Adding my own commentary to "Love Comes Softly"

Beth, Krista, Jessica, Michael, and I are sitting in the Deckers' living room watching the second "Love Comes Softly" movie. Krista is obsessed with these movies, and we drag Michael over here and assure him that there will be kleenex for him. These are very predictable Christian love stories written by Janette Oakes. Katherine Heigl is actually in the first two. So we're sitting here, eating incredibly healthy cereal that probably cost this wonderful family a fortune from Royal House. Krista and I are making jokes about Kimmy Gibbler from "Full House" and raspberry cordial from "Anne of Green Gables." I am incredibly entertained by detail-oriented people like her. I joke with Michael that he and I are married, and I've gotten good at making jokes where I am concerned about our relationship's health or possessive of him. I don't joke like that in frnot of the students, but one girl came up to me the other day and asked if he and I were dating. I laughed and laughed and said no. Then she asked if one of the students and I were dating. I laughed and said no. Then she asked if I had a boyfriend in America. haha. "Ruth, where did you hear these things?" "I don't know. People in the dorm." So the same people are saying all three. haha. I am quite amused. I think Alexi, Pastor Tom's daughter is annoyed with my commentary about the movie, so I will try to control myself, but this movie is just asking for it.

Tonight at vespers, Jessica played the piano (for the first time at song service!), Michael played the guitar, Trei played the djembe, and I sang with a senior girl named Mary. One of the students' favorite songs is "Every Move I Make," and they get really into it. It's so cute. I always help lead that one, and all the Sudanese guys clap from side to side. We also sang "Holy is the Lord," and I watched some of the Sudanese guys who are in the hand choir do all the motions that they remembered from before. I just love watching them. Pastor Tom gave an excellent sermon to the seniors tonight about love. It sounds generic, but it was so good. He said that he asked for preaching advice from this little old Dutch man who really surprised him with his skills, and the old man told him, "If you love the people, you will never preach a bad sermon." We dedicated all the seniors and gave them a pin with the NUA label on it.
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My prediction is that the quiet man who just stole the plow from the daughter is good, and the nice-seeming guy who works on the train is a creep. We'll have to see. I was just told to shut up. Oh, this one is called "Love's Enduring Promise." I just compared the daughter to one of those hillbillies that refuses medical attention because the guy who she will eventually be in love with just told her that her pa could lose his life, and she said, "You're not touching my pa." Dumb. This girl looks like she's wearing a du-rag. I find this young country lad named Nate quite strapping. Hopefully Michael doesn't get jealous.

Tomorrow we are having a potluck for the students, and each of the staff members is going to bring something for them to try. We're making grilled cheese--very simple and very American. We spent an embarrassing 64 pounds on cheese.

Last night we had our Valentine's Day social, and the students went on a scavenger hunt and then signed giant hearts for each other. (These people are running away from bees, and my prediction is that the guy is allergic and will get stung and die from them just like Macaulay Culkin in "My Girl." Michael and I like Nate better than this guy with a bowtie.) On Sunday we're going to have the girls over and give them chocolate chip cookies. They don't really have cookies here, and chocolate chips are very hard to find. My parents brought me them when they came to visit.

On Sunday, we're going to start reading "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe." We're splitting up tenth grade because they are at such different levels. Beth is going to take the more advanced students, and I'm going to take the ones that have more difficulty. I am really happy about this because I really want to get in and nail the bad grammar. I'm just going to have some trouble. I feel like I would do things so differently if I was coming back for a second year. I feel bad for these kids who get all these first-year teachers who have no idea what they're doing until the second semester. (If this guy in the movie lived near me and was actually a nice guy, I would sneakily work my way into his life and marry him. For sure I would. That just reminded me that the students always say, "For sure she will like it." "For sure no." "For sure I will." They also always say, "As you like." I love it, and I've picked this up from them.)

We're having some problems at the school. Some guys were caught smoking. Smoking is a huge problem here--just about every guy here in Egypt smokes, so the school's rule has to be very strongly opposed to it. If they get caught, they're supposed to be kicked out. That rule started last year. (This bowtie man is so corny. He even talks in a really crisp voice like he would wear a bowtie.) So the guys are suspended right now until further decisions can be made. I really feel like the school is the best place for them to be, and I want them to be here so badly. I really feel like they need to be here, but I want to trust that God will allow whatever is best for them to happen. During the times when we feel like everything is wrong and we have nowhere to turn, we find that life does go on. We learn so much about ourselves, others, God, and life itself. So if they need to be at home for their characters to be shaped and molded, then sobeit. I just worry about them so much. Please pray that whatever is best will happen. I have noticed that the people here have a very difficult time taking responsibility for their actions. It's not so-and-so's fault that he got kicked out. It's Pastor Tom's... because Pastor Tom made him steal/cheat/lie/whatever he did. Taking responsibility for one's actions is one of the best things a person can learn to do.

Speaking of learning lessons, I need to learn some from this movie... maybe. Goodnight.