Haiti: Day 8

My "beach spot" today at the Heckman home

Today was my “day at the beach.”  The group went to the beach for most of the day, but it was helpful for me to stay back on campus to catch up on some work that I have from home.  This two-week class in Haiti happens to fall right at the end of the first semester and beginning of second semester for my online classes with The Potter’s School.  Therefore, our TPS students this past week handed in all of their big semester-end assignments that are required for the TPS Bible Survey class.  My goal for today was to at least catch up on grading the backlog of regular weekly assignments that they had turned in the past two weeks (which I had not been able to get to with getting ready for the trip and then the first week here), and then see if I could start in on the semester-end assignments. I was able to finish all of the weekly assignments and then finished grading one semester-end assignment just as the group was arriving back from the beach!  That counts, right?  :-) 

While this may not sound like a restful “beach-like” day, it was for me.  I know that may sound “different,” but it helps me to get some of the work completed so that there is not so much of it that is still undone and waiting for me.  Also, the biggest blessing of my day was to get to have a video chat with my family via Skype!  I cannot tell you the sheer joy of just seeing them (all three of them on the screen at the same time!) and hearing their voices.  As I laid down for a brief rest after that chat, I just thanked the Lord over and over for this gift.  I feel that I have grown closer to them across the miles and that we have become even more one in the Spirit.  

Trina reminded me today of a truth that we have been discussing lately from the devotional book, LifeMessage 365.  In John 15:1-5, Jesus speaks of us being the “branches” that remain in Him, the Vine, and that the Father is the gardener or One in charge of the garden.  We found that the literal meaning of the word “branch” is really “twig.”  A twig is so small, so weak, so dependent.  But that is what we are and what we need to be: just twigs that are absolutely dependent upon Him.  I like what Trina wrote to me today regarding her own work, that she was not asking God to help her get all her work done, but just to remind her to be a twig.  There is such peace in that, and this is what I want to remember here this week, whether I get all the assignments graded or not.  Jesus, remind me constantly and just make me to be a twig dependent upon you.  As the heavy rain pours down outside tonight in Haiti while I write, I pray that the awareness of Jesus and His goodness will continue to saturate all of our hearts and minds.  Thank you for praying --- He is having an impact. 

In Christ,

John

Will I just be a "twig"?