I just finished grading final exams...and therefore the semester...and my job at the university. That's hard to wrap my mind around. I'm not ready to process the fact that my year in Colombia is coming to an end, so in the meantime here are a few exam comments worth mentioning:
-Did I fail at teaching writing if my third semester students' exam essays are full of "OMG! I wanna...I'm gonna..."?
-This line made my day: "This semester I've studied and learned full." See, "full" (pronounced "fool") has become a normal word in Colombian Spanish vocabulary, but it doesn't must mean the opposite of empty, but rather "a lot".
-In an oral exam, one student said, "This semester I've fallen in love with English." That brings joy to a teacher's heart :)
"Last one's a rotten egg."
As I opened the egg carton, they all looked the same. Different shades and spots, but nothing suspicious from the outside. They all looked fresh and omelette-ready. As SOON as I cracked open the rotten one, though, there was no doubt. The smell was absolutely repugnant and I couldne´t get the trash out fast enough. Beyond that, I kinda lost my appetite for eggs for a while.
It's not that hard to look like a good Christian on the outside. We can say and do the "right" things on autopilot. But what about when we're cracked open--what's inside? Is it appealing or revolting?
I want to live up to my Grandpa´s words: "You´re a goooooood egg."
It's not that hard to look like a good Christian on the outside. We can say and do the "right" things on autopilot. But what about when we're cracked open--what's inside? Is it appealing or revolting?
I want to live up to my Grandpa´s words: "You´re a goooooood egg."
More than sparrows.
Do you ever have one of those times when God seems to relentlessly confront you with a theme or issue? When your study of the Bible, sermons you hear, and conversations with friends come together in such a way that it leaves you thinking, “OK, I get it. This is something I need to deal with.”
Lately, that theme for me has been
Worry.
James 4. Matthew 6. Luke 12. These passages remind me that worrying is never acceptable. Why? Because God is good and all-knowing. He knows what I need before I ask, and as a loving Father he will provide. Because “running after these things [“stuff,” essentially]” is futile. Because my life is a vapor and I don’t know what tomorrow will hold. Because intimacy with God is much more important than having pleasant circumstances.
God has further reinforced this theme through a book called “Loving God With All Your Mind” by Elizabeth George; there’s a great section called Winning over Worry. In the most recent meeting of the small group I lead at the university, we watched and discussed this video, which is a powerful illustration about our tendency to be discontent. The last line is quite poignant and reminds us to focus on the Giver, not the gift.
So rather than freak out about where I am going to live and how I’m going to get a job, or about how a friend seems to continually make destructive decisions, or about how I’m going to stretch my last paycheck over two unpaid months in Colombia, or really a whole host of “concerns,” that constantly invade my mind-----I’m asking the Lord to help me grow in trusting Him. I haven’t found the “secret” yet, but I do know that it’s a moment-by-moment process of letting go of my worry (and desire to control my life) and resting in God’s leadership and provision.
Lately, that theme for me has been
Worry.
James 4. Matthew 6. Luke 12. These passages remind me that worrying is never acceptable. Why? Because God is good and all-knowing. He knows what I need before I ask, and as a loving Father he will provide. Because “running after these things [“stuff,” essentially]” is futile. Because my life is a vapor and I don’t know what tomorrow will hold. Because intimacy with God is much more important than having pleasant circumstances.
God has further reinforced this theme through a book called “Loving God With All Your Mind” by Elizabeth George; there’s a great section called Winning over Worry. In the most recent meeting of the small group I lead at the university, we watched and discussed this video, which is a powerful illustration about our tendency to be discontent. The last line is quite poignant and reminds us to focus on the Giver, not the gift.
So rather than freak out about where I am going to live and how I’m going to get a job, or about how a friend seems to continually make destructive decisions, or about how I’m going to stretch my last paycheck over two unpaid months in Colombia, or really a whole host of “concerns,” that constantly invade my mind-----I’m asking the Lord to help me grow in trusting Him. I haven’t found the “secret” yet, but I do know that it’s a moment-by-moment process of letting go of my worry (and desire to control my life) and resting in God’s leadership and provision.
Aprendiendo
One of my students has made it her personal mission to get me reading Spanish literature. Each week, she brings me several poems or short stories by Jorge Luis Borges, Julio Cortazar, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, or others. She even gave me a copy of one of her favorite books, “Los Ojos del Perro Siberiano.”
One of my favorite of these pieces of literature is a poem called “Aprendiendo” [It’s attributed to Jorge Luis Borges, but that’s debated]. Here are a few of the best lines:
“Y uno aprende a construer todos sus caminos en el hoy, porque el terreno de mañana es demasiado inseguro para planes, y los futures tienen una forma de caerse en la mitad…
Con el tiempo entiendes que los verdaderos amigos son contados, y que el que no lucha por ellos tarde o temprano se verá rodeado solo de amistades falsas.
Con el tiempo aprendes que las palabras dichas en un momento de ira pueden seguir lastimando a quien heriste, durante toda la vida…
Con el tiempo aprendes que disculpar cualquiera lo hace, pero perdonar es solo de almas grandes.
Con el tiempo te das cuenta de que cada experiencia vivida con cada persona es irrepetible…
Con el tiempo aprendes a construer todos tus caminos en el hoy, porque el terreno del mañana es demasado incierto para hacer planes…
Con el tiempo te das cuanta de que en realidad lo mejor no era el future, sino el momento que estabas viviendo justo en ese instante…
Con el tiempo aprenderás que intentar perdonar o pedir perdón, decir que amas, decir que extrañas, decir que necesitas, decir que quieres ser amigo, ante una tumba, ya no tiene ningún sentido.
Pero desafortunadamente, solo con el tiempo…”
It’s hard to do justice to poems by translating, but this one is about learning important life lessons: fighting for real friendships, expressing our love and need for people, and living each day to the fullest. Essentially, as the last line says, these things are only learned with time…
One of my favorite of these pieces of literature is a poem called “Aprendiendo” [It’s attributed to Jorge Luis Borges, but that’s debated]. Here are a few of the best lines:
“Y uno aprende a construer todos sus caminos en el hoy, porque el terreno de mañana es demasiado inseguro para planes, y los futures tienen una forma de caerse en la mitad…
Con el tiempo entiendes que los verdaderos amigos son contados, y que el que no lucha por ellos tarde o temprano se verá rodeado solo de amistades falsas.
Con el tiempo aprendes que las palabras dichas en un momento de ira pueden seguir lastimando a quien heriste, durante toda la vida…
Con el tiempo aprendes que disculpar cualquiera lo hace, pero perdonar es solo de almas grandes.
Con el tiempo te das cuenta de que cada experiencia vivida con cada persona es irrepetible…
Con el tiempo aprendes a construer todos tus caminos en el hoy, porque el terreno del mañana es demasado incierto para hacer planes…
Con el tiempo te das cuanta de que en realidad lo mejor no era el future, sino el momento que estabas viviendo justo en ese instante…
Con el tiempo aprenderás que intentar perdonar o pedir perdón, decir que amas, decir que extrañas, decir que necesitas, decir que quieres ser amigo, ante una tumba, ya no tiene ningún sentido.
Pero desafortunadamente, solo con el tiempo…”
It’s hard to do justice to poems by translating, but this one is about learning important life lessons: fighting for real friendships, expressing our love and need for people, and living each day to the fullest. Essentially, as the last line says, these things are only learned with time…
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
