Glorious

The strong winds, rain, and chilly temperatures of the past few days only made the bright skies of today that much more glorious.  The temperature was that perfect spring balance of not too cold but not too hot.  The air was only occasionally stirred by a light breeze.  Strikingly blue skies with puffy white clouds perfectly set off all of the green growth the rain had brought.  Glorious.

It was a day meant to be spent outside.  Grannies and grandkids swarmed the parks on campus.

It was one of the few days in which I would actually encourage you to breathe deeply.  More often than not in cities in China, deep breaths result in being assaulted with some less than desirable aromas.  But for a few fleeting weeks in May, when the lilac bushes are teeming with flowers around campus, breathing deeply is exactly what you need to do.

I remember days like this when I was a student.  I remember sitting in class just willing the clock to go faster so I could go outside.  At that time it never crossed my mind that my teacher likely shared that sentiment, and perhaps felt it even stronger.  Today, everything inside me screamed to either cancel class or move it outside.  But I didn’t.  I knew that would totally ruin my street cred as a strict teacher.

I like my street cred.  It makes my students work hard.

But boy was I happy when class was over.  I went straight to a lilac bush and took in a deep sweet breath.  No joking folks.  I literally walked out of the building and went straight for the bush.  I was trying to rid my nose of the lingering smell of the bathrooms I had just passed.

The only thing more beautiful than all of this green growth and glorious weather?  The fruit showing up in lives across our campus.  It’s that season where hours of investment and living life together and the Father’s tender gardening skills are bringing forth an incredible crop of new growth.  There’s a mighty sweet aroma being released on this campus.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.