Raw Talents

Drama crew

A few weeks ago, LCHS drama class presented a play "Trial by Error", a play so captivating that left the audience in awe of the talents LCHS students possess. The costumes and the actual presentation was aesthetically coordinated which kept the audience entertained throughout the night. Several of our dorm students were in the play and I thought their individual roles represented some of their persona. 

Jacques is an individual of few words so his character was Romoni Brown, a grumpy gypsy who never said much but groan and moan at others. Alek's was sheriff Tex Masterson, the law man who kept the town in order. His character was sometimes funny, serious, talkative and had a rather peculiar accent. Serena played Slick Parker,  a dumb potbelly man -  so maybe not all the  characters personified the students who played them. The other dorm students in the play were Silas, Maya, and Aleyna and they acted their roles exceptionally well.

Ramoni Brown (Jacques), and Sheriff (Alek)

A few students from LCHS attended the REACH program, an event organized for students who are interested in careers in the medical field. They students met different people who work in the medical field like Nurses, Radiologist, Lab Technicians, Therapist and so forth. The students also got hands on experience like  strep throat testing.

Serena, Geneva and Nevin

Serena pretending to be a doctor

Nevin checking the heart rate of his patient

Learning how to check strep throats

Her first time in an Ambulance.

Future Surgeon Nevin

A Lab Technician teaching the students how to... (oops! I forgot)

Aleyna aka. Shorty # II celebrated her birthday last week. Aleyna is a Sophomore at LCHS and she has being a blessing in the dorm. She is short, a Colotexan, (a word I created to mean from Colorado and Texas), and funny especially when she does abs workout. The dorm wishes you a happy birthday and God's blessing in your life.

Birthday girl - Aleyna

Fiona, Silas's sister was able to visit for a short while during her Spring break. Fiona graduated LCHS last year and now attends the University of Iowa where she studies nursing. Good luck with your feature endeavors and come visit again.

Silas excited he is taller than his big sister

Upcoming events

• Mar 21 - Senior Class Pizza Dinner at LCHS 5 - 7:30 pm
• Mar 27 - Schmeckfest and no school
• Mar 30 - Happy birthday Joyce
• April (2-6) - Easter Break

Praying For Silas

On Monday, January 26th, a few members from the community came up with a way to rally behind Silas and remind people to pray. At 7pm, several of us changed our Facebook profile pictures to this one to show our care and support. We're so grateful God put Silas in our lives and are hoping for a quick recovery for him!

On Tuesday, a home game day, the boys basketball team came onto the gym floor with shirts that had "We Got Your Back" (a team motto) on the back and Silas' number "20" on the front. The team (and this community) stick together. It's pretty incredible to see. It's a huge gift to be a part of a community who really love each other, mainly because they know what it looks like to be loved by God, and it's just the natural response to pass it on. So beautiful.

Silas was discharged from the Billings hospital on Tuesday, and he's staying with a family in the community as he heals. He's very worn out, but his pain level seems to be under control right now, which is a huge blessing.

Thank you for those of you who have prayed! Please keep praying. It sure makes a big difference!

Nothing For Granted

Ordinary Life
(which includes a lot of hardboiled eggs
for breakfast around here! smile.)

It's kind of a cliche realization to not take anything for granted when we're faced with loss and hard times, but those who are facing those times, understand the reality of it. Nothing should be taken for granted. Those who know loss understand this painfully more so than many of the rest of us. Even ordinary things should be acknowledged as the gifts they are.

This past week, Silas, one of our juniors, broke his leg. It was a pretty gruesome break too that took him to Billings for an early surgery yesterday morning. The surgery went well, but he's currently in a lot of pain. Would you please pray for Silas as you think of him? That God would bring quick healing and even more so, that His presence would be evident and comforting to Silas right now, that He would speak to Him? Thank you! I KNOW that prayer makes a difference.

Silas is passionate about basketball, and the loss of the function of his leg isn't just about his leg. It's about something he loves. It's not going to be an easy road for him to figure out a new normal for the next few months, but he won't be alone in it.  This community has been so loving and so supportive of him. We're sticking by you, Silas. We are. We love you!

~~~

As for other happenings at the dorm, Dimon left the dorm two weeks ago as she was welcomed into a family from this community. It is SO HARD to have her gone, but it's beautiful to see God at work in her life and to see her loved on by others who care a lot! 

Besides that, basketball has consumed most of our free time. The typical weekly schedule includes games on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday. This weekend was a Dorm Weekend Out, so kids stayed with community members and enjoyed a break from the dorm. Even though it's great to have a break as an RA, it's a fun moment for me when they start coming back, and the quiet dorm fills up again. :) 

This week will include more games as we wrap up the last week of January. Hard to believe. We've even had some sunshine and warmer weather the past few days! I think we're being fooled that spring's on its way. Nonetheless, we're enjoying the small break from winter. :)

~~~

Back to not taking anything for granted, I want to remember the beautiful, little things about this unique dorm world. I want the students to remember too . . . this is such a unique season in our lives. Let's not take it for granted. 

Today, I'm thankful to live in a community who cares and prays and loves us. I'm thankful for the seven stools by my kitchen counter, especially when they're being used by the kids. I'm thankful for groceries stores and sales and freezers that can keep our food for longer periods since we live so far away from those stores. I'm thankful for hospitals, pain meds, and people who were willing to drop what they were doing to hang out with Silas these past few days in Billings. I'm thankful for teachers that love these kids and have devoted their lives to them. I'm thankful for good sources of heat in this dorm during the winter. I'm grateful our running water works. I'm thankful for someone who cooks our weekday meals. I'm thankful that for the most part, we're all pretty healthy around here. I'm thankful that God's presence is here and that He walks us through each day and loves us, right where we're at. He is so good. There is so much to be thankful for!

More Beautiful Ordinary

The Last Few Days of the Year

The countdown has most definitely begun. We are now down to 4 more school days, and then it's time for CHRISTMAS BREAK! I think we're all going a little crazy around here. Whether that's from our excitement or all the sugar that sweet people have been bringing our way, we may never know. ;) The past few weeks, kind hearted community members have been bringing us goodies! We've had some delicious fudge, chips and dip, coated pretzels, cookies, ice cream, and much more. I am beyond grateful for the way the community has loved our dorm family. It has made a profound difference for us!

The sugar has probably helped us survive the craziness of these last few weeks. It has definitely been busy around here. Time is flying. Last Thursday was the high school's Christmas program. Dimon played her flute in the band. She was our only band player from the dorm. The band rocked it! 

The high school choir also sang. Most of the high schoolers participate in choir, including all of those who live in the dorm. Together, they made some pretty great Christmas music.

We appreciate Mr. Butler's work in organizing the program and directing the choir and band. He does a stellar job.





On Friday night, there was a Blue White game at the school. The girls and boys basketball teams each split in half, and they played against each other (girls against girls, boys against goys) that night.  Meanwhile, there was a fundraiser Spaghetti Feed in the cafeteria. It was a special time for the community to gather together and watch the teams that they will soon be cheering hard for as the games begin.

Our Fantastic Refs: Ibrahim, Mr. Leland, and Mr. Orr

Boys Team Going Hard

Girls Team Intensity

On Saturday, the girls played their first game against Opheim, and THEY WON!!!! It was so exciting! They rocked it. We are all looking forward to watching them play and excel the rest of the season.

On Sunday, the whole dorm visited Glasgow Evangelical Church to watch their Christmas program. It was so great to watch their kids program and to remember the importance of Jesus being central in Christmas. We need those reminders in such a hectic holiday season. He is the perfect, best reason.

After the service, the kids hung out in the youth room while I went and picked up pizza and some pop. We ate lunch together in the youth room, played around a little bit, headed to a grocery store, and then back to the dorm.

Later that evening, we went to the MB Christmas program. SO.MUCH.FUN. The program was called David's Dynasty, a spoof off of the very famous Duck Dynasty. It was a riot! So much fun. You can watch the program here: http://www.highschoolcube.com/event/426001.







Amongst the extraordinary busy moments, there are precious ordinary moments too. I don't want to forget these. I don't want to forget the BEAUTY of waking up to a sunny, frosty morning in Lustre. Yes, even those early Monday mornings. There's still beauty in those. :)














I don't want to forget the gift it is to all eat together outside the school's kitchen for supper each weekday. Jean Toews is our cook, and my word, we are SPOILED ROTTEN! You should see our menus!













I don't want to forget these kids' smiles or the mornings when everything goes mostly wrong, and we laugh about it anyways. Or they laugh at me, . . . one or the other. ;) I don't want to forget that they're growing, that we're all growing and becoming through this process of together-life. We are always given the choice . . . to become better or bitter.



We definitely have our moments. Lots of moments. Even in the stressful, tense times, we're learning to be family, to connect, to grow. Sure, we all probably need this upcoming Christmas break to spend a little time away from each other, but I'm pretty confident there will be some happy reunions come January. We may be from many different parts of the globe with different thoughts on life and relationship, but we're all human, and we can still come together and grow together and seek Truth together. That's the beauty of this dorm, of this life.

We have made many memories in this past four month stretch. I am expectant to see what will meet us in this brand new upcoming year. :)


Upcoming Events:

• Wednesday
• All School Caroling
• Thursday
• Boys Basketball Game (4:30pm: JV and 6pm: Varsity)
• Friday
• Christmas Party at School
• Girls & Boys Basketball Game (6pm & 7:30pm)
• Christmas Vacation Begins! See you in the New Year!

Here is a small clip from one of the songs the choir sang during the school Christmas program. So sad for the static in the speakers in the beginning and that I cut off the recording early. :/ A good representative of our imperfect life here . . . in the midst of the imperfection, there is still incredible beauty, isn't there? Enjoy!

Catching Up: Part 3

Homemade Donuts

Even after hearing about Brett Norman's passing, the Sunday (Nov. 9th) continued on as normal, even if we weren't feeling so normal at that point. We went to church and then headed over to Wilbur and Vernelle Unrau's house for Sunday dinner to celebrate Serena's 18th birthday a little early. Even in the midst of the sadness, it was a very
special time, a joyful time to celebrate Serena's life.




Outside the Unrau's windows was snow! We got the first official snowfall of the season. (Official in that it was sticking on the ground. smile.) It was a family tradition for me (danae) growing up to make donuts as a family for the first snowfall of the year that stuck on the ground, so on Thursday, I made some dough, and Etien, Joyce, and Serena helped me cut them out with cups and a Snapple bottle. ;) We fried them up and frosted 'em over. They turned out yummy!

Serena, Joyce, and Etien
Cutting Out Some Donuts.

Lustre Snow in November!

The day before the donut day, Linette came over with bunches of things for Operation Christmas Child. The kids helped her organize the things into boxes that will be sent out to share Jesus' love to several kids around the world. What a great accomplishment, and it definitely looks like they had fun doing it, doesn't it?

Mawin and Silas being dorks. :)
Photo Credits: Linette Uchtman

The crew and their beautiful boxes!
Photo Credits: Linette Uchtman

On Friday, the whole dorm went to Ron Reddig's benefit dinner and auction in Glasgow. It was such a great time! So many came that we knew, and Ron Reddig had coached several of the guys in basketball so being there had special meaning for them. Miraculously, the dinner raised $111,665! This community is so generous. GOD is so generous. And faithful. And good. It was awesome to be a part of seeing that miracle.

That Saturday, Ibrahim and I, along with several of our kids, went back to Glasgow to Brett's funeral. It was so well done but so hard too. So much pain for those left behind. We can't forget to keep praying for that family and those close to Brett.

Thursday was a big day for the dorm! Basketball practice began. People have been waiting for that all year! :)

It was also time for Maya and Chen to give their senior chapels. They ROCKED it! Maya talked about true beauty, bravely sharing the story of her own personal search for beauty and her realization that we are all beautiful in God's eyes and in the eyes of those who love us. Beauty isn't perfection. It's being comfortable with ourselves and being loved.

Chen talked about friendship and the importance of having good friends. He also talked about the importance of trust and reliability in a friendship, that God is the truest friend who will never leave us or fail us.

I was so proud of them!

And last but certainly not least, it was SERENA'S BIRTHDAY!!!!!!! :) It was so special to celebrate her. :) Her room was decorated with balloons, and there were cupcakes at school for her. Several of her basketball friends joined us for dinner, and she blew out 18 candles on top of her favorite type of cake made by the one and only Jean Toews: Angel Food Ice Cream Cake. Mmm!

Serena's 18th Birthday Cake :)
Photo Credits: Ibrahim

For devotions, we played games, but first I shared a verse for this special lady.

“Can a woman forget her nursing child,

    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?

Even these may forget,

    yet I will not forget you.

16 

Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;

    your walls are continually before me."

Isaiah 49:15-16

Serena, happy birthday to you, sweet girl. I am so grateful for your life. You are energy, joy, laughter, and loyalty. You are on God's mind, and I picture God's hand covered in Indian henna . . . your name as part of His henna design. Your name always before Him. Your heart always held in His hands. Be strong in the next year. Stay close to Him. My prayer is that You always stay close, that You reject the American dream in order to experience His wide and difficult and worth-it dream for your life. I love you, sweet girl. I am so glad for your birthday. Many more, Serena!

Whew! Thanks for taking blog overload this week. I think I'm all caught up for awhile. ;) 

Catching Up: Part 1

This week may require a three-part series on all the dorm life that has been happening around here lately. It sure seems like it's been a lot. I am so sorry I didn't pull out my camera more often for more pictures. Sometimes, it's sweeter to live life through my own eyes instead of peering through the eyes of an artificial lens. I write to remember. This is such a unique, special season.

On November 2nd, the whole dorm was invited over to Meredith and Dan Reddig's house for Sunday dinner. It was so generous of them, and it does us so much good to be out of the dorm. Thank you, Dan and Meredith, for loving on us and making us feel a part of this community!

Meredith and Joyce make delicious caramel corn for us all.

Chen playing pool in Dan's
special room downstairs.

Ibrahim enjoying one of his favorite pastimes,
watching Sunday football, at the Reddig's. :)

Alek and Dimon playing an intense game in Dan's western-styled room.

Monday, November 3rd was Silas' 19th birthday! What a gift to be able to celebrate him! I am so grateful for his life and presence at the dorm. He adds so much! The morning started out fantastic as Jerry and Susan Fast (along with their kids, Megan, Nathan, and Lauren) surprised Silas by coming to the dorm and making one of his favorite breakfasts for everyone. Wow! We were all spoiled!!!! Waffles with white sauce, eggs, muffins, ETC. Silas was surprised and appreciative. (I was so appreciative too! Such a gift to not have to worry about Monday morning breakfast . . . though I may never be able to trump that breakfast in these kids' minds ever!!!! ;)

Mawin and Silas
Silas may not have been so appreciative of me taking a picture
here. Whoops. ;)

Dimon, Serena, and Joyce used their crazy creative skills to decorate cupcakes for Silas. We surprised him after lunch with them. The girls managed to decorate the cupcakes with basketball symbols, Chinese symbols, etc. They are artists!

Dimon, Joyce, and Serena with Silas' homemade cupcakes.

Later that day, Randy and Becca Reddig, plus their two sweet kids (Cam and Harlow) surprised Silas by joining him for dinner at the school where Jean Toews made the meal he had picked out as his birthday meal. It was DELICIOUS. And Silas was so surprised to see the Reddig's!

We played some games in devotions that night to enjoy each other and enjoy Silas. Before the games though, I gave Silas these verses that had popped in my head for him.

"But now thus says the Lord,

he who created you, O Jacob,

    he who formed you, O Israel:

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

    I have called you by name, you are mine.

2 

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;

when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,

    and the flame shall not consume you.

3 

For I am the Lord your God,

    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior."

Isaiah 43:1-3a. 

Silas? My prayer for you is that you hold true to Him who called you. He is your Savior, and His love for you is vast and overwhelming. You are a leader, a brother, a friend. Continue to live into all you were created to be. I am so grateful for your part in this dorm. I am so grateful God created you the way He did. You are so loved.

More to come about these past few weeks.

And the party continues

The guys had the opportunity to slingshot paintball thanks to Jerry Fast who came through with his promise. I thought they were excited for the chance to hit me with paintball but I was equally excited for the opportunity. Jacques wore a winter jacket for protection which I thought he was overreacting but I soon understood why he dressed up the way he did. Nevin the strategic one hung out on the roof looking for preys to devour which he successfully did. Alek got hit the most and I was shooting at anything that moved behind and in front of me. None of us sustained a major injury which is a praise, and after that we enjoyed a delicious meal at Jerry’s home.

Nevin on the roof

The last time I cheered so hard was when my beloved Seahawks whooped the Denver Broncos in the last super bowl. The dorm guys and I cheered and screamed at every good play and points the Lady Lions scored during their Volleyball tournament in Saco. Even though we were disappointed after the game not to get a win because the girls really played well, we had some good plays we reminisced as we left Saco.

Lady Lions in Saco

Lustre cheerleaders 
Jacques, Silas and Chen

After an exciting game of volleyball, I took the students bowling. I actually forgot it was Halloween and some of kids were upset at me for not taking them to track-n-treat in Glasgow; I had to make it up to them by going bowling. I had a blast watching the kids compete against each other. Nevin won the first game by 114 points and he rubbed it in our faces and told us how good he was. I couldn't take it and neither did the other guys so we stepped up our A game. 

I won the next game by 117 point and I rubbed it in their faces as well. As the new king they all went after my record but I had to stay on my toes to make sure that didn't happen. I got a 118 points in the final game to maintain my bowling superiority and then we called it a night.

We compete hard; make fun of each other; goof around a lot; laugh together; discipline when it is required, tease each other; give each other a hard time, but at the end of the day, we are a family.

Danae and I cherish every opportunity to love, admonish and enjoy spending quality time with our dorm kids and what a privilege it has being. We can honestly say that some days don't go the way we want them to be but God gives us the strength to look forward to better days which we have had plenty of.

Things to pray for us are: to love each other as a family; to be united with Christ; to deny ourselves and take up our cross daily, and most importantly to rejoice in the gospel. Our prayers and condolences also goes to the Toavs family for their lost. 

I Peter 1:8-9 says, "Though you have not seen him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls." My prayers for you is that you will rejoice in Jesus and be reminded that His grace is sufficient for you EVERYDAY!!!!!!!!!!