Public Transportation 2 Katie Lane 0

I am thankful to report that even though I am without a car here in Philadelphia, I have two roommates who work at Visitation with me. Because of this, I do not have to use public transportation every day like I was originally planning on doing. In fact, I probably only use it two or three days out of the week. From an entertainment standpoint, I'm sure you are all shaking your heads in disappointment as you realize the absence of amusing public transit stories posted in my blog. However, let me remind you that these stories are only laughable in hindsight and that the actual experience is oftentimes near traumatic. I promise to try my best and share the few stories that I do have if you promise to avoid praying that the Lord would strike immobile the cars of my roommates in hopes that I will be forced to use public transportation more often.

Having explained that, I would like to share a story with you all. My school weeks are very busy, intense, and exhausting, so Saturdays seem to become a leisurely day in which I can rest and relax. For me, resting and relaxing usually includes going to a coffee shop for a chai tea and reading a good book for a few hours. Conveniently, there is a bus stop about 3 blocks from my house that runs straight to St Joseph's University. St. Joe's is where I take grad classes on Tuesday nights. There are a number of cafes and coffee shops in the area that I visit frequently.

A few Saturdays ago, I left my house around 11:00am to catch Bus 65 on the corner of 67th and Landsdowne. I get to the corner and notice a piece of construction paper taped over the bus stop sign informing passengers that Bus 65 would be picking riders up down a block- on the corner of 68th and Landsdowne. I look down the street and notice that, sure enough, the route that Bus 65 normally takes is blocked off with a long piece of string tied to two street lights. In the center there is a pizza box draped over the string reading "BLOCK PARTY". No orange and white "Do Not Enter" signs, no police cars, no warnings. I guess this is how they do it in West Philly.

I begin walking in the direction that the construction paper instructed and glance up. Bus 65 is just pulling away. "No problem." I think to myself. "I'm not on a time schedule today." I get to the bench an sit down next to another woman.

"Are you waiting for Bus 65, too?" I ask her.

"I would have caught it if it hadn't been for that dang block party." She says in a huff. Guess she didn't get the memo either.

I pull out a book and begin reading while I wait 15 minutes for the next bus. I'm enjoying the beautiful weather and thank God for a day to rest. Sure enough, 15 minutes later I see Bus 65 driving towards the stop. I stand up, ready to get on and get to my destination. "That's strange." I think as I notice every single person on the bus out of their seat, piling out of the doors as they open up. "This isn't usually this popular of spot." I look to the back of the bus and see the problem. There is smoke everywhere. It is clouding up the whole area we are standing as people cough and cover their mouths. There is something leaking onto the street as the bus driver pulls the bus forward and off to the side.

"What happened?" I say to one of the women who got off the bus.

"I don't know." she says back. "The bus driver just asked us all to get off and we noticed the smoke. He called to the terminal and there should be another bus here in a few minutes."

We wait. And wait. And wait. There was not a bus there in a few minutes. In fact, three bus 65's passed us going the opposite direction in the amount of time it took for a bus to come to our stop. When a bus does finally come, it's a short bus, already full of people. We all cram on, standing in the aisles, body to body. What's usually about a 17 minute ride took about 35 due to traffic on City Avenue (I don't know if it was a result of too many block parties or what. Saturday morning- are you kidding me?).

The good news is that after about two hours I finally got to Starbuck and had a delicious chai tea. For the record, Starbucks is about 8 miles from my house.

A quote worth reading....

"Sometimes I am asked to speak to young people who are toying with the idea of being missionaries. They want to know how I discover the will of God. The first thing was to settle once and for all the supremacy of Christ in my life...I put myself utterly and forever at His disposal, which means turning over all rights: to myself, my body, my self-image, my notions of how I am to serve my Master.....the will of God is always different from what they expect, always bigger, and, ultimately, infinitely more glorious than their wildest imaginings.

"I want to put it down right here that I have certainly 'tasted the joy'. I cannot imagine a more wonderfully blessed life than mine. Faithfulness of a loving Father--that's what I've found, every day of every week of every year, and it gets better."

-Elisabeth Elliot

Teaching Update!

Hello everyone! I am sorry for the delay in updates concerning my first days of school. Bear with me as I learn to balance this hectic schedule and adjust to the new responsibilities in my life.

The first week and a half of school went as well as I could have asked. Yes, there were many challenges and difficulties. I feel overwhelmed most days and struggle to find quiet time, but I am learning and growing! My students and I are continuing to get to know each other and we are already in full swing with the curriculum. I've got some great kids in my class and I'm sure I will have many stories to share as the year goes on.

I think my biggest prayer request right now is that the Lord blesses me with creativity and discernment so that I can relate to my students and teach more effectively. Also, pray that during the times that I feel unequipped or ineffective the Lord would remind me of His purpose and give me confidence to move forward.

Continue to pray for my students and their lives! They come from a variety of backgrounds, but God has created each one uniquely and beautifully. May they realize that this year....

Thank you all for your continued love and support. Your prayers are so vital and I experience everyday how God is moving through them. Do not hesitate to shoot me any prayer requests of your own. I LOVE YOU ALL!!! :)

Why

Lord, give to me a quiet heart

That does not ask to understand,

But confident steps forward in

The darkness guided by Thy hand.

-Elisabeth Elliot

I am one of those people who is always asking the question "why?". Why are we sitting in traffic? Why is my room so cold? Why are the kids in the third row talking when their teacher is trying to make an announcement? I think logically and I like to believe that by asking the "why" question, I can discover a solution or a more effective means. I want things to make sense and when I ask "why" I am looking for the sense in a given situation. Unfortunately for me, not all situations make sense or have a concrete answer to my "why" questions.

Why are so many people numb to the poverty and injustice happening in their own country? Why was I blessed to have been raised in a loving, comfortable, Christian family while so many are born into brokenness and hardship? Why did the Lord call me here when I feel unequipped to serve?

"Why" can be a dangerous word in our vocabulary. Its oftentimes when I'm asking these "why" questions that I am questioning the very One who created me and guides me. I am not called to ask "why" but to confidently go forward along the path that He makes known. There will always be things that do not make sense to us, but praise God for that! If we could understand the work of the Divine, He would be no Divine at all. It is when we are unable to see where the next step is that we have to trust the still, quiet Voice that CAN see and that knows what is best.

It is my prayer (and hopefully yours, too) that the Lord blesses us all with quiet hearts that do not question. May we have confidence to move forward, trusting solely on the One who is truly faithful and promises to be with us wherever we go.

First Day of School

Hi All!

Just wanted to let you know that my first day teaching is tomorrow!!! I'm very anxious to get going, but I feel confident knowing that I have so much support and encouragement.  Please pray for me-  that God would give me wisdom, discernment, and compassion as I work with students from a vast variety of ethnicities, experiences, and beliefs.  May I give praise on the good days, rejoice on the bad days, and have endurance throughout the challenging year ahead. 

Teaching updates to come soon! :)