“but i say to you, love your enemies….. for if you love those who love you, what reward have you?”  matthew 6

“charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.”  proverbs 31:30

the good news:  my nose is not broken, i do not have a concussion, my cheekbone is still in one piece, and the dentist says he is certain he can save and repair what is left of my two front teeth.

the bad news:  today around 11, while struggling with an out-of-control kindergartener at recess, i was pulled to the floor, tripping over her and crashing face-first onto the marble floor in the hallway.

so…………… you just never know what a morning at JERUSALEM SCHOOL is going to bring.  what is it i’ve been told about this adventure of walking with God?  “expect anything, and be surprised by nothing!”

to be quite honest, these last three days in class have been the BEST, by far, of the entire year.  they have.  the lessons have flowed, the students have engaged, discipline has been incredible, and miss mary has been on a roll in the classroom like nobody’s business.

so what has changed?  well, a couple of things.  first, we got internet in the apartment on saturday!  you never saw happier americans in all your life.  really.   a little white box with a blinking light has provided us the freedom to communicate effortlessly with friends and family back home.  we’re thrilled.  and a bit shamed, actually.  one small turn in our circumstances and suddenly everything is rosey?  wonder what that says about the source of our peace?  i’ll let that sink in for a minute, cause i don’t think i wanna go there in my own heart just yet.  secondly, i’ve been starting each day with communion this week.  my friend marcy told me she and her husband have been doing this lately and what a difference it’s making in their day, not to mention their attitudes and hearts.  it’s nothing for show, nothing formal, just a little chunk of cracker and something to drink.  but it’s a reminder each morning that Jesus allowed Himself to be broken for me, that my life was bought with His blood, that a sacrifice of great magnitude was offered on my behalf.  i hadn’t even considered telling anyone i was doing it until now.

interestingly enough, as i broke (crunched on) the cracker this morning, part of my prayer was that Jesus would break me in whatever areas needed.  remember the woman who extravagantly poured out her perfume on Jesus’ feet?  the gift could be given and used only after the seal was broken and the alabaster jar emptied.  so that was my prayer for myself.  broken, empty, ready to be poured out so that people get a little fragrance of Jesus.  a bit scary, but it’s all part of the adventure, right?

it never occurred to me that God would take me literally.

which brings me back to this morning….. i felt myself going toward the floor, but because this child pulled me down, she actually cushioned my fall.  i remember being afraid i had hurt HER.  the next thing i remember is the distinct taste of blood in my mouth and a throbbing in my head.  my tongue seemed to be catching on jagged edges of teeth, and i realized i had lost something that likely wouldn’t be found.  my roommate joy, a kindergarten teacher,  was nearby.  she says my head bounced off the marble floor.  (that explains my now-sore and bluish nose and cheek.)   spitting out blood and trying to raise up, i heard myself scream.  the congregated kids freaked, joy called for help, first aid came to the rescue, and the damage was assessed.  after about fifteen minutes, things calmed down and the secretary made contact with a well-known american-trained dentist on our side of town.  believe it or not, this guy lived four years in nashville, tennessee…. who coulda guessed?  i was offered the option of going back to my apartment but decided against it.  i took some aspirin for pain, got ice for the busted lip, and decided to monitor my last two classes until the dentist could see me around 230.  after all, we dont exactly have substitutes around here.

and this is where it really gets good…

on the way up the stairs, scores of children who had been on the playground earlier rushed to get a close-up of my injuries.  they were fascinated, and some were actually let down that it wasn’t worse.  rumors had circulated, including everything from me busting my head open to having fallen down the stairs.  all in thirty minutes.

over the next 2 hours, both my classes had lots to say on the situation.  i think the best way to communicate this is just to give you a rundown of their comments.  enjoy yourself as you read on…. and feel free to laugh.  (it’s okay.  i did.)

“miss, you look like a vampire.”

“oh, miss… it’s ugly.”

“miss, this happens to my brother.  the teeth – it turns green.  it’s not nice.”

“miss, i was the one who called for you the help.”

“i was so scared.”

“who will teach us now?  go home, and let miss susan come.”

“are we still having the test?”

“where’s the blood?”

“where’s the teeth?”

“where’s the girl?”

“look, miss.  (holds up four fingers) how many fingers am i having?”

“let me see where your head opened….  what?  it didn’t open?  oh.”

“miss, you can’t marry.  it’s not nice now.”

“miss, do you want me to give you my advice?  leave this school.  you’re getting hurt both years.  remember the toenail?”

“miss, did you call THE TIM?”

“miss, do not marry.  you will be dancing with the husband like this (arms out, dancing.) and you will smile like this (wide, toothy smile.)  then, he will see this (points to teeth.)  miss, it’s not nice to marry. (grimaces.)

“miss, anything you need, i am the one to do it.  let me teach.”

“yeee. the lip is bad.  we will get for you the snow from the freezer.  it will go down.”

“oh, no.  the miss is not a beautiful princess now.”

“DON’T WORRY, MISS.  YOU WILL ALWAYS BE THE BEAUTIFUL ONE FOR ME!  I DONT CARE.”

“no, miss.  don’t show me it.  i can’t look.”

“it looks better from far away.”

and my personal favorite, from louis.  remember louis from last year?  he’s the one who said one day of the noise in the hallway, “miss, it’s a forest out there.”  well, today louis really hit the nail on the head.  after everyone else had voiced their opinions, louis looked me straight in the eye and said, “miss, it’s a test of God.  to see if you’re a real christian.  to see if you will forgive.”  and the minute he said it, someone else offered, “no, don’t forgive.  you will hate them now, yes?  you will hate the girl and her brother.”

the room got quiet.

i said to louis, “yes, i will forgive.  because that is what being a follower of Jesus is all about.  in fact, louis, i have already talked to the girl and her brother and told them both that i do not hate them or their family, that i will forgive her.  even with a busted lip and missing teeth.  i forgive her.”

later at the dentist’s office, he asked me how the accident had happened.  he said God allowed it to happen for a reason.  he assured me he would make me “pretty again.”  i recounted the louis conversation.  and i said to him, “you know what?  today, pretty isn’t about my face.  or my teeth.  today, pretty took on a whole new meaning.

today, at jerusalem school, pretty looked like forgiveness.”