even a blade of grass,
it becomes a mysterious, awesome,
indescribably magnificent world in itself."
Henry Miller
So often, God's creative genius takes my breath away. I know I'm surrounded by His wonders...but still? Aah, it's...well, it's truly breathtaking. Like? The other night M and I arrived home about 9 and I stood for awhile looking at the sky...so clear and the stars were on 'high bright'...aah...ohh...wow!
Standing there, looking at that beautiful sky I thought of our nights in China...such a contrast...a huge difference. Couldn't help but think of the mass of humanity that doesn't have such awesome views...sadness came into my heart.
Oh, China...China! When God taps your heart and you listen...then you do what you feel needs doing. I'm smiling because it seems the natural thing to do when in God's hands (also someone is singing 'Love Changes Everything') ! In my case, the tap was 'moving to China'...something totally out of the blue!
Most people had chosen a particular area of China for their teaching assignments; Michael and I said we'd go wherever we were needed. Like we knew much about China? That's a 'not'. Somehow we were 'led' to Changsha in Hunan province which was Mao's stomping ground...communist roots run deep!
However Communism was not the problem...something newer, different and hazardous.
Our first morning both of us woke early (jet lag messes w/sleep habits)...opened the curtains in our hotel room to see what the city was like in the daylight. Hmm, surprised that we couldn't see much of it due to the very...was it grey or gray (definition...literally a color "without color." It is the color of a cloud-covered sky, of ash and of lead). Suffice it to say...visibility was extremely limited.
Since M and I were 'the older ones' we were given an options for working/living locations. Would we prefer the city or the country? Okay, we're processing that while noticing we couldn't see the sky...we thought of a lovely, green countryside w/rolling meadows and streams! Look out countryside, here we come...not as envisioned but it truly could've been much worse!
Still, we thought it the wisest choice...that is...until cold weather and the 'designated time' to turn on some heat. Unfortunately our classrooms had no heat...I'm telling you...nothing. But, no matter. Somewhere there was heat...we know...because?
Because our upstairs apartment was a few feet from the coal bin and the furnaces for the entire complex! We had charcoal air for months & months! Lots of people suffered during those cold times; strangely M and I (who were 'in it') suffered no breathing problems. Our survival was a 'God Work'...100%.
That was in 2002-2003...the summer of 2003we re-located to the East Coast city of Qingdao; good move! We could see the sun in the daytime; we could see the stars, the moon at night...we could breathe the much clearer air. Thank you, God.
That was then...this is now. Here is the China of today.
even a blade of grass,
it becomes a mysterious, awesome,
indescribably magnificent world in itself."
I'm just one...one of many caretakers of this magnificent world...
A world He so carefully created for us...
I am His child...
I am paying close attention...
I am improving...
I will do better...
I am so blest!
From my heart...to yours
Vasca
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