scattered wondering.

  "Miss Unruh! I made it!" I turned and looked behind me at the little blond haired girl running toward me, with glowing eyes. In her hands, she clutched a basketball tightly. She had just managed to make a basket. For the last 10 minutes, she had thrown the ball again and again, only to miss, and yet she never gave up...until finally she made it through the hoop. We walked back together and with an, "that's awesome! Now let's keep on trying!" she got the ball situated right, turned around with her back to the basketball hoop, and threw it up in the air backwards. A few more tries just like that and she had made another basket, and then another one. The sparkle in her blue eyes as she looked up at me showed me just how excited she was that she had accomplished something that was so difficult for her. We both laughed together and shot more baskets and laughed together some more. And then a thought popped into this teacher's mind. Her most difficult feat.....

  only once in a while.     It doesn't happen every day, only once in a while. It doesn't take the big things, most of the time it's something so small most people wouldn't notice it. If you asked her though, she would probably look at you with a sparkle in her eye that tells you of a part of her life that she remembers so well. She might give you a little glimpse into that, the part of her life that tugs at her heart strings so. Most of it's so ordinary, but in her simple words it might tug at your heartstrings too .      ...a hint of woodsmoke in the crisp fall air...     It takes her back to a little logging town located in eastern Oregon. As she walks up the sidewalk, she pauses for just a small tidbit of a second, and turns and faces the mountains towering over the beautiful valley. A fresh fall of snow has dusted the trees, and here and there you can still catch a glimpse of a bright yellow tamarack tree. It's cold, the smoke from all the wo...

  It was Monday, and it had been a hard day. Sleep deprived teacher, tired students, and winter dulldrums were a combination that didn't set that well. We made it through the day, and after I sent the little chillens home with their mamas for the rest of the day, the thought of "I am so done. I just want summer vacation" kept rolling over and over in my mind, and it didn't cheer me up any. We had supper plans, so after a nice afternoon of taking it easy and trying to stay warm, I got ready and drove over to our plans. I pulled in the driveway, parked, and got out and started to go inside. All at once from across the pasture, I heard "Miss Unruh! Miss Unruh!" I stopped and looked and i saw a little boy, one of my own precious students, running as fast as his little legs could carry him, and yelling out my name as he ran. That fast, the thought hit me...God gave you these little children to feel your heart to full and overflowing. I turned and walked out to me...

   Night had fallen. In a small little house on a dark and quiet street, lamplight gleamed from every window. A young lady stood by the kitchen counter and once again looked out the window for any sign that maybe just maybe she wouldn't have to spend another evening by herself. The window was open wide to let in the cool breeze, supper was on the stove, ready to eat. A candle burned on the kitchen table, a small, but yet bright flame added to the coziness of the little house that she called home. With a sigh, she walked to the cupboard, and got out a plate. Another meal. By herself. As she turned and walked toward the living room with her food, a gust of wind blew through the open window. As she watched, she saw the candle flame flicker, almost go out and then rekindle and burn once again, a bright cheerful flame.       Rekindle... the word flashed across her mind but she tried to shove it to the back of her mind. It kept coming back and as she tried to think of...

  In the wee hours of any weekday morning, you would see a tired teacher rising for yet another day. She groggily stumbles into the kitchen to make herself some coffee, and once that is accomplished she goes about preparing for the day. Her mind is full of just how the day could go, wondering how she can teach the new lesson for the day in a way they could understand. Those mornings can be hectic, but before she leaves for school, you would see her kneel beside her bed and pray to her God..."Lord, i pray for patience. Give me words to be able to teach those children in a way they can understand." And most importantly, "I pray that they'll see You in me." She rises to her feet and makes her way to school.      It is a beautiful, crisp fall morning. As she walks in the front door, she takes notice of the bright blue sky, the bright sunshine, and the changing trees. She makes her way to her desk and prepares for the day. The minutes go by fast and very soon, the fr...

  It is a quiet evening in this little town in Eastern Oregon that I've learned to call my home. I'm home by myself this evening, it's warm and cozy, and I finally am curled up on the couch with time to think...and here are some thoughts... for whatever they're worth.    I got home this afternoon from spring break. It was a very relaxing week spent with my family... exactly what I, for myself, needed to break up the winter dulldrums. As I drove today, I saw beauty of every sort, from grey cloudy skies, fields and pastures with tinges of green, sage brush stretching on for miles and miles, and majestic, towering, snow-capped mountains. It made me stop and take in once again, the beauty that our Master Creator has designed just for us to enjoy. I got home, and stepped out of the car, and was hit by a gust of cold wind. My first thought was, Not wind...and I wanted to complain about how ready I was for summer. For a little bit, I will be honest, the wind wanted to discoura...