The grey coat crowd

Pulling into my sons preschool one foggy morning there were lots of older kids lining up outside for the Turkish National Anthem, the middle school and the preschool are connected. As the song begins everyone stops where they are and respectfully waits for the song to finish. (Every Monday and Friday)  You could hear a pin drop. Even the little kids going into the school are held back to wait and told to be still until the song is over. When the song is finished and all begin to find their places this way and that way. I see a sea of grey and black coats. The girl wearing the light orange coat sticks out and my eyes are drawn to her in the midst of this very grey morning. 

Then I realise that I too added to the grey madness surrounding me, because I have a grey coat, grey hat and mittens! However I breath a sigh of relief as my scarf is my saving grace of green and fusha . I am not sure what it is culturally but grey and black seem to be the dominate colour in winter.

During the winter I miss color. 

Winter here is difficult as there is little ability to get outside and outside is often dreary. I crave colour. At my little girls' school handmade scarves and hats are plentiful and it seems that grandmas, aunts and moms unleash all there knitting abilites to help bring a little life to the winter by their colorful products bestowed upon the heads and necks of their little ones. This is always a bright spot in my day. 

This bright red door caught my eye and made me smile!

  

So I say to myself on these oh so grey days, when the coal is billowing smoke out of the chimneys ... 'don't loose heart you color lover surrounded by grey, the beautiful truth is you will tend to notice color more quickly and enjoy it more fully when you see the splashes. '

" I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the dawn, and settle on the farside of the sea, even there your hand will guide me and your strength will support me. I COULD ASK DARKNESS TO BECOME NIGHT--BUT EVEN IN THE DARKNESS I CANNOT HIDE FROM YOU. To you the night shines as bright as the day. Darkness and light are the same to you."
 Ps. 139:7-12

During this winter where I am homeschooling my oldest for the first time, my middle daughter is in 1st grade with all its hours of homework, my son jumps off the couches, chairs and his sisters;the days have been rainy, and we are on the 5th floor overlooking the street with lots of construction, my heart finds hope and joy that:

THERE IS NO WHERE I CAN GO THAT IS TOO DARK (or dreary) FOR GOD'S RADIANCE! :)

Finding peace in God alone, In my little west corner ~ Goodnight.  Becky

quick note: we have had 2 days of sunshine, since I typed this out.