Upswing

This morning, when I fell out of my desk chair, I knew it was going to be a good day! 

This crazy Texas weather can't make up its mind.  Every three days we get a good taste of spring, only to have it ripped from us and replaced with winter.  Today I had to wear thermal underwear under my wind pants.  If you've ever worn wind pants- for those of you born in the 80's I KNOW you've worn them- you know how slick they are on certain surfaces.  Let me tell you, that slickness is multiplied by about 100 when you start layering.  I sat in my chair and immediately slipped out onto the ground.  Luckily, this happened before I had a class.  

Why did this cause me to know today would be a good day you ask.  Well, because while on the ground I laughed.   Not just a little laugh, but a good belly laugh.  The kind of laugh that echoes hope.  This is the first good laugh I've had in a month and a half.  This laugh symbolized change.  It was the first bulb bursting through signaling spring in my heart on this wintry day.

The last few weeks have been tough.  I've felt every emotion in the book and then some.  I've had moments of joy colliding with deep sorrow.  To be quite honest, I've mostly felt like my heart was going to rip in two.  That's what the process of change does to me.  But something happened this past week- I realized that it wasn't going to rip in two.  In fact, today's fall reminded me that the pieces are starting to meld back together.  My perspective is finally shifting.  THAT makes me happy!

So, what made this day so great?  Well, for starters, I got a cute little watch from a second grader.  Gifts from kids are the best!  They give what they have from their heart and it's like pure gold to me because of the genuine generosity behind it.  My students were excited about their new daily "good deed" challenge.  Giving really is contagious and it feels good to be investing more than just music into young lives.  I had a first lesson with a new piano student.  Those are always exciting.  The fact that this makes the sixth student God has blessed me with makes today a good day, too.

Although these all contribute to this good day, that had a "slippery" start, the best part of this day was the birth of S.  I met S.'s family volunteering at Ronald McDonald House.  They are from Northern Africa and the more I  get to know them, the more I love them.  I really believe that God has put them in my life to bring the world to me while I'm waiting for Him to send me to the world.  I'm having so much fun getting to know them and learning about their culture. 

Tonight I used my first Arabic word in context!  I practiced and was able to greet A. by saying "congratulations" in Arabic.  His eyes lit up when he heard me say it.  If my travels and college cultural classes have taught me nothing else, they have at least taught me that people (anywhere) love it when you try things that they hold dear.  This could be clothing, food, a skill, language, music, you name it.  More often than not, just trying is enough to make someone happy.  It was great to see the look on A.'s face when I spoke in his native tongue.  He and his wife are going to help me learn Arabic (a life goal) and I am SO excited!

I had a lovely visit with the M.'s and even got to hold little S.  It's funny to see how human emotions and experiences are very similar, even across cultural boundaries, and how these things tie us together.  My parents live in another country and are gone for years at a time.  Although super supportive and loving, not many of my friends can really grasp just how deep loneliness runs when you may not see your parents for a couple of years at a time.  The Magally's fully understand this.  They are currently here without any family and their friends.  I may not be able to know how they feel from their perspective, but I can grasp how hard it is to have a major life event happen and not have your family close by to share in it.

Upon leaving the hospital, I found I had missed a group of messages from some of my "Missouri friends".  "Missouri friends" is my quick way to reference the handful of good friends I made two summers ago while doing relief work for the massive tornado in Joplin.  I love this group of people!  We are now all spread around the US and aren't able to see and talk to one another as often as we'd like.  Group texting them was the PERFECT ending to this joyous day.

Hebrews 10:25 says, "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another- and all the more as you see the day approaching."  I am really growing to understand this scripture during this season.  I have spent the past couple of months catching up with my closest friends.  Our conversations about our walks with the Lord have really lifted my spirit.  I am enjoying these relationships I cherish.  I can't wait to see what kind of laughter tomorrow holds and am super excited about the perspective shift happening in my life right now.