Another week full of great lessons, provisions, grace for the journey, healing, and surprises! As you can tell from the pictures, David and I now have two new additions to the family: сашка и ира (pronounced Sashka and Eara...сашка is the orange one and ира is the grey/black one...both are girls)! Last Tuesday, David and some of his Russian school classmates came across a box containing these two precious kittens. They were sitting there shivering in the cold, without a mother, and desiring a loving home. David called me on my cell phone and asked if I'd like some kittens, and I quickly said, "Yes!" We aren't certain if they're from the same litter, but these free gifts from Above have been a tremendous blessing this past week! The awesome responsibility of parenting our 4-week-old "kids" has kept me home more and taught me so much! Last night, after feeding them, I lay down on the couch to take a nap with them on my chest, and they eventually went to sleep! It was so precious! I was tired and decided to take a nap in my Father's arms, and my "kids" took a nap in their "Daddy's" arms!

Thank God, the lice epidemic is now under control! Vast improvements were already noticeable by Wednesday, and the attendance is at full capacity once again this week. Thanks for the prayers!

In 5th grade, we reached the climactic finish to the week with the student-performed "Plant Dramas" on Friday. In groups of 2-3, my students brilliantly acted out the various parts of plants and their uses! It was a blast!

One thing I'm really learning lately is the power that is in the words that Christ authoritatively spoke on the cross: "It it finished." He didn't say, "I did it!" or "We did it, Dad!" He had accomplished His life/death purpose, and He expressed its finality in the present tense. We can still speak those words today during our everyday, out-and-about life. When we face those familiar situations in which temptation is luring us with its deceptively beautiful mask and we seem to see no other alternative, we can authoritatively speak the words that Christ spoke 2,000 years ago because they apply just as much today as they did then: "IT IS FINISHED!" Therefore, in the grace and power of Jesus Christ, we do not have to remain subject to those sinful acts and the sinful nature that our Lord has finished! Praise His name!

Please continue to pray for the school's effectiveness within Moscow. Pray for my continuing pursuit of godly balance. Pray for a few of my students who are really struggling. Pray for the family of Hinkson's registrar, Shelley; her mother just passed away, and Shelley must now fly back to the U.S. for the funeral, being with her family, and many other difficult things. Thank God that He's answering my prayer for his peace to dwell in me!