Time for a break from homework. I have been spending the last 3 hours conjugating verbs. In a week and a half I think I have learned more about Spanish grammar then I have learned about English grammar in my entrie life.

If I had to sum up the last 3 weeks in a phrase, I could accurately use the word "childlike". Not because I am not taking this seriuously, not because it seems light and fluffy (though we did play hangman one day in phonetics class.. hehe). I say "childlike" because that is what God has been showing me. In Matthew 18:4 Christ tells us "...whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Now, I am not trying to volley for position here, but I am begining to realize that this is the kind of faith, the faith of a child, is what I will need in order to learn this new language and culture.

After a frustrating first two classes this morning, I went to a small coffee shop to have some time with the Lord, and this is when he began showing me the importance of recognizing the childlike importance of this time. Below are some notes I jotted as I thought:

I am a child of God:
...a child trusts, even when they don't know what's going on. (All classes are taught exclusively in Spanish... NO ENGLISH... I need to trust, even when I'm not sure what's going on)
...a child delights in small accomplishments. (I will not learn this language or culture in a few weeks, but I will take delight in the small things, like mastering a new verb form or recognizing a culturaly significant event)
...a child scares easily. (If you've ever been in a store or resturant and had no way whatsoever to communicate, you understand how I relate to this one)
...a child that strays from the safety of home is vulnerable. (I must always keep an open line of communication with my Father and Protector, God)
...a child is akward. (It is so easy to just get frustrated at the piles of homework, but I must plug through, even akwardly. This is just a price I need to pay to understand)
...a child learns at a child's pace. (Again, I must remember not to rush things)
...a child concerns itself in others who are going through hard times. (I realize this is not always true, but I have seen children many times befriend the smelly homeless guy or lonely old woman in the park. I must remember not to focus so much on learning language and culture that I do not see the hard times my classmates and neighbors are going through.)

Wow, that was theraputic to type out. I am so thankful that I am not alone in these childlike lessons. After all, when Christ came to learn a language and culture how did he start? As an child.

Hasta Luego