Syel (Sky or Heaven in Kreyol)

This week I’ve gotten to spend probably 1-2 hours in the late afternoon laying in the hammock or sitting on the porch.
I think this is the way life was back in the day, sitting on the porch and visiting with neighbors. What has happened to this? Let me tell you, it’s awesome.
My day does not feel complete if I do not watch the sunset.
Every day it’s beautiful, breath-taking, and completely different. Every day God paints a picture in the sky and beckons us to stop, to still ourselves, and appreciate the show He is putting on for us.
Same with the thunderstorms around here. They are magnificent displays of God’s power and majesty. I can just see him waving his hand and a huge lightning bolt darts across the sky followed by a thunderclap. One thing I noticed while watching a thunderstorm is the lightning is so bright that I have to close my eyes as a result. How magnificent. How wonderful and powerful. Awe.

In the states I remember appreciating a sunset but usually from my car driving home. Now when I’m in the states I do silly things like climb to the top floor of parking garages at my friend’s apartment to be able to watch the sunset and appreciate the beauty.

What happened to stillness in our culture? What happened to appreciating the beauty of God’s nature on a daily basis?

I don’t know when I’ll have another season of this much stillness, quiet, reflection, peace. I’m trying to fight the voices in my head that say ‘go work,’ ‘shouldn’t you be doing something?’ ‘to-do list,’ ‘go make other people happy’ and I’m trying to listen to the “I love you,” “be still,” “Rest in me.” And honestly I’m finding that I’m much more at peace all the time, in my daily interactions, in the frustrating situations, in the hard decisions; I’m more peaceful and calm, less frantic and crazy and ‘needing to be productive’ and it’s a really beautiful thing.




He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
Psalm 46:10

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
Psalm 96:11-12

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Psalm 19:1

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
Romans 1:20

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"This is Haiti"

'This is Haiti' is a common phrase used around here. Usually I find that it is a way of explaining the culture, the customs, the past, the way of life, the heat, the dust, the difficulty, the beauty… this is Haiti. So this is a blog about my first 2 weeks in Haiti. It has not been easy. Each day is so full, so rich, with good experiences and bad experiences. I've been sweating for the past 24 hours straight… with the exception of a few hours that I slept last night because I woke up this morning not sweating-- I was pretty excited about that. The generator battery needs repair/replacement and the city electricity in Haiti comes on whenever it wants… which means that sometimes it comes on 5 minutes per day, 1 hour per day, or even 12 hours per day. It totally and completely depends.. On….nope, nobody knows. I feel relatively accomplished that I spent my first night without any electricity -- no fan, moving air only through your windows.. So I took a quick shower with a
Read more

Deborah

It was an innocent Wednesday morning at clinic and I was in the office getting some administrative work done. At breakfast with our Medical Director, I heard wind of an emergency in the clinic. Dr. Mainviel was taking care of it. (I'd just sit in my office, our staff can take care of it, better for me to not get involved). Before too long, he was up in my office asking me if there are any ambulance services I have connections with. Fast Forward to today, Sunday, and here's where I'm at. I live in a world where babies are born falling onto their heads, where mothers don't have help or support in a maternity hospital (underfunded/undersupported, in a slum, overcrowded), where families abandon a family member when her baby dies (of no fault of her own). Where is God in this? Does it help or hurt for a 'foreigner' to get involved? The westerner has a concept of western medicine, of who and what can be saved and protected. My first job out of grad school was i
Read more

Haitian Ladies

Image
 "Hiiiiiiiiiii!" my toddler opens and closes her right hand reaching for painting from Haiti that is on the wall of her bedroom where I read, nurse, and rock her to sleep each night. Several months ago, I taught Evie to say hi to them, the Haitian Ladies, as I call them. She is now in an 18 month leap and her language is expanding every day. Tonight she started to try to say the word, 'Haitian.'  'Ashian,' she practices in the cutest little Evie voice. Her 's' sounds and 'sh' sounds slay me these days.  I love that there is Haitian art in her room, a tin art cross on the opposite wall, and a hand sewn banner by her crib, all representing the resilient, beautiful people of Haiti.  I know my daughter will grow up knowing how much her mommy loves Haiti and how her mommy's time there changed her life.  My heart simultaneously sinks as we say hi to the Haitian Ladies on the painting, with their black silouettes, baskets on their head, and colorf
Read more