Contemplation, Not Inspiration

Most of the time, I am really busy here, too busy to think about much besides what I need to do, or how tired I am. ☺ There are times that I carve out to rest, to talk to God, to read, to journal. But this weekend, my time or at least my relation to time, expanded enough for what I call contemplation. It’s not that I have any deep, inspirational thoughts I’m working on; it’s just being able to really notice what is going on around me. Here are some things I noticed:

-The way my students’ eyes would light up when they would remember an answer on their exam.
-Feeling “at home” on Friday night at the Principal’s house, as we had worship, ate, and shared stories. And I noticed the air conditioning there. (Only used on special occasions).
-The excitement of reunions at the airport, when a few of our SMs greeted their friends and family who came in Saturday night as part of a mission trip group that is here for a few weeks.
-The comfort of small children and puppies, when they don’t even know they are helping. After we met the group at the airport, the rest of us SMs went back to the school, but I felt a twinge of…was it homesickness? Or just friend- and family-sickness. Or maybe familiar-sickness—where you just have a little longing for some old and familiar place or someone that you have known for ages and who has known you for ages. Something like that. Anyway, one of the teachers who is Yapese has a 4 year-old boy named Dion, and he was sitting by me in the van. He’s very sweet, and I was telling him how his hands were very warm. (Apparently people who have lots of energy have higher temperatures, they say. I guess this kid would fit the description.) He was so cute, because he would put his hand out the window in the wind, and then bring it back in and say, “Look, it’s colder now!” And I would hold his hand and confirm it. Then we both put our hands out the windows—it has two panes that can open toward the middle—and held hands out the window for a long time and then put our heads in and out of the window so we could look at each other. We pointed at stores and stars. It was magical. And I forgot that I was a bit lonely. Until we got back to the apartments, and I started feeling lonely again. But before I could unlock the door, King Kong came running up to me. He’s one of the two new puppies. He’s black, and I thought he was going to die of diseases the first week, but he’s much better now. I put my things down, sat down, and let him crawl up and gently chew on my fingers and cuddle up in my lap. Yes, children and puppies. They are gifts from God, at least at the right time and places. ☺
-The weather today was exactly how I felt, and that made me so content and peaceful. It was cool and breezy, dark clouds covering the sky. I sat on a rock and looked out at the gray sea and smelled salt. I heard ocean waves crashing and barely saw the faint white line of them in the distance, beyond the reef. I saw the hazy pink afterglow of sunset after the rain, and smelled the fresh smells of wet trees and earth. I felt the wind blowing in my face through the car window; trees and clouds swirled through my vision as I gazed out.

Mostly, I notice the peace and contentment in my heart tonight as I go to bed, ready for a new week. I felt God’s presence in the quietness of this weekend, and I know He can bring that inner quietness of His presence into my days this week. I am so thankful again that He is always near.