I'd Rather Have Jesus Than Chicken Pot Pie

About a month and a half ago, the students in my Bible class put their heads together to write another verse to the famous hymn "I'd Rather Have Jesus". Here's what they wrote!

I’d rather have Jesus than all of my books.
I’d rather be His than have really good looks.
I’d rather have Jesus than chicken pot pie.
I’d rather be His, or else I would die!

Chorus:
Than to be the king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin’s dread sway!
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

I see this car many mornings as I walk toward the metro on the way to school. It's been especially meaningful for me this semester. Why? Because the name of the car is спутник, or as we would transliterate to Enlish, sputnik (pronounced "spoot-neek"). Спутник means "companion", and I've found that the only true companion I will ever have who will never leave my side is Jesus Christ. To have Him as my companion is to be in good company. "Keep company with God, get in on the best" (Psalm 37:4, Message)

Miss Saunders and I gave Baxter his second haircut of the year last Thursday, but we decided to leave a little bit of it long in the back. So he's got a tutu that bounces up and down with him as he hops around the room. It's a hilarious thing to watch!

Some of the girls acting goofy during indoor recess last week.

On Saturday I had the tremendous privilege of meeting with Joel and Denise Franks, a Christian couple from Green Bay, Wisconsin, who just came to Russia and adopted Anna, a precious nine year-old from a Russian orphanage. We walked along Arbat Street and stopped in a cozy coffee shop to talk about life for a few hours. The amazing thing about this is that I met them this past summer at my college roommate's wedding, because Jake's wife Rachel knows the Franks really well as they attended the same church in Green Bay. Our conversation was so rich, and I was greatly impressed with their faith in God and love for people. Anna and I were able to talk a little bit of Russian back and forth, and I was able to draw and write on a napkin the message that Jesus loves her. She really liked that and made her own version for me. Denise said that that napkin will go in her baby book!

My friend Igor invited me over for tea on Sunday after church, and he proceeded to tell my friend Diana and me about how good it is for him to have people over. He expressed how he can get really lonely at times - and don't we all? Our friendship has underscored yet again the truth that we all need each other.

As of tonight, I have a new roommate. His name is Max, and he's a really outgoing, energetic, musical guy from Moscow First. He's 30 years old, works as a translator for BP, and has a passion for kids and orphans. He's asked me to help with a big Christmas celebration we're going to have for about 47 orphans at the Nazarene dacha in about four weeks (Dec. 8-9). I'm so excited! I also thank God for answering the prayer for a new roommate for the months of November to March. I really didn't want to have to stay alone for five months until a couple moves in in April. While I had been praying for a roommate, so had Max. He needed a place to stay that is closer to the center of Moscow during the cold winter months (it's setting in...as I write this, the temperature outside is 26 Fahrenheit), and just when he thought he couldn't find anything, we connected! Amazing!

Have a blessed week, y'all.