On Teaching

During the service yesterday, Joseph, 20-month-old son of Jacob and Rachel, began chanting,"Yi, er! Yi, er!"  (1,2! 1,2!) meaning we had sat long enough and it was time to march out of there.  He is at the cutest stage where all he says and does delights everybody.  After dinner, as is the custom, quite a few did "march" off on a hike.  As they admired the scenery, Bro. Hsi was describing his work to Christian, who was all ears.  At Zhejiang University he teaches not just computer, but artificial intelligence.....this means he was involved in implanting microchips in rat brains, so that the rats could be computer-controlled.  I wonder if he has ever thought of implanting a chip in his second grade son (just joking, but seriously he was confessing in the service that he had failed to properly train Harley, and was seeing the need.)  (Annelisa has a lively English class of two that  Harley is in, Saturdays at our house.)  Well, looking back over raising my two, I feel every  effort should have been toward the goal of raising respectful, responsible, resourceful children... and I wonder what I might do differently now.  I mentioned today that one of my favorite things my mother did for us children, was give us each a plot of land, no more than ten feet by ten feet, for us to plan, prepare, plant and raise garden in.  I was not able to do that for my children..... how happy I would be to have a little plot myself!  (I did go out this afternoon and buy some potted flowers, and some soil and a container for my wee "garden".  I love growing things --no green thumb, though-- and have a need to nurture!)

I close my rambling on a note of praise for this beautiful day.

DAYSPRING

Thou Dayspring from on High,

The brightness of Thy rising

We hail with joyous cry,

Thy radiance us baptizing.

Thou Dayspring from on High,

With joy You make to quiver

Outgoings of morn's sky,

Abounding grace deliver.

Thou Dayspring from on High,

Arise!  Let shadow's flee Thee!

Thy presence ever nigh

In purest light shall free me.

Thou Dayspring from on High,

Dispell earth's deepening twilight.

Shine forth till bye and bye

Thy coming flames the sky bright.

Thou Dayspring from on High,

Blest Light of Life unfailing!

Rose dawning tints east's sky,

Against dark clouds prevailing.            ---3-23-05