Add to the Beauty

On the plane ride down I read a book about decision making, since that is where I am in life. The book talked about why decision making is hard for the modern American. One of those reasons was because we have come to expect too much out of life. It even talked about how:

''We have little longing left for our reward in the next life because we've come to expect such rewarding experiences in this life.''

I nodded and realized about how recently I've thought (selfishly) 'I'm not ready for Jesus to come back, I have a lot of life to enjoy'

And then we landed in Haiti. And I got it. I looked at their faces and know they are ready to receive the reward of the next life, for Jesus to come back, to be saved from the hardship of life that is engraved on their faces.

Yet even in the rubble of this earthquakes city, there is beauty - glimpses of the sweet relief Jesus promises: the colors of clothes hanging out to dry, the boy reading his Bible on his roof, the sounds of laughter from the other roofs. 

And the kites.

Kites are everywhere here, made out of trash found on the streets. The little boys fly them from their roof and it is precious to see them all jump up and down as the kites fly.

A Sara Groves song keeps playing in my head. I only know two lines, but they seem to fit so well right now:

"I want to add to the beauty.
To tell a better Story"

-Leeann Mangum