Meine Klein Welt

Filipino Spelling Bee

by

My 8th grade class was working on a project to create awards certificates, and one thing they needed to find was an appropriate Bible verse for each award they made. This spawned the following dialogue:

Jannica (from China): Mr. Klein, how do you spell Philippians?

Me: Why don't you ask Marvin (he was finished with his assignment). He'd be happy to help you.

(a few minutes later)

Me (to Jannica): Was Marvin able to help you out?

Jannica: Yeah. It's easy for him to spell it because he's Filipino.

Me: What? How does that help?

Jannica: Because, you know, Philippians/Philippines; it's almost the same thing.

The Da Licious Code Continues

by

jarjar.jpgbanana.jpg

Two more "murders" took place today. The first one happened during homeroom in Chad Elwell's Science Lab and left poor Jar Jar with his arms detached and impaled with a compass. The ketchup blood was a nice touch. On the back of this "bloody mess" was a code in transliterated Greek. Actually, someone probably wrote some text in Word and then changed the font to Symbol. In any case the code translated to "Priority of Klein." Interesting.

The second murder took place just before lunch in Megan Tice's office and involved a banana with raisen eyes and a raisen belly button(which some people said was a bit too low for a belly button). It also had wooden popcycle sticks for arms and legs. One thing to know about Megan is that she hates bananas, raisens, belly buttons, and wooden things. The "Greek" above is transliterated "Sucka!"

So far all our leads have run into dead ends. Seems the usual suspects are innocent this time, but that doesn't leave too many other options…

And just for the record, I didn't eat the banana. SICK! 

The Da Licious Code

by

crimescene2.jpg crimescene.jpg

So after lunch today, I found this disturbing object on my desk. Apparently someone really didn't like the frankies in blankies we had for lunch today.

I'm not sure if this is a code or just Greek gibberish. I can't make any sense of it…and is that a Euro symbol in there?

Can anyone help me crack the code?

And just in case you're wondering, yes I did eat the "murdered" frankie after documenting the crime scene. Da Licious!

Hey Jude

by

My Bible study ended our semester with a discussion of Jude's epistle to believers. Most of this letter is spent warning his readers about ungodly people and God's response to them. Not good for the ungodly, by the way.

16 These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts… 19 These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit.*

This section hit home for me. I am a critical person by nature, which is good for discerning truth but not always good for people. How often do I fall into complacency, finding fault with people, seeking my own selfish desires? How often do these actions cause divisions? Divisions in community and in friendships. When I am worldly-minded and not being moved by the Spirit, this is where I am, and this is what I'm doing.

Instead of holding up my brothers and sisters with encouragement and prayer, I tear down with grumbling and selfishness. Instead of being filled with the Spirit, I am filled with arrogance and worldly cares.

20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.*

Too often I get caught up in trying to live my life and do God's work without God. Instead of building myself up on faith, I build myself up on my accomplishments or on how much other people like me. Prayer takes a backseat to busyness and lethargy. I do not always endeavor to act in and out with God's love, and am cynical and unkind.

But here is the key:

24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy;*

It is never anything I do that makes me right with God. It is never anything I do that accomplishes anything for the kingdom of God. The solution is not to live a better life, but to trust that God can sanctify me. To understand that He keeps me from stumbling, He is the reason that I stand before His glory blameless. He is the reason I have joy.

As a Christian, I must abide in the love of Christ. And this means placing my cares and my focus upon Him. Not worrying about money or whether people like me, etc., but falling to my knees and fellowshipping with my Creator and Savior. The more this happens, the closer I walk with God. If I am letting God have His way with me, then my complacency and selfishness are dispelled and people are built up instead of torn down. When His love fills me, it is sent out to the world through me. This is the only way I truly love my brother.

Please pray that I will spend more time in the presence of God, and that I will be always full of His love.

*All Biblical references taken from NASB

Marathon Leftovers

by

racestripesblog.jpg

wristbands.jpg

The night before the Marathon I decided I needed racing stripes (left). So I got Natalie, the art teacher, to design them and John, my roommate, to carve them into my head. The most baffling question I got about them, and from more than one person, was, "How long are you going to keep them?" I didn't quite know how to answer this question. I mean, it's not like I grew out my sideburns…or a mustache. So I would look confused, and say, "I don't know…maybe a week? How long do you think it'll take my hair to grow out?" And it did take about a week…These things are good to know.

On the right you can see me pre-marathon in my cute running outfit and new wristbands. The wristbands were very handy during the race as running a marathon apparently makes me sweat a lot.

In the post race goody bag, mixed in with powerade and some fruit and crackers was a small container of goose liver pate. That's right, goose liver pate. Though my first thought was that it was included in case I needed to induce vomiting, I'm guessing I was supposed to spread that on my crackers. Sick.