the cederburg day 2

There's an eeriness over the mountainside this morning, as a swift wind blows. It's as if the mountains can talk, and their voice beckons to the earth. A deep, solemn tone. I made my coffee a little strong this morning, but I'm not upset. I will appreciate the energy in an hour, when everyone is hustling and bustling around our farm lodging. The wind comes and goes, just as quickly and suddenly as it started every night and into morning. Without warning it's gone, leaving only the silence of the valley and the occasional noisy bird or cow.

Time seems to be traveling at some speed lately. In Rob Bell's new book, Love Wins (which is not nearly as controversial as I expected), he talks about us as being in time, but never of it. Because we were built and destined to be somewhere else beyond this world, we are never going to get comfortable with time. It's too slow, too fast, it flies, it lags, it goes without permission ("Where did the time go?"); and most of the time, there's not enough of it when we're having those epic discussions with the people we love.

I've already been in Africa for a little over four months now. That's hectic, as the South Africans would say. I do have to ask myself, where has the time gone?! Sometimes I feel that I would love for time to pass and me to be done with this chapter and on to the next. Other times, I never want this adventure to end, and it's almost halfway over... In these beautiful surroundings before me, I NEVER want time to pass. Oh just to spend a few years in this kind of peace and tranquility, not bothered by the world or people or things! But then I know that's not what I'm called to. God's creation is to enjoy, as it draws us nearer to our actual Creator, but the people of God's creation are His prized possessions... and they need attending. That's where we come in! It's all about LOVE.

Yesterday we hiked to a marvelous waterfall. Wow. I could have spent hours there. The view from that height was spectacular and then to turn around and face the power of this natural wonder. It was breathtaking. The bite of the water produced a crisp fresh air about the falls. You just breathe in deep, hoping you can harness that feeling forever. How to put into words something that words cannot describe? It's impossible. I bask.

I finish my coffee and quietly listen to the mountains complain to the earth. Herein lies tranquility & strong coffee.



-Kristen