Here are some thoughts of mine. I don't claim to be a poet or a writer of any sort, so don't expect much. :) Just click on one that sounds interesting and enjoy!
| This Day | Directions | You are Here | Artist | |
| Rollercoaster | Hardwood Floors | Everyday Graces | Sequel to the Lorax | |
| A Poem | Two Birds |
1-15-03
As I walked down the steps to the exit of our four story apartment building this morning in the half light cast by the sometimes working lamps, the only sound I could hear was the soft thud of my feet on the hard floors. I opened the door looking immediately down to my left to see if our guard was there to exchange the usual greetings, or at least attempt to in our broken French, to my surprise he was not there and so I walked out the gate onto the driveway of our building, made of loose sand. As I started walking toward the road, the sand started filling my sandals in a familiar, not-so-obnoxious way. All of a sudden there was a familiar dark figure in front of me…the man whose name I do not know, but greets me every morning. This morning was a comical in that he said “hello” and I said “bonjour”, then I said “how are you this morning?” and he said fine and we walked on, both in a hurry to get on to the rest of our day.
I turned right around the corner and onto the sand road that has become comforting to me. When I go away for a trip, getting back to this road always tells me that I am almost home…or at least some place that I call home for now, a place that I know. My first reaction was to look up at the sky. The sun had not awoken for the day just yet, though its light was starting to brighten the darkness of the sky. The moon was still shining in all of its glory, and a few of the brighter starts will yet able to be seen. I think I caught a glimpse of Orion’s belt as I stumbled on through the sand. I saw the clouds against the light blue of the sky, and they looked dark, protectors of the stars, I suppose. I was struck by the quietness of the moment…the Creator had definitely been at work this morning, His artwork painted in the sky and His music in the quiet sounds around me.
I carried on down the road where I saw a few dark figures coming toward me…their faces, save their eyes, I could not make out, but just the shape of their body, and that only because of the clothes that they were wearing. some would greet with a “bonjour” and break the silence of the morning, others would respect the silence. In the distance I could hear a wretched rooster trying to wake up the whole city. That sound alone brought back a plethora of memories of another despised rooster in Uganda that I once threw a shoe at because it would not stop once it woke me up. I grimaced and then laughed at the poor creature. I heard the sound of the cars humming on the road that was on ahead, surprisingly, there was no honking this morning, its as if everyone, except that rooster, was trying to respect the quiet, peacefulness of the morning.
I kept walking, the sand flying from my sandals…realizing that the peace of the morning reflected the peace that was in my heart. Remembering that yesterday had been a cloudy day and my heart also followed that pattern…I had gone to bed late because my mind was full and would not allow sleep to come over me…but the morning brings His compassions and He is faithful to that. I walked by the dim light of Tapha’s stand and glanced inside to see if Tapha was there to greet, but only his other two workers were there. I saw them getting the bagettes of bread ready to take to the dorms as they do every morning before sun up.
I turned left onto the paved street…it’s always a trick to walk down this street in the dark…the speedbumps and other random bumps make for a challenge! I saw a few dark figures as I went on, trying casually to get the sand out of my sandals with each step I took. A few more dark figures walked past me, only one greeted me in the stillness of the morning…as I glanced left and right, I saw the usual groups of people getting ready to start their day, a few by washing the cars, and a few sitting on the sidewalk to talk the day away and “guard” the house they are in charge of.
At last, the light of the school’s campus was within reach and I walked up to the gate. The gentle clank of the lock as I opened it was a disturbance to the peace that seemed to blend in…then the soft squeak as I opened the gate door just enough to get through with my backpack. And again the clank of the lock as I closed it behind me. I looked back to see if there was a guard to say bonjour to, I didn’t think there was until I was ready to look away and saw him sitting on the floor on his prayer mat. We exchanged a brief greeting and I walked on, taking in the cool air of the morning and wondering what kind of weather this day would bring. Would it be cool like yesterday or hot like last week? Who knew but the Creator of the heavens and earth…and I had already decided in my heart to take whatever He brought.
As I silenced the thoughts in my mind, I became aware of some other sounds…the crickets with their songs, the gentle running of water in the dorms as some kids were just waking up, the soft clanking of the dishes as the maids and dorm parents were getting ready for breakfast…and the cawing of some unknown bird in the trees who obviously had no musical talent for a still morning like this one. I walked on across a small sand pit as I stepped up to the side walk that leads to my classroom. This sidewalk, if there were no lights to help me on my journey, would also create a challenge. The old bricks are horribly uneven as it seems the roots of the trees have had their way with the bricks. I pulled my keys out of my pocket as I walked up the flight of stairs to my classroom…I was thankful that the light was already turned on on the stairway and wondered if it had been on all night or if they had just turned it on this morning.
As I topped the steps, I turned the corner and hit the light as I knew I wouldn’t be able to see the lock on my door. I shuffled to the end of the balcony and put my key in the door to open it. As I walked in, I reached around with my hand to turn the light on before closing the door…something about being in a dark room with the door closed doesn’t make me comfortable to enter it until there is light. I sighed as I looked at the board, my writing on it from yesterday for today’s morning routine with the kids.
Another day.
But I can’t leave it at just another day…this day, like all others is a gift from my Saviour…it is another day…another day to be with these children, some of who thirst and hunger after the Word, and knowing my own heart, I had to stop and ask forgiveness that the thought “another day” had even entered my mind. God doesn’t just give us days to waste…there is a purpose…and opportunity in each one. This morning He gave me His peace…that is a gift that I can share with my students. He showed me grace that I might show them grace. And He loved me enough to die for me…do I love my kids that much? Lord, change my heart to that degree. They are a precious responsibility, I was recently told…and that they are. We are a light shining in the dark…and they look to me for understanding of that light. What an opportunity…what a gift…I feel I am not worthy, but God is sovereign and has placed me here.
What will I do with this day? This is the question that the morning brings me to. What will I do with this day that God has given me?
As I walked down the steps to the exit of our four story apartment building this morning in the half light cast by the sometimes working lamps, the only sound I could hear was the soft thud of my feet on the hard floors. I opened the door looking immediately down to my left to see if our guard was there to exchange the usual greetings, or at least attempt to in our broken French, to my surprise he was not there and so I walked out the gate onto the driveway of our building, made of loose sand. As I started walking toward the road, the sand started filling my sandals in a familiar, not-so-obnoxious way. All of a sudden there was a familiar dark figure in front of me…the man whose name I do not know, but greets me every morning. This morning was a comical in that he said “hello” and I said “bonjour”, then I said “how are you this morning?” and he said fine and we walked on, both in a hurry to get on to the rest of our day.
I turned right around the corner and onto the sand road that has become comforting to me. When I go away for a trip, getting back to this road always tells me that I am almost home…or at least some place that I call home for now, a place that I know. My first reaction was to look up at the sky. The sun had not awoken for the day just yet, though its light was starting to brighten the darkness of the sky. The moon was still shining in all of its glory, and a few of the brighter starts will yet able to be seen. I think I caught a glimpse of Orion’s belt as I stumbled on through the sand. I saw the clouds against the light blue of the sky, and they looked dark, protectors of the stars, I suppose. I was struck by the quietness of the moment…the Creator had definitely been at work this morning, His artwork painted in the sky and His music in the quiet sounds around me.
I carried on down the road where I saw a few dark figures coming toward me…their faces, save their eyes, I could not make out, but just the shape of their body, and that only because of the clothes that they were wearing. some would greet with a “bonjour” and break the silence of the morning, others would respect the silence. In the distance I could hear a wretched rooster trying to wake up the whole city. That sound alone brought back a plethora of memories of another despised rooster in Uganda that I once threw a shoe at because it would not stop once it woke me up. I grimaced and then laughed at the poor creature. I heard the sound of the cars humming on the road that was on ahead, surprisingly, there was no honking this morning, its as if everyone, except that rooster, was trying to respect the quiet, peacefulness of the morning.
I kept walking, the sand flying from my sandals…realizing that the peace of the morning reflected the peace that was in my heart. Remembering that yesterday had been a cloudy day and my heart also followed that pattern…I had gone to bed late because my mind was full and would not allow sleep to come over me…but the morning brings His compassions and He is faithful to that. I walked by the dim light of Tapha’s stand and glanced inside to see if Tapha was there to greet, but only his other two workers were there. I saw them getting the bagettes of bread ready to take to the dorms as they do every morning before sun up.
I turned left onto the paved street…it’s always a trick to walk down this street in the dark…the speedbumps and other random bumps make for a challenge! I saw a few dark figures as I went on, trying casually to get the sand out of my sandals with each step I took. A few more dark figures walked past me, only one greeted me in the stillness of the morning…as I glanced left and right, I saw the usual groups of people getting ready to start their day, a few by washing the cars, and a few sitting on the sidewalk to talk the day away and “guard” the house they are in charge of.
At last, the light of the school’s campus was within reach and I walked up to the gate. The gentle clank of the lock as I opened it was a disturbance to the peace that seemed to blend in…then the soft squeak as I opened the gate door just enough to get through with my backpack. And again the clank of the lock as I closed it behind me. I looked back to see if there was a guard to say bonjour to, I didn’t think there was until I was ready to look away and saw him sitting on the floor on his prayer mat. We exchanged a brief greeting and I walked on, taking in the cool air of the morning and wondering what kind of weather this day would bring. Would it be cool like yesterday or hot like last week? Who knew but the Creator of the heavens and earth…and I had already decided in my heart to take whatever He brought.
As I silenced the thoughts in my mind, I became aware of some other sounds…the crickets with their songs, the gentle running of water in the dorms as some kids were just waking up, the soft clanking of the dishes as the maids and dorm parents were getting ready for breakfast…and the cawing of some unknown bird in the trees who obviously had no musical talent for a still morning like this one. I walked on across a small sand pit as I stepped up to the side walk that leads to my classroom. This sidewalk, if there were no lights to help me on my journey, would also create a challenge. The old bricks are horribly uneven as it seems the roots of the trees have had their way with the bricks. I pulled my keys out of my pocket as I walked up the flight of stairs to my classroom…I was thankful that the light was already turned on on the stairway and wondered if it had been on all night or if they had just turned it on this morning.
As I topped the steps, I turned the corner and hit the light as I knew I wouldn’t be able to see the lock on my door. I shuffled to the end of the balcony and put my key in the door to open it. As I walked in, I reached around with my hand to turn the light on before closing the door…something about being in a dark room with the door closed doesn’t make me comfortable to enter it until there is light. I sighed as I looked at the board, my writing on it from yesterday for today’s morning routine with the kids.
Another day.
But I can’t leave it at just another day…this day, like all others is a gift from my Saviour…it is another day…another day to be with these children, some of who thirst and hunger after the Word, and knowing my own heart, I had to stop and ask forgiveness that the thought “another day” had even entered my mind. God doesn’t just give us days to waste…there is a purpose…and opportunity in each one. This morning He gave me His peace…that is a gift that I can share with my students. He showed me grace that I might show them grace. And He loved me enough to die for me…do I love my kids that much? Lord, change my heart to that degree. They are a precious responsibility, I was recently told…and that they are. We are a light shining in the dark…and they look to me for understanding of that light. What an opportunity…what a gift…I feel I am not worthy, but God is sovereign and has placed me here.
What will I do with this day? This is the question that the morning brings me to. What will I do with this day that God has given me?