Hallelujah, I'm Sabed.

What a world! What a world! I am surrounded by beauty!

Today we got up early to take a tiny hike through near-rainforest up to a waterfall. There, people swam and jumped and splashed and Kaitlin worried about leptospirosis. We left and ate hamburgers (apparently they are some of the best in the country) just before arriving at Hanauma Bay for snorkling and sharing space with exotic fish.

We left in a hurry to take care of young children for a "Parents' Night Out" at the church building, and so spent the rest of the night sticky, covered in bugs, and near-deaf from the screaming.

We were surrounded by beauty.

I was privy to thoughts and loves that I had not considered before. At the burger joint I listened to Mrs. Ross talk of how she was thinking earlier at the waterfall that it was about time for her daughter Michaela to consider baptism. I began to marvel and wonder at the lovely anxiety that the Rosses must be feeling: the love for their daughter and their desire that she follow the Lord, the fear that something might happen soon (I once heard of parents double- and triple-checking their son's seatbelt in the car on the way to getting baptized, to make sure he would get there!), and the anticipation of seeing their little one saved from her sin and saved from all fear.

Later, while watching a 2-year-old try her best at coloring with a crayon, I began to marvel and wonder at the excited expectation of praise in her eyes as she looked up at me after completing her scribbles. I daydreamed frantically of who she would be as an adult, and if she would serve the Lord. There is nothing but potential behind her clear eyes. What a shame that I won't get to see it realized.

After listening to the story of Daniel and the Lions' Den (a story that I've sadly let become largely irrelevant after learning of the checkered past of the document from which the account comes), Addison asked the class of hyperactive children what they learned. After some false starts, a 3-year-old said, "God sabe-d Daniel." Oh, such faith. Oh, such love. Will my 3-year-olds know that God loves them and offers to save them?

When Addison suggested that we pray, as Daniel prayed, one girl began and said, "Thank you for the food you gave, thank you for the life you gave, thank you for dying on the cross." I wanted to cry for the showing of greater faith than I've ever known, of truer reliance than I've ever allowed, and the prayer more beautiful than I've ever spoken.

Oh, we are surrounded by beauty.