Yellow Roses; Dick and Jane; and "The Covered One"

Yellow makes my heart happy. Yellow makes my heart want to twirl and leap. Yellow equates to sunshine and warmth.  I just want to wrap myself up in deliciousful, soft, yellow!  

This bouquet was delivered to me, as a generous

gift from my non-traditional student, "The Covered One".  She did not deliver it herself, for that would've been too forward in her culture.  She asked the office ladies to deliver it. 

I stand to receive them and  drink in the deep richness of the moment.  The sacrifice to provide this overly generous gift, does not escape me.   Money is sparse for this widow and these flowers probably took a large portion of her grocery money for the week.  

Twice a week, we have an English lesson.  She arrives with eagerness in her eyes.  Settling in, she awaits my arrival by reviewing the lessons from before.  Her resolve is as strong as reinforced rebar, set in concrete.  At 43, she is determined to learn to read and write English. We start with short vowels and sight words. We have worked through box one of the "Bob" books.  It has been four months and if she were a caterpillar, she would've already changed into a beautiful, colorful butterfly.  This process of learning to read and write English is definitely going to take more time....but she is well on her way.

The "Covered One's" delightful enthusiasm is simply contagious.  As you all know, many of our English words have double meanings and most of those I ignore while teaching her,  but today I am introducing a new/old beginning reader book that I bought as a gift for her.  It is a fat anthology which will provide much needed practice. Handing it to her, she gently accepts the gift.  Wrapping her arms around it,  she is holding it close like one of her most treasured earthly possession. BUT....there is one little eensy, weensy problem. One of the words in the title has a BIG double meaning.  The "Covered One" has teenage girls who have been Americanized and will instantly "get it".  So, I need to tell her about this before she takes the book home.  Sucking the air in through my nose, I pause and hold my breath.  She stops practicing and gives me a quizzical look.  I point at the word.  She says it louder and more pronounced this time.  She is

proud to know it.  I smile, she belts it out again. Placing my finger to my lips, I attempt to shush her, but she smiles and cranks the volume up one more time, proclaiming the word.  I am panicking. Like a speechless mime, I put my finger on the word and then point down at the boy on the over and his pants. Instantly, a crimson color crawls across her beautiful exposed face.  

She says something in a language foreign to my ears.  Wide-eyed, I say..."boy's privates" and point. Like two twelve-year-olds, we both explode in snickers and our friendship deepens.  I explain that her daughters will think this is funny and she should know the double meaning.   

Often purchased  presents come in boxes; are expected; and you get to unwrap them.  Other gifts are unwrappable; arrive unexpectedly; and continually surprise you with delight.  We just came through a high-gift giving holiday season. Maybe you received the perfect wrapped gift?  Maybe you are disappointed that none of those wrapped gifts seem to give you any lingering sense of joy.  It is now a new year and maybe it is time to slow down and ask your Creator  to help you see what unwrappable, unexpected gifts He has placed in your life this January?  

I would love for you to share them with me and my readers.  Feel free to respond in the box below.

Until We Chat Again,
The Plank-Eyed Girl