Earth-Pod Girl

24 hours has never seemed like a long time to me, but yesterday it was.  Yesterday, I was cranky, discouraged, and frustrated.  Really not a good combination for anyone.  Honestly, I didn't really have any reason to feel this way.  I was telling myself to snap out of it.  I was explaining to my head that I had the gift of life, shelter, food, clothing, etc., but my heart was just not listening to my head.  I hate that when it happens.  It was just a storm in my heart that seemed to be raging.  I am glad that most of the time I don't deal with this kind of thing.  

I managed to get myself to work.  I even managed to get myself to worship.  (Where I am currently working on the Big Island, we have a fabulous all campus worship time on Monday morning.)  As worship drew to a close, I was completely unaware of the delightful surprise that awaited me in the next few moments.  As worship was nearing the end, I slide my feet into cushy flip-flops and proceeded to saunter back towards the kitchen.  That is when I encountered her again.  Earth-Pod Girl.  I had met her on Saturday.  In fact, we had even sat in a volcanic formed tide pool for over an hour and she spoke of her past; her passions; her heartbreak; and her desire for more of God.  I was enthralled with this amazing girl's story.  She was smart, plucky, fun, and wounded.  You see, we share a passion for using the world's trash in reusable ways to help the poor.  In particular, she wants to use recycled trash to build "earth-pod"  structures for the poor of the world to live in.  As we had parted our ways on Saturday, I wondered if I would have an opportunity to chat with her again.  Little did I know what God had in store.  

On this morning, as I departed the Ohana Court, Earth-Pod girl planted herself in front of me.  With a silly grin on her face and a floppy straw hat on her head, she said, "I want to encourage you this morning.  Can I pray for you?"  I just looked at her and heard myself say, "Sure."  Sometimes I am amazed at myself and just how detached I am.  Anyway, she started praying.  Well...really she was proclaiming what she was seeing in her heart and what the Lord was whispering to her ears.  She spoke in fragments, pausing as if listening for the next bit of words.  Each fragment she spoke pierced my heart and deflated the discouragement that had implanted itself and taken over.  Her words chased the crankiness out of the chambers where it had lodged and taken root.  Mostly though, her words took the pieces of my frustration and seemed to rearrange them in a way that let me get a glimpse of where the Lord and I are journeying.  

Thank you Earth-Pod girl for helping this Plank-Eyed Girl.

Enjoy the gift of today.  You never know when God will place someone in front of you.

Until we chat again,

Plank-Eyed Girl

Mosquitoes, Flies, and Whispers

It is Friday evening and the excitement inside of me is probably not matching the expression on my face or my body language.  Regardless, I am standing in front of an amazing mode of transportation that I have only dreamed of riding.  It is shiny. It has two fat wheels, which I reason should be easier to ride on than a bicycle. It also has a motor.  Mostly though, it has a super comfortable leather seat.  Suddenly, I realize that the owner is speaking directly to me and not just the Mr.  He is giving me "How To" directions.  My mind wants to focus, but I am both super tired from my week of working in the kitchen and excited to take off on this thing.  Besides, I reason, (here comes the confession) I am a "Hands on" learner so that means you could talk to me until your words are exhausted and I would probably only hear the first sentence of your directions, even though I am smiling, nodding, and giving you eye contact.   Anyway, I hear myself giggling and can feel a silly smile gluing itself to my face. The Mr. has a quizzical look on his face but says nothing to me  (poor man, I am just confusing to him sometimes).  

Fast forward a few minutes, and I find myself sitting on this new mode of transportation. (Okay, secretly, I am wishing I had my red cowboy boots on for this first ride since I know that he will never let me ride in flip flops, which are my second favorite type of shoe, if I have to wear shoes). We get them started and take a few laps around the flag pavilion and then head out onto Ali'i Drive. Wow!  Why have I not rode one of these before?  

As we are scootering along, I find myself laughing and yelling, "Yahoo!" at the top of my lungs.  I can feel the tiredness leaving and the energy surge happening.  It is a warm Friday night with no work for two days and we are on an island in the middle of the Pacific, life doesn't get much sweeter than this!  My mind is aware that I am riding with my mouth wide open, but I don't seem to care because I keep yelling, smiling, and just plain letting my mouth hang open in amazement.  I could really get used to this.  It is in this moment I hear a gentle whisper to my heart and I realize that this is a precisely placed moment, by my Father.  Hum...I will have to ask Him about this whisper tonight when I lay on my bed.

As we approach our beach destination, I attempt to close my lips, but can feel that this is not going to be an easy task. My lips are severely dried out and stuck on top of my teeth in the form of a huge, silly grin. I manage to get them unglued from up at my gum line and drop them over my large teeth. Suddenly, I realize they are resting on many crunchy items which are adhered to my teeth. This is also the instant when it also dawns on me that those things I had been swallowing during the ride, which I thought were nothing, were really yucky mosquitoes, crunchy flies, and a variety of other disgusting tropical live insects!!!!!! Ewwwwwwwwww!!!!!!  What was I thinking??  Sometimes, I am such a child.  I certainly live in the moment without much thought to the future.

I am making a squishy face and trying to pry these  dead creatures off my teeth and out of my mouth.  It is just plain nasty. Suddenly, I start laughing uncontrollably.  What a sight I am.  That is when my Father whispers again, "I love that you take childish delight in me and my creation.  Remember to ride with your mouth closed next time."    

My mind is racing as I sit on the beach.  He said, "Next time".  Hum...I am so literal, that means that this won't be my last ride.  Sweet!  Watching the waves, I go back to His gentle whisper and realize that I His plan is larger than I have any idea.  I am not scared for I know that He holds my life in His hands.  Tom Dunn put it well last week when he stated, "My life was a dream in the heart and imagination of God, long before I was created."  Therefore, I can walk forward with my hand in His and know that where ever I go on this globe, even on a scooter, He has set a path before me and I am not alone.  

Where is He taking you today?  Will you embrace the simply splendiferous adventure He has for you?  Take my hand and let's journey together.  

Until we chat again,

The Plank-Eyed Girl