Ringing Like a Bell

Have you ever been to the aviary at the zoo? It is one of my favorite places. You walk into this artificial tropical dome fulled with plants and stunningly beautiful birds, and there's no barrier between you and the loveliness. You're allowed to walk through there and drink in the peace. There's also a sort of noisy silence inside the aviary. I say that because it isn't quiet in there at all, but there's a still, almost holy feeling when you step inside.  You can spend as much time in there as you'd like, listening to the exotic calls of unseen birds and waiting to catch a glimpse of the ones who decide to show themselves.       I'm reminded of the aviary on Sunday mornings when my ladies' Bible class meets. On some mornings, every woman wears a different color, and every week I'm struck my by the different beauties each woman brings. One brings her practical love for serving others. One grows roses. Another brings her particular love ...

A job is a job . I like to tell myself, "If what I do were easier and more fun, people would pay to do it instead of getting paid to do it." At the same time, I must admit that I don't exactly work for the great pay or anything.  I'm a teacher. My job can be rough, and people who aren't teachers seem to have a vague idea about that. Most people I talk to about my job bring up how "tough kids are to deal with these days," which is unquestionably true. However, there are other things about teaching that people who aren't teachers usually don't understand.  I must say that many people don't have any conception about the time teachers actually spend on their work. Even my husband still doesn't realize all that my job entails. We actually fought about it when I first began working in the classroom. The scene would be like this -- ( Midnight. On the couch of Brandy's living room. A lamp is on near her head, papers are scattered a...

Two things happened. First, I was on my way to work, mentally whining. I don't like waking up early every day, and sometimes it makes me grumpy. About the time I was daydreaming about my warm blankets, I pulled up to a stop sign to turn right and head to school. I paused and looked up through the windshield at a very lovely sunrise. I must confess I appreciate that part of my drive to school every morning. Sitting at the stop sign, I can see for a long way into the distance, and I also happen to be facing directly east. I make it there every day just in time to see the sun coming up over the hills. There's a lake, and I live in a rural area, so the land is fairly undeveloped and pristine. Anyway, a few days ago It dawned on me (okay, I know -- bad pun) that I get to see that stunning view every   morning. I get up, drive my car through pastures and woods, and pull up to a perfect sunrise. Then I thought about how many years I've been teachi...