Monday, March 11, 2013

It's a Beautiful Day in Jos

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When I was a child in the early-mid 90's, my family lived in central Nigeria in a city called Jos.  My parents are United Methodist missionaries, and as far as the mission field is concerned we were the "city-folk".  Very early every weekday morning, my father would go use the short-wave radio that we shared use of with other mission groups.  He would spend half an hour or so talking with the other UMC missionaries, the ones "down bush" about news, field updates and specific requests.  Since we were in the city, very often people would have requests for things for him to purchase to send back the next time our bush pilot was in town.

It truly was a different world than the one I live in today, and I will forever be thankful.

Sometimes, if we woke up early enough, Dad would take my brother or me with him to listen in on the conversations. As a child, it was fascinating and fun.  I learned the radio alphabet off of a piece of paper tacked to the wall, while sitting on the floor and listening to the radio traffic.

Every single day, Dad started the group off with the exact same message his own father had used when they were missionaries in Nigeria, "This is the day the Lord has made.  I will rejoice and be glad in it!  Good morning, it is a beautiful day in Jos.  Bambur, do you have any traffic?"

I asked him one morning what he said if it was raining, and his response what that he never changed it.  Today is the day the Lord has made.  We have been given the gift of this very day, and that in itself is beautiful.

That has resonated for me ever since.  My father used a very specific cadence and tonality when he said these first lines, and he did it the same way each time.  If I close my eyes, I can still hear it loud and clear.  I later found out that the other missionaries knew their day had really started when they heard it.  On the rare occasions when Dad was not around, they missed it.  The routine reminder that every day is beautiful, and every day is a gift was something that never got old.

Thank you God for this day. Thank you life for letting me live it.  Thank you Spirit for abiding within my heart today.  Thank you breath for entering my body.  Today is a beautiful day, and it is up to me to appreciate it for what it holds, to instill as much of my own beauty into it as I can, to rejoice and be glad in it.

I deserve BEAUTY in my life!




2 comments:

  1. i really like this! ... i like how his message didn't change, no matter the weather - perfect picture of what we can be like with Jesus.

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    Replies
    1. If anything can be said about my father, he is 100% consistent. I love the fact that his statement is true no matter where or when you are.

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