fresh flowers for January 20

Three Little Thoughts
©2005, lani wiens
a fresh flowers original

The Amazing Race

Friends and family were there for us on moving day. The beginning of the day and towards supper were mostly people our age and older. Veterans of the moving van. My pastor’s wife said we had better stay put now cause she doesn’t want to move us again. Can’t blame her, I think she’s helped move us at least 4 times.

The morning went by quickly as my boys and the friends moved out the maze of boxes we’d been walking through while other helping hands took apart beds and packed yet more boxes. By supper time we were pretty tired. We still had to move the appliances and the piano and we hurt. My husband called in some fresh help for the evening. Who should arrive but the young men of our church. My teen-age nieces came around then, too. What a blessing to see their bright cheery, full of energy faces. They thought this was fun as they found the stray pieces of old candy on top of the fridge and ate them. Our old basement has been christened the hobbit hole for its short ceilings (they were happy that we would soon have a bigger basement). Two of the young men helping were moving us into their old home after all, well acquainted with it they were.

These same fellows were just boys my own son’s age when I first met them in my kid’s club. Wild things that were hard to control. Now here they were lending their strength and exuberance to our aching backs and enjoying every moment of it. It made me think of the church. The elders have built and worked hard, enduring much. We of the middle generation have laboured alongside, picking up where they left off until our knees are weak and our eyes are tired. Then, along comes these younger folk, ready for anything, strong and full of vigour, as we embrace them they give us their strength. One day we must hand the reins over to them, let them go ahead and forge a new destiny that my own sons will follow in. What an amazing race we are running.

Go Away

My youngest boy is a climber. Before he walked, he climbed. Recently he discovered that he could use his strength to push his high chair over to the counter and go even higher than before. High enough to reach the candy on the top shelf. High enough to get into trouble. He had already been plucked off the counter several times when I walked into the kitchen. He was in the process of pushing the chair to the counter. He gave me a growly look and said, “Go away!” and gave me a little push in the right direction. He tried that a couple times without success. Inside I was laughing a little because it was kind of funny but it made me think.

How often do I want to hide my favorite sin? How much would I like the authority in my life to go away? Why do I want them to go away anyway? Because I want to sin in peace, that’s why!! I don’t want to get caught doing what I know I shouldn’t be doing. Yup, go away rather than go and sin no more. Hmmmmm

Not What I Imagined

My friend gave me permission to tell this story on her little girl. Her youngest has just turned seven and wanted to learn to crochet. She began with a fabulous project in mind all glorious and beautiful I am sure. Her little fingers began to work with hook and yarn. Diligently she pursued her purpose. After some time she held up her work, being her first attempt the stitches weren’t quite even and her tension got a little tight. As she surveyed her work and displayed it to her mom and dad she uttered these words, “This is not quite what I imagined.

Amidst the laughter the truth dawns, most of life isn’t quite what we imagined. So often we begin with a glorious vision bursting forth with plenty of energy to begin. Part way through as we’ve toiled and worked, learning, building new character we come to a point of discouragement. This thing is not quite what we imagined. This vision requires some patience, diligence, effort, work and time.

Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that we may still be at the stage of a seven year old girl learning a new skill. I well remember my initial efforts at sewing misshapen doll clothes, knitting off-kilter squares. This little girl is way better than me at crocheting already, I never took up that particular sport. Perhaps we need to lower our expectations just a little, give ourselves a break and some time to learn what we need to learn. One day I believe she will crochet things of great beauty if she keeps at it.