Back to School--Not!

The sounds of school buses rolling again early each morning, the uniformed children pouring out of buildings, school gates that have been locked for the last 6 weeks, are once again flung open, and the sounds of bells and children ring out--so I know school is back in session!  But, we have no first day pictures to take, and I am not back in school myself, (first Aug/Sept. in 3 years) I am not reading through syllabi, counting pages to read, plotting and planning out my homework load etc.  And I miss it!  All of it, having kids in school, going to school myself.  All of it.  But there is a season for everything, and that season is over.  So I am taking the time to say goodbye.  So for those of you who are cranking up for another year, who have stocked backpacks or who have readied your own classrooms, or are reading over syllabi and sighing or thinking of complaining!  Stop!  School, whether teaching or learning is a huge eucharisteo!  Do you know that there are parts of the world where girls are forbidden to learn, and do so at the risk of losing their lives?  Be thankful for the freedom you have to teach, or learn!  Enjoy!  Seize and Savour!
As I sit here tonight, I am looking over a heavily clouded sky, it has been raining a little, and I am hoping there is more to come.  We need the rain so badly.  I have candles lit, and am enjoying the stillness in the house.  I look around and am so thankful for the ways that we have been able to settle in here a little more.  Today I found a little store tucked, almost hidden from the street, what caught my eye was some flowers in a bucket inside the door.  They were packets of roses (25 in a bunch) and they were so, so fresh and beautiful.  All the places that I ordinarily buy roses have had such poor quality roses lately that I haven't bought any in a long time.  These were wonderful.  I stepped in and was delighted to find the owner, such a lovely lady who reminded me so much of Phil's grandma Tate.  We started to talk, and she was brimming with love of the Lord, a deep faith, love for people, etc.  I left some 25 minutes later with a new friend, and was touched at God's provision for my soul today.  I felt like I had been with an angel He sent to visit with me.  Another eucharisteo.  We share a love for flowers and arranging them, for the Lord, and meeting people, good music, good coffee and quiet coffee shops that have good ambience!   I walked away full.  An errand to the taylor to have a kitchen curtain made for the girls house had turned into so much more.  If I hadn't been walking back from that taylor, if I hadn't had a bit of money, if I hadn't seen the flowers, if I hadn't listened to the inexplicable tugging to go down the long hallway and call out, I might never have discovered this gem of a lady.  A lovely day!  A delightful, unexpected surprise.