Butterflies, Pickles, and Light Blue

    “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise: Be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.” Psalm 100:4      The children crowd around one desk, coloring with the beloved Sharpies. They chatter excitedly and put the marker lids on their fingers for fingernails. The topic of conversation today is how the identical twins switched jackets and everyone got them confused. Sadly, their teacher did as well which was not amusing to the one twin.      “Miss Miller! Miss Miller! Look! It’s snowing!” The picture out of the window looks slightly blurry due to the white blur floating down from the sky. The weather has not been very January, but in recently days  has suddenly turned sharply colder. The snow coats make an appearance once again. It was feeling quite springlike, but now there is talk of snow, ice, and skating.       During a game of Monopoly: “I am absolutely the richest dude in town!”   ...

    It seems as though I have recently caught a lot of inspiration through songs. Though the melodies are beautiful, the words speak louder at times. They often touch that cord inside so perfectly and complete the thought that God does speak through singing. Maybe you can receive the inspiration I was gifted as well.      -When there is a slightly rough patch in life and when it seems like there is no sunlight to be seen, a song of inspiration lifts the fog that lays so thick. It is simply a song that is led in church that seems to resonate so deeply.  “It’s the power to love. The power to reach out to someone in need. It’s the power to love. The power to conquer a world full of greed. There is no equal on earth below or above. He has the power to love.”      - The children titter excitedly when the music teacher displays the song one Monday morning. He blows the pitch and excited voices ring out with the volume and gusto of youth. It is a Su...

      It is a rather drippy Friday afternoon. Both of my coteachers excitedly rush around in their classroom and soon we are giving hugs and two Civics are zooming away. It was only right after how many weekends I have been gone that they get to also attend friend’s weddings away. I was quite thrilled at the prospect of “baching it”! That evening, I recruit a friend so I don’t have to walk into LT ball by myself. It feels rather odd to not have my constant companions with me. I have never went to an away volley game by myself. The evening is entirely fun. It feels rather odd to simply get home and go to bed without sitting in the living room to chatter about something or other. The following Saturday, I get an astonishing amount of things done. The Christmas gifts get wrapped. The Christmas decoration projects come together. The house gets a cleaning. The evening is an enjoyable evening with close friends. It is decided that supper will be at a rather fancy restaurant. Th...

    “Let’s go play in the leaves!” I sit on the sidewalk and check penmanship pages while my darling students make leaf piles and throw leaves in the air and in general get leaves everywhere. My heart is full as I listen to their happy chatter and laughter and the sun shines in all its autumn beauty. The chaff blows across the way from the newly combined field. The children had been enamored with the youth boy in the combine and had shouted and shrieked in excitement.      I forgot how much fun it was to color with markers. The 2nd and 3rd graders at Sugar Creek School are highly invested in coloring with markers. Their pictures are very brilliant and the walls of our classroom look like a mirage of colors. I like the chaos of the pictures even if it is not aesthetically pleasing, and besides who said classrooms were supposed to be aesthetically pleasing anyway. They’re kids!      While around a fire, strawberries with marshmallow cream melted sli...

    During Science class, the third graders were going over the seven continents. Since the student was struggling, the teacher asked what she thought was an easy question. “What country do a lot of missionaries go to?” The student pondered it for a bit. “Antarctica?” Teacher tried her very best to hold in her giggles.      Report cards. The thought of them scared me deeply. After dismissing at noon on Wednesday, the Sugar Creek trio headed to Wichita. Chick-fil-A was the first order of business. After consuming chicken, we headed to our favorite coffee shop, Coffee Daze. We sat on the high bar by the window. The sun was streaming in the large glass panes and the prayers were prayed and soon we were busily filling out report cards. I don’t know how you could ever fill out report cards without the One on high guiding the hand. I am thankful for a Friend like Him.      “Miss Miller, what kind of waffles does a witch eat?” said Student 1.  ...

    There is a blissful evening of nothingness experienced in the Sugar Creek teacher house. Chicken fettuccine with caesar salad and breadsticks is on the menu. One of the cos makes pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. It is the most relaxing of events that has happened in a while.     Lightning crackles and flashes, lighting up the dark Great Plains. It stops the heart for a second. How great is our God! How awestruck one feels when they study the pattern of the lightning and understand the power behind the single flash! Psalm 33:5 says, “The earth is full of the goodness of God.” How amazing it is to serve such an awesome God! Sometime later, the thunder crashes so loudly, it wakes me from a dead sleep. The thunderstorms on the plains are much more aggressive than the thunderstorms I am used too!     On a Thursday evening, Mr. Chairman asks on our teacher chat if we would like to take a school outing to the Mountain Man Rendezvous. No art! Absolutely! Ar...

      “Miss Miller, Miss Miller! This is for you!” The first grader hands me a beautiful pink pedaled flower from the flowering bushes that line the outdoor walls of our school. She giggles and dashes off to play ten steps with the others.     I’ve made a friend in an avid car guy. He understands the car lingo and it feels like a chat with an Ohio home boy. On that topic, this is “home” and Ohio is “ home home” with emphasis on the first word.     A walk along 21 st Avenue is a balm for the soul. “The Singing Civics” which directly translates to my cos and I, watch the beautiful sunset and jabber about all the latest interesting news we’ve heard. We wave at almost every car as it is probably a fellow traveler in this earthly sojourn. A youth boy zips by on a side by side and loses his hat precisely two feet in front of us. He says it was an accident and we laugh and tell him that worked out perfectly if he was wanting to chat with us!    ...

Kansas Things: 1. Volleyball is a big thing. People can get pretty fired up and competitive. It is quite fun! 2. Hardee’s is criminally offensive according to some people and heavily disagreed with by others. 3. Don’t wear ball clothes to abandoned missile silos after it has been pouring rain as you may ruin your lulus and ball shoes:) 4. The dry heat feels so much better than the humidity I am used to at home. The weather has been absolutely delightful.  5. Mustaches and bangs. Yes or no? Big topics lately! 6. According to one youth guy, my co’s car is hedgehog blue. 7. A frequent saying is “That’s crazy.” 8. Wichita is actually quite a fun town. There is an adorable little coffee shop called Coffee Daze. It has good vibes and delicious drinks and it seems to be a favorite for everyone. Scheels is such a joy for water bottles in hundreds of colors and occasionally a paddle board. You might meet a handful of people that you share a religion with and occasionally more than a handful...

      Growing up is so bittersweet. Recently two friends are starting on their mission journeys. Miss K left for sunny Mexico. I will miss her sunshiny spirit and her giggles. Dearest 2 for $5 is headed to Mozambique for a two year term. I’ll miss the late night heart-to-hearts and her willing ear to hear all my troubles. I hope that this is the best chapter of their life books so far!      Another friend is engaged! Fingers crossed that I am able to fly home for that. We shall see how everything pans out.      I attended my last Kidron church service for the time being. It felt surreal. I looked around at all the peoples who have been in my life all these years. They will very likely change in the time I’m gone and I am sure the kids I taught will be so much more grown. As I told someone, it simply feels like the right time to make this life change.      How have I accumulated so many material things? Who knew one person could...

     Well, well. The abundance of life has kept me occupied enough that I haven’t posted in too long. Please excuse! In a recent sermon, the minister mentioned it’s all in perspective. Change the “busyness of life” to the “abundance of life”. Sometimes you just need to see things through different eyes!      As I type this, I am sitting on a picnic table at a park with my chai tea and the noise of cars on a distant highway. This morning is the Saturday before the wedding of a childhood friend whose parents are my bonus uncle and aunt. The night before, our family had hosted the family supper. Alexa and I had set up the tables under the string lights in the back patio area. We decorated with old books, candle sticks, and vases and vases of white hydrangeas, snapdragons, and daisies. We ate family style around the three lifetime tables to the soft wind blowing and the sound of the birds singing merrily in the trees. It was a pleasant evening due to the many p...