People

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Hello World,

Deadlines, decisions, relationships, service, future, grading, education, health, priorities, finances, pain and hardships of others—these are things that plague my mind.

Everyday 120+ teens of diverse backgrounds, interests and morals sit in front of me as I babble Spanish off to their befuddled minds, energetically entertain them in silly Spanish memory songs (yes, even the football players) and ask them questions about their personal lives in Spanish to engage them in speaking this beloved romance language. However, as I rattle off about stem-changing verbs, the simple future tense and verbs like tener, I can imagine the inner reel of thoughts playing on the screen in their minds: What should I wear tomorrow to the party? Or, what can I do to get her to go to second base with me? Or, I have no friends, no real family, no life. What’s worth living for? From some glazed-over eyes I can see vividly the reflection of the world in their eyes. I look through the glass to their inner hearts and minds, and see how they have willingly given in to the inescapable tornado of selfishness, lust, pride, greed—worldliness thrusting them into the vortex. And I think to myself, don’t they get it?

Kissed by the sun at the Saturday morning football game, 2/3 of the stadium donning orange in honor of one of my student’s little brothers, who death horrifically yanked from this earth at the mere age of 8 via being swept and dragged under a car outside our school building, I notice hundreds of students laughing and hooting for their home team. An orange T-shirted “Jimmy” walks by with his arm dangled around the neck of “Susie”, and I watch the heart-broken “Amy” glance away because it was her waist he had his arm around just a short time ago. I see “Heather”, in orange, but not the T-shirt fabric; instead this is orange fabric that leaves but a thread left to the imagination of “Johnny” who is panting along at her heels. But if she gives him what he wants, will he still be faithfully tagging at her heels next time? The brushstrokes of orange in the stadium in honor of a little boy who had but half a stanza in an entire life song, but most students seemingly have zero grasp on the sobering reason behind the orange shirt they wear. I think to myself, don’t they get it?

The United States of America pitted against one another, brother against brother, friend against friend, in a fight for their desired candidate for the upcoming presidential election. A significant election indeed, but as I hear intelligent babble about the economy and the state of our nation, and hot faces spitting words of hate against the “thick skin” of real people with real families, real lives, and real hearts, I just can’t help but think to myself, don’t they get it?

In the pew of a memorial service last week for a young man whose heart stopped, in my earthly opinion far too soon, I watched his wife singing praises to God, in celebration that she had the opportunity to do life with him even if for a short while, raise a son for a year with him, knowing he is now walking the streets of a far better, perfect place in the presence of God. Tears beaded from my weighted eyes, strolling down my cheeks, staining my shirt. Pictures after pictures of beautiful memories on a slide show of this man who had a fiery passion for our God, and I wondered Why so soon, God? Why such a young man with so much opportunity and life ahead of him?

But yet my mind returns to fixate and dwell on such temporary worries, when God persistently beckons to entrust these things to His so very capable hands. Today on my morning run as these scenarios sprinted through my mind God turned to me, gently whispering to my own heart, Sarah, don’t you get it?


“You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath.” ~ Psalm 39:5 NIV

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” ~ 2 Corinthians 4:17 NIV

Love,

A Zealous Temporary Dweller

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