Earlier, I wrote about how touched I was that one of my students, Icey, wanted to share her surgical masks with me! She is from China & her Mom has been understandably extremely worried about her safety given the pandemic that is now moving across the United States, Texas, Dallas Fort Worth & throughout all of our lives around & in between.
Yesterday, I received a note from Icey that the masks had indeed now arrived! We decided she would take them to the beautiful DBU Campus & leave them with our amazing team of Security Guards. From there, I would pick them up, to ensure we protected our safety as much as possible.
This morning, a particularly gorgeous Friday, as I drove up to the Campus. SO much about THIS day!! It's Good Friday, the day Our Savior died on the Cross to set us free from our sins & so that we would have everlasting life! Easter Sunday will be here soon & we will celebrate His resurrection. It is a glorious day!
DBU & it's surroundings are the most beautiful to be found anywhere. Not only is it beautiful to the sight, it is a Holy Hill where Jesus calls people to come to study, to worship, to be transformed, to work, to be the salt & light for others, & then to go out to serve the Kingdom. It's definitely The Lord's University & a heaven on earth to me & to the masses.
Today as I drove up, the Security Guard whom I've known a very long time, rushed out to greet me with a huge, glowing smile in recognition & how could he help me? I was so happy to see him & to say there was something special left for me by one of my students, in a bag? He hurried to get it, & then waved me on my way.
As I left, I began to cry. Here, this a very special place, ordained by God, place, and not a car, not a student in sight. The most incredibly peaceful place so alive in its beauty, so much going on with classes online for the remainder of the semester, a community still living on Campus & sheltering in place, so much good everywhere in the midst of all of us fighting the enemy of the Covid 19 global pandemic. I decided to turn my car around & see if I might be allowed back on just a little piece of University Hill. So many times I have wished for a moment I could take pictures without so much going on; now it makes me cry for it to be missing. He didn't mind & I was thrilled! Top of the Hill & out of my car I jumped.
I wanted to get an image that I could post here to at least symbolically thank my student for her incredible kindness. The image above has the amazing Patty & Bo Pilgrim Chapel shown high atop The Hill & that is seen far & wide by both Dallas & Fort Worth communities, & visitors from all over the world. It is the center of our core. Of course, it's got me in the image, too, & attempting to express visually my thankfulness for her & all of the students God has called to be part of the DBU family. Our bond runs just so much deeper than I could ever have the words to say; we are connected by a God who loves us & has promised never to forsake us, no matter what, or who, the enemy may be. How much clearer can this be on this day, Good Friday?
About this image....
Icey is from China, called to DBU for graduate study, deep in the Heart of Texas. She has shared her culture & love with all those in the DBU family, especially me. Our culture has opened to share with her everything that we are about as Americans (and as Texans). We have found we are more alike than unlike & I pray Icey has learned only half as much from me as I have from her.
I am definitely grateful for I know The Lord is in this.