, for the passion that you have laid on my heart to teach children and that you allowed it to bring me joy each day! J

Love, Daniella

A few prayer requests this week:

-For my class as we learn more about who God is through our everyday learning

-For me as teacher that I would feel equip to teach my students and give them my best each day

-For my school that we would be able to find a director for the rest of the year and more students would attend

A praise:

-My class has adjusted well to our new girl and we are all quickly becoming "friends"

"Firsts"

My life these days are filled with many different firsts:

First time to live overseas for long-period of time by myself

First apartment

First year of teaching

First bus ride to school by myself

First paper cut of the school year

First cold (sickness) of the school year

First new student (Yes, you read correctly. I now have 8 students. Praise the Lord!!! Keep them coming! J )

First case of lice in the classroom

First time living in a city

First Saturday spent at school working

First visit to Seoul

First time cooking with eggplant

And I am sure that I am forgetting some other “firsts.” 

BUT

 

What I have realized through these “firsts” is that life is all about experiencing new things and I love that. I love that life is a beautiful adventure and that it is never a dull moment. I can tell you one thing my classroom is never a dull moment- we are always either laughing, singing, and of course learning at the same time or at least that’s my goal! J

 At the same time though experiencing so many “firsts” makes you feel at times like you are starting all over again (like your baby learning new things for the first time) because the things that use to be familiar are no longer around so you have to make new familiars but that takes time and I am learning that right now. I kept forgetting that things take time. I need patience more than anything these days: I just want to be settled, I want my classroom to be completely organized, I want to be on top of things and a week ahead in lesson plans, I want deep friendships with people here, I want time to read and relax, I want to understand the Korean culture and language, but I have to remind myself constantly that I need to be patience. I need to trust in God that His timing is perfect and that I need to be patience in waiting for it. He knows exactly how I feel and what I need in the right timing. So this year I am going to practice patience again. When I was three years old I remember one of my family’s good friends telling me that I had so much patience while it looks like I need to go back to the beginning and practice it again.

 Theme of my life these days:  feeling like a baby by experiencing new things and practicing patience.  

At least I know that life is a beautiful adventure through the learning, the memories, the experiences, the growth, the challenges and new beginnings because it all leads to experiencing more of God. God is completely faithfully through each step of our journey and I am clinging to His promises daily these days as experience the many “firsts!”

Love, Daniella 
 

A few prayer requests this week:

-For my class as we welcome a new girl to our classroom

-For me as a teacher that I would feel equip to teach my students and give them my best each day

-For my school that we would be able to find a director for the rest of the year and more students would involve

-And that I would learn to be patience again! J