Fall, winter and changes underfoot

Life seems to be changing around here faster than the leaves fell from the trees. Which, in case you couldn’t guess, is quite a rapid pace. In fact we haven’t seen fall leaves around here for more than a week…they’ve been chased and smothered by several substantial snows that have changed the scenery around here from fall to winter.

In addition to battling with an inch thick layer of ice on the sidewalks (no wipeouts yet, thank you very much), I’ve been battling a nasty infection brought on either by the change in weather and my failure to wear enough clothes (my students’ explanation) or the massive amount of germs I encounter daily in my work as a teacher (my explanation).  Thankfully, a persistent cough is about all that lingers from that illness, but it did knock me off my feet for a few days.

Any day now, our team is eagerly expecting the news that we’ve grown by one.  The Wus, who are in the States this semester, will be welcoming (hopefully this week) a new daughter to the world. We will be excited to welcome the little bundle, and the rest of the Wu clan, back to these parts next semester.

Currently my house is crammed with the smell of cooking apples on their way to becoming applesauce. Tomorrow night the team will be celebrating Thanksgiving a week early, because early Friday morning we must say farewell to the Clements who are heading back to the States. It will be a bittersweet Thanksgiving as we celebrate the ways in which the Father has been very present during a very challenging semester, and try to say goodbye to a family that is very near and very dear to our hearts.

In the midst of all the emotions and changes of this semester, I’m daily thankful for the solid foundation on which my feet stand. I’m praising and thanking the one who in His timing transforms mourning to singing, and weeping to dancing.

Sing praises to the Father, you his faithful people, praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning…You turned my wailing into dancing, you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. My Father, I will praise you forever. {Psalm 30}