Change & Patience

My "pic of the day" is of a tree in our apt. complex that I've shown before in my blog. I arrived home tonight and noticed that it had been cut down during the day and is now no more than a stump! I couldn't believe that they had removed this tree. It was always a very striking tree no matter the season and I was excited to take pics of it as it blossomed out this spring :( This unexpected loss made me think about how much change I watched in the lives of others today, or the patience they were undergoing while awaiting change.



I met with a prospective student today (a senior in high school) who's parents and two older siblings have all gone to Mizzou, so he was trying to decide if he wanted to follow their path or make his own way. I had my weekly yoga class at lunch and afterword caught up on some class stuff. Then this afternoon one of my students came by to visit just before his big interview for the physical therapy program. Our upper classroom are very nervous this time of year as they are at various stages of applying to the professional phase of their programs, interviewing and are awaiting admission decisions. My student told me after today's interview it would be about another 1-2 weeks before he would know, so he definitely needed some patience.

It seemed that today there were exciting things happening all around me, some students were interviewing, while one student actually found out this afternoon that she was admitted to her graduate program. Meanwhile, a colleague was excited about her lunch date and potential new romance; while another one was leaving work early to pick up her daughter at the airport and spend the weekend with her. It just seemed like there was such energy in the air this afternoon, especially for a Friday.


I didn't have much change in my life today, unless you count the preparing I did to ready myself and resources for the tidal wave of students we expect next week. However, I was patient and diligent in my prep. This evening my husband and I finished picking up some of my clutter and then we watched Law Abiding Citizen. It's definitely a movie that keeps you thinking and guessing until the end involving a lot of change!


"...being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience..." Colossians 1:11

Light within the Dark

My "pic of the day" is inspired by an ordinary object that has been transformed into a beacon of illumination. This evening I happened along a tree fully draped in multi-colored lights from trunk to tips. The tree is nestled in between the outer walls of a local church and lights up the street corner as it greets passersby. As I pulled into the church parking lot to take a picture, I noticed someone else was already there with the same idea. As I walked up to the tree I became immediately aware of how trampled the ground was where others had been drawn to the light of this tree as well. It made me think about how this tree was transformed into a bright beacon drawing many, and how we too can be transformed with the light of Christ.

"See to it then that the light within you is not darkness." Luke 11:35 (NIV).

On a side note, I heard the weatherman say that this was our 12th straight day with below zero temperatures. It was supposed to be a high of 30F day, but on my lunch time walk it sure didn't feel any different than it did when the temps were sub zero or in the single digits.

"The breath of God produces ice, and the broad waters become frozen." Job 37:10 (NIV)