What if???

October 9, 2005


What if by Jadon Lavik

What if I climbed that mountain, what if I swam to that shore
What if every battle was victorious then would you love me more
Would you love me more
What if I were everyone’s first choice, what if I went farther than before
What if I stood high above the rest than would you love me more
Would you love me more
You say I belong to you apart from the things I do
You say I belong to you I’m in awe of why you do
Why you do, why you do, I’m in awe of you, ooh
What if I ignored the hand that fed me, what if I forgot to confess
What if I stumbled down that mountain then would you love me less
Lord would you love me less
What if I were everyones last choice what if I mixed in with the rest
What if I failed what I passed before then would you love me less
Lord would you would you love me less, oh no oh no oh no
You say I belong to you apart from the things I do
You say I belong to you I’m in awe of why you do
You do you do you do
What have I done to deserve your son sent to die for me
What can I give I want to live give me eyes to see
In a world that keeps changin’ there’s one thing that I know is true
Your love is stayin’ there’s nothing else I’ll hold onto
You say I belong to you apart from the things I do
You say I belong to you I’m in awe of why you do
Why you do
You say I belong to you apart from the things I do
You say I belong to you I’m in awe of why you do
I’m in awe of you I’m in awe of you
The way you love me, the way you do
The way you do , the way you love me, you love me , you love me
The way you do the way you do the way you love me,
the way you love you love you love
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aloha family and friends-
As I was driving home from church today, this song was playing on the radio. It is the exact words that I needed to hear to remind me that nothing I do affects God’s love for me. Whether I am on the mountaintop or in the valley, God loves me! Whether I am chosen first or chosen last in this world, God loves me! Whether I am married or single, God loves me! That is such a comforting thought in the whirlwind of emotions and everything that is going on. GOD LOVES ME!!! (and He loves you, too!!!) Christ’s blood paid the price for my freedom. I am victorious no matter what the enemy may throw at me.
Many of you have been praying for preschool. Keep praying!! The young lady that came out to help as my teaching assistant is headed back to Louisiana on Wednesday morning. The emotions of having her husband of a year stationed in South Korea and her family in Louisiana has been overwhelming and she feels she needs to go home. So as my heart empathizes with her, it also cries out in need of a helper for preschool. Please pray that God will bring whom He wants down in preschool and that everything will go smoothly this week as we return from a two-week break.

“Is anything to hard for the Lord???” Genesis 18:14
You are in my thoughts and prayers. If there is anything I can pray about for you please let me know.

Much love and God’s blessings,
Angela

Happily Single

Written Friday, August 19, 2005
Sent Saturday, August 20, 2005
Today has been a good day, not how I had planned it, but good none the less. Today is Admission’s day in Hawaii. We are the only state (to the best of my knowledge) that gets a day off for becoming a state- hence Admissions Day. Anyway, my plans for today were to take the 5:30am boat over to Maui, spend the day relaxing, and come back on the 6:00pm boat.

Things around here have been a bit crazy with keeping the Manley’s five children for the 10 days Randy and Louise were gone and teaching preschool from 7 to 4 everyday. I definitely give credit to all moms (and dads) especially those that work all day and have a family to care for. Back to my plans for the day- because of my tiredness, I didn’t listen to my 4:30 wake up alarm so consequently I didn’t make the 5:30 boat and ended up sleeping till 8 am. (And it felt wonderful to sleep in!!!) So the plans I had did not take place but the Lord had other plans. I enjoyed a relaxing morning at home- balanced my checkbook, started a load of laundry, cleaned out my refrigerator, unpacked from being up at the Manley’s, got dressed to go to town, had breakfast, mailed a couple of packages, went to the hardware store, went grocery shopping, came home, put together four casseroles for the next couple of weeks for dinners, hung up laundry and started another load, mounted several pictures on the walls of my house, watered my yard, reseeded my yard, fertilized my yard, came in, cleaned up, and worked on my scrapbook until now.
As I was getting ready for bed, the Lord laid on my heart the questions, “Are you satisfied being single?”. With all the books out there on this topic, I know it is on a lot of minds. After looking back on my day and even the past few weeks, I have to say, “Yes, Lord, I am satisfied being single.” The only reason I bring this up is because that is not always my answer. Most days my answer would be, “No, I am not satisfied being single, I desire to be married.” The Lord used the events of the day to show me the joys of being single- I can get up late if I want. I am more flexible if plans change. I can spend endless hours doing things I enjoy like spending time with God, cooking, or scrapbooking. Now please don’t get me wrong, I still desire to one day get married and have a family of my own but the Lord showed me today that I need to enjoy every day he has me single. So yes, until the Lord’s appointed time for me to get married, I am happily single and satisfied with what the Lord is doing in my life. Are you happily satisfied with where the Lord has you for right now? Or are you complaining because things aren’t going the way you want them to? Rejoice is the Lord always, and again I say rejoice!!! Choose joy!!! Ask the Lord to give you His joy in each situation you face. If you need prayer, call me or email me.
And for those of you that have heard from two little birdie friends of mine traveling around the U.S. that I am getting married, I will let you know when I find out!! Thanks Candace and Julie for keeping us all laughing!!
Have a great weekend!!!
Much love and God’s Blessings,
Angela Calhoun

A Great Weekend

What a blessed day and weekend I have had!!! I flew into Oahu Friday afternoon and was picked up by Sarah Jordan and Adele Lieb (Sarah’s mom). We went to a women’s dinner at Waimea Bay called Sunset at the bay. Had a lovely time of fellowship and worship!!! Saw some old friends and made some new friends. At the end of the evening, we all picked a Bible verse out of a basket. My verse was Psalm 145:15-16- “The eyes of all look expectantly to You and You give them their food in due season. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.” At the time I read it, I didn’t see how it applied to my life.
Saturday morning as I was doing my devotions, I read all of Psalm 145. The Lord really opened my eyes and my heart to what He was saying in these verses. There have been several things in my life that I have been faithfully seeking the Lord on. The recurring answer I keep getting from God is “Trust me. I have everything worked out according to My plan.” After meditating on these verses and asking the Lord to show me the relevance it has in my life, I feel an overwhelming peace that these situations in my life will be worked out in due season and I need to keep looking expectantly at the Lord to satisfy the desires of my heart.
Later on Saturday, I was sitting on the beach across from Sarah’s house on North Shore, Oahu and I was reading the book “Captivating” by John and Staci Eldridge. As I was sitting there in the warm sun with the cool breeze rustling the palm trees behind me the Lord was using the gently crashing waves to calm me and tell me how much He loved me. He created the warm sun, the cool breeze, and the crashing waves to bring us pleasure. They are love notes from God. “I have loved you with an ever-lasting love”- God (Jeremiah 31:3). I just sat there and basked in His radiance. God is so awesome!!!
The reason I went to Oahu was to help celebrate the upcoming birth of Jim and Sarah’s baby. (Sarah was a roommate of mine for two years on Molokai.) Sarah’s baby shower was themed ‘a small kid kine party’. We celebrated with hot dogs, mac and cheese, jello, m&m’s, kool-aid, rice krispie treats, and tons of fun games- hop scotch, jump rope, water balloon toss, fingerpainting, play dough, sidewalk chalk, and a piñata. It was so much fun and Sarah got some super cute baby gifts. This was a bitter sweet time- while I enjoyed spending the weekend with Sarah, this will be the last time I see her for a while as she and Jim are moving to Minnesota as of September 1st.
Today, we went to North Shore Christian Fellowship where Pastor Mike gave an awesome message out of the book of Revelation on how we have misplaced our first love which is Jesus Christ and the salvation that only He brings. If you have never found the redeeming love of Jesus Christ and want to know what this salvation from sin is all about, please email me or call me (808-553-8124) and I will be more that happy to talk with you and pray for you.
I am now back on Molokai feeling refreshed and renewed!! I am ready to head back into the classroom in the morning. Hope each of you have a great week!!! You are in my thoughts and prayer!
Much love and God’s blessings,
Angela

Life lessons learned in preschool

July 31st, 2005
Well it is that time of the year again… a day filled with the joyful laughter of children playing!! Oh and I can’t forget to add the tears of saying goodbye to mommy and the numerous times this week I have heard “Aunty, I just made shi-shi in my pants”. The joys of being back in school!!
I told several of you that I would try to write more frequently, so here we go. I survived my first week back to school. Life gets very interesting when you have seven children between the ages of 2 years 10 months and 4 years 6 months. Each year the children and the class dynamics are so different. This group seems to be pretty relaxed. I have two boys from last year that are good leaders and role models for the other two boys. I have one girl that has to change activities every two minutes. Most of them have been trained very well at home to clean up after themselves, so clean up time in the classroom is a breeze. I am still praying that God will bring in several more children in the upcoming weeks.
I bought the book “All I really need to know I learned in kindergarten” by Robert Fulghum this summer. The first section is all about those precious life lessons that we learn as a child that we hopefully take with us for the rest of our lives. I thought I would take the time to share an excerpt from this book.
“All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sand pile at Sunday School. These are the things I learned:
- Share everything

- Play fair

- Don’t hit people

- Put things back where you found them

- Clean up your own mess

- Don’t take things that aren’t yours

- Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody

- Wash your hands before you eat

- Flush

- Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you
- Live a balanced life- learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some
- Take a nap every afternoon

- Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.
- Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup- they all die. So do we.
- And then remember the Dick and Jane books and the first word you learned- the biggest word of all- LOOK!!! (pages 4 & 5 of “All I really need to know I learned in kindergarten” by Robert Fulghum)

Wouldn’t life be wonderful if we all followed these rules and understood them. Oh, the wonderful things you learn in preschool and kindergarten. I encourage you take heed of the “live a balanced life” and make sure that you take time to play. Open up a box of Crayola crayons and have fun!!

I truly have the best job in the world working with the generation of the future. Please continue to pray for the school and for the people of Molokai.

Thank you for your prayers, support, and love. Feel free to email me with any prayer requests you may have so that I can lift your need before the great Physician!!!
Much love and God’s blessings,
Angela

One last email

July 16, 2005


Aloha family & friends-

I decided I would send out one last email for the summer of 2005, as I head back to school in one week. I cannot believe how fast this summer has flown!!! School starts on July 25th (the day after my birthday)! So far I have 7 children enrolled in preschool and Aunty Shirley is going to be my assistant until October. After that Stephanie from Louisiana is coming out. We are still praying for a few more children to enroll.

I finished up tutoring yesterday (Friday) and have all next week to get ready for school. I have spent today working around the house, cleaning up for houseguests that I have for the next several weeks. My prayer has been that God would send people out here to visit, as a lot of people have left recently. It is not in ways I would have thought, but God has answered above and beyond!!! I am very thankful for His provision.
As I sit here at my computer, I can see the sunset outside of my living room window. It is such a great reminder of God’s magnificent hand painting yellows, blues, and purples across the sky. This afternoon I spent a couple of hours outside working in the yard mowing and cleaning up. It was in the mid 90’s, clear blue skies, and a gentle breeze blowing. The grass is turning much greener after some watering and tender loving care. The trees and shrubs I planted a couple of weeks ago are finally taking root. I am so thankful that God allows us to see His beauty through nature.
Thanks for your love, support, and prayers. I will try to be better about staying in touch this year. Feel free to email, write, or call (808-553-8124). You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Much love and God’s blessings,

Angela

Happy Independance Day

July 4th 2005




Aloha family and friends-
I thought I would take the opportunity to say hello and let you know what has been going on since the last time I wrote. I have been back on island two and a half weeks and have been kept very busy.
When I signed up to tutor this summer I thought I was going to be tutoring 1hour a day three days a week. It has turned into three hours a day five days a week. So I am up at school at 6:45 am, tutor until almost 10am, work in my classroom for a couple of hours and then go home and work on projects around the house. I have cleaned up my yard after being gone for five weeks. Planted a plumeria tree, a bird of paradise, eight bouganvilla (sp??), two hibiscus, and several other plants. Had a massive garage sale this past weekend so I have spent time getting everything priced and organized. Came home to a huge garbage bag full of box tops and Campbell's labels. I have cut a bundled over 11,000 labels and about 170$ worth of box tops. Mahalo nui to all who have sent those to support our school. Please keep them coming!
Wednesday afternoon Bible Study has been going again for the past two weeks. I had two high school girls the first week and then four different ones this week. These girls desire to be in the Word and learn more about what God has for them. Please keep praying that God will continue to grow these girls into His image.
This summer has also been a time of good byes. Between all of the trips to the airport to say goodbye to close friends and all of the going away parties, I am beginning to not like the airport. But God is faithful to provide all that is needed!!!

At the moment, five girls are here at the house eating pizza and watching movies. We spent the afternoon at the beach and now we are just hanging out. Two of the girls, Candace and Amber, leave for the mainland on Saturday so I am trying to spend time with them before they leave. Outside of my house, all of the neighborhood kids are setting off fireworks, so it is quite smokey and loud!!!
Well I will sign off for now. Hope everything is going well for you!!! I would love to talk with you and know what is going on in your life.
Much love and God's blessings,
Angela

Happy Independance Day!

I thought I would take the opportunity to say hello and let you know what has been going on since the last time I wrote. I have been back on island two and a half weeks and have been kept very busy.

When I signed up to tutor this summer I thought I was going to be tutoring 1hour a day three days a week. It has turned into three hours a day five days a week. So I am up at school at 6:45am, tutor until almost 10 am, work in my classroom for a couple of hours, and then go home and work on projects around the house. I have cleaned up my yard after being gone for five weeks. Planted a plumeria tree, a bird of paradise, eight boganvilla (sp??), two hibiscus and several other plants. Had a massive garage sale this past weekend so I have spent time getting everything priced and organized. Came home to a huge garbage bag full of box tops and Campbell's labels. I have cut and bundled over 11,000 labels and about 170$ worth of box tops. Mahalo nui loa to all who have sent these to support our school. Please keep them coming!

Wednesday afternoon Bible study has been going again for the past two weeks. I had two high school girls the first week and then four different ones this week. These girls desire to be in the Word and learn more about what God has for them. Please keep praying that God will continue to grow these girls into His image.

This summer has also been a time of good byes. Between all of the trips to the airport to say goodbye to close friends and all of the going away parties, I am beginning to not like the airport. But God is faithful to provide all that is needed!

At the moment, five girls are here at the house eating pizza and watching movies. We spent the afternoon at the beach and now we are just hanging out. Two of the girls, Candace and Amber, leave for the mainland on Saturday so I am trying to spend time with them before they leave. Outside of my house, all the neighborhood kids are setting off fireworks, so it is quite smokey and loud!!

Well I will sign off for now. Hope everything is going well for you! I would love to talk with you and know what is going on in your life.