Every creature has its sound

Mondays can be foul, loathsome creatures.  The dull beginning of another long, busy work-filled week.  It sounds like a screeching alarm clock, a groan - if not given life, at least you know it's there.  It sounds like sighs, horns, and fingers tapping on the keys, producing not a word, just an audible expression of boredom.     I don't want to start my week this way.

Mondays can be quick, hopeful creatures.  The fresh start of what could be another, love filled, spirit inspired, new adventure.  Even if it's an adventure with the same old routine, there's a way to make it different.  They sound like a happy good morning, they sound like the end of a rainfall.  They have the anticipation of a child.

It's the Monday after another beautiful friend-filled weekend.  I'm listening to Peter and the Wolf, beginning my week on a high note as I prepare to dive expectantly into my studies.  I remember studying Peter and the Wolf with a student teacher in grade two, talking about the characters, and how the music portrays them: quick, light, carefree, daunting, miserable, frantic.  I wonder what my sound would be.  Which instruments would sing my song.  How it would make a listener feel.  Would the melody be enchanting? Would it be memorable? Would it be pleasant?  Would I care what others thought about it? Would it be an offering to God?

This weekend my song is more of a cheerful dance, freely running, freely resting, freely moving.  A perfect end to an eventful, challenging week.  Monday was on such a high and happy note - I received a paper back on which I'd been given a nearly perfect mark.  Proof miracles exist.  Tuesday was pretty good too, with the exception of some pretty heavy reading about the history of Africa.  Wednesday evening, when I was supposed to be working on my french presentation for the next day, there was a fire in our building.  Not just a false alarm, but a fire.  It didn't quite warrent the eleven fire trucks which came, but evacuation was necessary. One of the apartments on the floor above mine no longer has a kitchen.  Pray for this family! While we were waiting to get back in, we met some neighbours that I'd talked to before, and enjoyed warm tea with them at Tim Hortons, and having a chance to talk with them - sometimes even in French! Thursday morning I went to the Remembrance day ceremonies downtown. It was a lovely warm day - if you were in the sun.  We had a great place to stand, due to being there very early.  But after standing for more than two hours, my feet were so cold I could actually not bend them, which made walking back to school rather difficult.  I spent the afternoon preparing for my presentation - which went terribly, I was pretty down afterwards.  Here's where I must write how thankful I am for Amber, who always cheers me up, and reminds me to put my faith and trust in God's perfect love, and perfect plan.

Sometimes, when I'm with Allison, who came to Ottawa from Sooke for school this year, she'll introduce me to her friends as "home in a person."  And that's how I felt when Hannah arrived for a visit from school in Montreal.  Home in a hug, voice, laugh, and smile.  We did all the things I would normally do on a Friday night, stayed up to late, slept in, woke up and cleaned the house.  We spent the afternoon wandering around the Byward Market and Parliament, then came back in the evening to shop and fill a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child, eat some slightly healthier food (Poutine and Beavertails had been our food for the day), and watch a movie. Sunday morning we got up, and in case we weren't awake by the time Sam and Lane picked us up for church (after  church was supposed to begin), we definitely were by the time we got there.  I love Sam, and love that he's willing to drive me places.  But I am sometimes surprised that I survive the car ride.  After church we (Sam, Lane, Hannah, Amber and I) had brunch at our place, and then left Amber to study while we went the the third world bazaar.  We looked at lots of beautiful, crazy things.  Played with a whole bunch of unknown percussion instruments, laughed a lot, and left with a few little treasures.  Oh, and if you ever hear of a band called 4th World Bizarre, it's either us, or someone stole our name.  As the sun went down, Sam dropped Hannah off at the bus station, and me off at my apartment, where I rushed to make cookies, dinner, and head out to go swimming with some girls from the neighbourhood.

I also learned that apparently, keeping a piece of bread in a jar of brown sugar will keep the sugar soft.  I love it when neighbours come to my door.

Today's song is going to be thoughtful, and quiet, as I attempt to spend the next 5 hours doing school work.  Hope your week is off to a good start too.