I woke up at five am this morning, mainly because it was to hot. The fans were off, (because the power went out, again) I'm positive that the mosquitos were out to get me and the noise from the already up and at it village was blaring in through the windows. I grab my bible and storm out of my hot tent. I decided, well if I can't sleep, might as well hang out with Jesus early today. I make my way outside to the tree-swing across the path from my front door. The hot and humid day was already making me sweat- come on its six am, it's not normal for it to be this hot!
I slipped and sledded my way through the muddy puddles, my morning toes already covered in salmon colored mud. Thinking nothing of it, mostly because I'm still half asleep at this point. I sit on the swing under the big green tree with leaves hovering over the bottom, just enough to keep me hidden from the scorching Cambodian sun. The swing is made out of an old rice bag, and some kind of black string, half of it is ripped but just enough of it is still in-tacked to swing on. This swing is so close to the ground that my knees hunch up because I'm so tall. One eye open and one closed, I'm so sleepy, I press play on my iPad. I Slowly raised the volume until I drown out the noises all around me. Mozart's violins sway me back and forth on the half ripped rice bag swing.
With the flies and roosters and mosquitos and the smells of dung and sewer water. With the babies crying and motorcycles racing and bicycle bells chiming, all the busyness of this small Cambodian village all around me, a white baby cow walks right up to me. Face to face he stares right into my eyes, "Mozart Menuetto from Divertimento" playing in my ears and this baby white cow in my face! It's like a romantic scene except its a COW. I didn't know what to do. Should I be afraid? Should I push him away? The baby white cow and all his friends- also known as the flies that hang out on his back, all right in front of me. So I sat there, stared him in the eye for a minute, then I hugged his neck. Yeah, I hugged his neck. I don't know what made me do that but I did, I hugged him.
Before I knew it the baby cow sat down right next to me. His name is now Moo. How could I not name him. Me and baby Moo spent the morning together. Moo stared at me, I swayed on my swing and petted him. Together we sat under the big green tree listening to Mozart at five am in a tiny village somewhere in Cambodia.
Okay, call me crazy for taking the time to write about my "friend" Moo. But I am trying to articulate what I felt when we spent- what started off as a not so good morning together. The best way to describe it is- it was GOOD (Genesis 1;4) The series of events that morning were good, I couldn't see it in the moment, I couldn't see it through all the mud caked on my feet, the sleep I was losing and the noise. But all that lead me to meeting a beautiful white baby cow. It was joyous, that joy was inspired by one of Gods(creator of heaven and earth) His creation came up to me and allowed me to look into his eyes. This is no ordinary thing, it's not just a cow, it's not just a normal morning. I found Joy in the middle of the loud village waking me up at five am, in the middle of the mud on my morning toes, in the middle of mosquitos and flies, roosters, sweat, hot and humid restless sleep, motorbikes, and babies crying. I found joy. Joy that came from Gods creation- a simple baby white cow.
In the middle of the mess and chaos of your day, would you allow yourself to meet your very own "white baby cow". Let him bring light, joy and happiness out of the not so good moments in life. There is beauty all around. There are giggles to be had, there are smiles to be shared. Their are necks to be hugged. Laughs that make you cry. Life is waiting for you to put all the ugly aside and instead choose to see the sparkle in it.
Go out and meet your white baby cow!
And God said it was GOOD, from the begining!
Inspired by Jesus Christ and Shanna Niequist.
