My Morning Walk

I wake Lora up for school, pack her lunch and then head out the door for my morning walk. The first thing I notice is a frog whose life was apparantly cut short as he tried to make his way across the road in the night. To a girl who has always had a tender spot in her heart for frogs...this deserved a tiny moment of recognition.

Even though the music in my i-pod is turned up, I can still hear the birds, who are extremely loud in the mornings. They are very excited that the night rains are gone and they have a beautiful sunny morning to wake up to! I try to pick up my pace even though parts of the road are seriously slippery and muddy from the rains. I soon hear the shrill voice of the howler monkey cutting through my music and I look up to see two of them hanging in the tree above me as if they were trying hard to get my attention. I don't know if I will ever get used to seeing them...they are just amazing and I could watch them for hours.

Just as I am headed up the "killer hill", I hear a car coming up behind me and soon see my freckle faced Lora hanging out the window with her big smile shouting and waving, "you can do it mom!" That gives me the burst of enery that I need....I make my way to the top of the hill.....

She heads off to school in the nice air conditioned car.

About 30 minutes later, I make it to the turn around point in my walk and I start heading back home. At this point, the music in my i-pod changes to "The Reflections of Christ"....I get that familiar lump in my throat because this music makes me think of Alex. This was his favorite CD before he left on his mission and was one that we played quite often in the house for the months right after he left. This morning though, it had a different affect on me. Here I was walking in this beautiful country, seeing the mist rising up out of the mountainous forests in the distance, and just reflecting on this past year, specifically these past couple months.

It really got my mind thinking and pondering. These are the moments when we are taught by the spirit.

I soon see 3 little boys walking toward me on their way to school in their freshly washed white school uniform shirts. I have compassion on their mother because I know first hand now what it took to get those shirt clean and white. A few minutes later I pass by their "tico house" and there is that sweet mother, hanging clothes on the barbed wire fence and I'm sure hoping that the rain will stall long enough today that they will actually get a chance to dry. I feel a little sad as I look at her house and can clearly see that it has gaps and holes and looks as if a strong wind could blow it right over. It totally touches my heart as I see that she has a large pice of lace pinned up to cover the "window" in the front door. Isn't that just like all mothers, to want to make their home beautiful? Even in her world of so little resources, she somehow manages to bring a touch of beauty to her home.

Right then I see a mother bird sitting on the fence post with her beak overflowing with small twigs and jungle twine, obviously busy at work making her nest. It hits me that the Lord put it into the hearts of ALL mothers to want to make a safe and beautiful home for their children and that this is the root of the reason that I was so unhappy during that week in Nicargua...I didn't see how it was possible for me to make the kind of home that my heart wanted to make there.

I have been feeling guilty about my inability to make life work on Ometepe....but I think this morning, I am past that. I know that we all come to earth in different situations, with different resources, talents and gifts. It doesn't do any good to compare ourselves to others. Those that came to earth in situations that provide far less than what we are used to, are also given the ability to be happy and make the best of what they have, for the most part. For those of us that have been born in places and situations where life is easier in the sense of material things....I know the Lord has different ways for us to stretch and to grow and in some ways, much more is required of us because the day to day task of merely surviving is not an obstacle for us.

I am thankful this morning for my many many blessings. I am so thankful for my firm testimony that God lives and that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the Earth. I feel of my "nothingness" without my Heavenly Father. I know that the most important thing I can do as a mother is to continue "making a home" for my children and sometimes when life is hard, I can think of the lace hanging in the window in the house up the road, and I will know that it is always possible to find an element of beauty in my day....sometimes you just have to look a little harder.