My Head Ran Out of Ink

Out of Ink

 Sometimes we just run out of head ink.  We let the business of life crowd in and crowd out what we enjoy most - developing relationships through ink.  I fell in love with this expression when one of my university students apologized for writing a shorter than required essay.  Even though his essay was good, it could have been more developed.  He aptly explained as he handed it in, "My head just ran out of ink."  That is precisely what has happened with us these last two months.  We have not blogged since December 31, 2014.  That is not to say that we quit being or that we "ran out of voice."  No, we are still here, and we have had plenty to say in our circles of relationships.  When I run, I become inspired.  I always voice to myself that I am going right back home, sit my sweaty self down in front of our new Apple computer that continues to be so sassy and challenging and share that great thought.  But, I don't/didn't.  I left the idea on the running path or with a song on my Playlist.  Or, the two of us left the idea on the side of a mountain trail or a bike path.  Or in a restaurant or at a gas station or at an airport terminal.  They were good writing topics.  I only wish we could remember our thoughts.  Perhaps you know how it goes:  I knew that before I forgot it.  At any rate, we have head ink now.
....And, we have been looking at the map - the world map.  Studying a world map always gives us head ink.  You are not expected to know this because of our lack of head ink lately, but we have continued to take Spanish classes.  ( This is going to link.)  It continues to be embarrassing.  Somehow, we managed to enroll in an Advanced Grammar Spanish Class that meets every Thursday evening.

The book cover appears to be inviting and cute, but the inside is humiliating.  Spanish has tenses that do not exist in the English language.  Jim has more eye contact with the instructor than I do.  He studies all the time.  I study 1 hour before class on Thursday.  This has proven to be an unsuccessful strategy for me.  The instructor calls on Jim to read, and he does so happily while  I try to be invisible.  This is not a good way to learn a language; I know, I am a language teacher.  Jim is the ideal student.  Now to link the map with the the Spanish class.  We are putting our toes in the water, getting a feel for another Mission Corps assignment this year.   Our denomination has an abundance of work in Spanish-speaking countries, and, at this point in my language studies, immersion would probably be a good strategy for me.
We do acquire some language practice during the week when we volunteer at a Spanish ministry in Phoenix.  The kind Spanish speakers there speak quickly to Jim but very slowly to me.  Hmmmm....

     We do not know where we will go this year.  But, since ink has come back into our heads, we would ask you to pray with us about our upcoming assignment.  God may lead us to a place where we will not use our Spanish, and that is all right.  However, He may call us into a new Spanish-speaking work in new territory, and that would be all right, too.
World map + language classes + His calling = a good mystery.  We invite you to share our ink with us.  And, of course, we will keep you posted and blogged!

Keep Looking Up!  And thank you for reading our blog.
   J:m and L:nda