Anybody need a haircut?
Life is like railroad tracks - challenging things running right along side of beautiful things. I've been asking God to help me hear and see - really hear and really see in my heart - the blessing...the beautiful....more than hearing and seeing the negative ... the heartbreak ... the pain.
Here's what came to mind -
The last time I gave one of our sons a hair cut... I was using these big household scissors, and really watching that I was cutting straight along the back hairline. What I wasn't watching was the tip of the scissors. I cut his hair straight but caught the back of his ear with the tip of the scissors. I remember blood, and the "I can't believe you'd do that to me" look in my son's eyes. Oops.
When Dennis started wearing his hair shorter I thought we could save some money if I learned to use the clippers and did it myself. He is a very patient man - so encouraging. He said it looked, "fine". We tried this experience several times - but one day he came home having gone to a barber and it looked so even, so right. I hadn't drawn (a lot of) blood with the clippers but I do remember having said, "oops" during the last hair clip session.
And then there was the time that I was getting the boys ready for school and it was super cold outside. One day I decided I'd warm up Jeremy's jacket so it would be nice and toasty. I popped it in the oven on what I thought was a nice low heat. I took it out and found that "toasty" was a good word for it. The oven rack had burned holes in it! His face had a mix of "thanks, mom" and "I can't believe you'd do that to me" going on. It was his only coat and I'm sure he was trying figure out how he would explain that his mom had cooked his coat too long. Oops.
I've had so many "What was I thinking?" or "WAS I thinking?" moments, and most of them are making me smile right now.
So. Why would I share this with you? I'm incredibly glad that we can laugh. Right now I need to be reminded to laugh. I think it's fun that these things - I haven't thought of in a very long time - would come to mind while I am asking the Holy Spirit to give me eyes to see and ears to hear the good, the blessing, the beautiful.
Here's what came to mind -
The last time I gave one of our sons a hair cut... I was using these big household scissors, and really watching that I was cutting straight along the back hairline. What I wasn't watching was the tip of the scissors. I cut his hair straight but caught the back of his ear with the tip of the scissors. I remember blood, and the "I can't believe you'd do that to me" look in my son's eyes. Oops.
When Dennis started wearing his hair shorter I thought we could save some money if I learned to use the clippers and did it myself. He is a very patient man - so encouraging. He said it looked, "fine". We tried this experience several times - but one day he came home having gone to a barber and it looked so even, so right. I hadn't drawn (a lot of) blood with the clippers but I do remember having said, "oops" during the last hair clip session.
And then there was the time that I was getting the boys ready for school and it was super cold outside. One day I decided I'd warm up Jeremy's jacket so it would be nice and toasty. I popped it in the oven on what I thought was a nice low heat. I took it out and found that "toasty" was a good word for it. The oven rack had burned holes in it! His face had a mix of "thanks, mom" and "I can't believe you'd do that to me" going on. It was his only coat and I'm sure he was trying figure out how he would explain that his mom had cooked his coat too long. Oops.
I've had so many "What was I thinking?" or "WAS I thinking?" moments, and most of them are making me smile right now.
So. Why would I share this with you? I'm incredibly glad that we can laugh. Right now I need to be reminded to laugh. I think it's fun that these things - I haven't thought of in a very long time - would come to mind while I am asking the Holy Spirit to give me eyes to see and ears to hear the good, the blessing, the beautiful.
The same Bible that says that the rain falls on the just and the unjust - and - in this world you will have tribulation - also says...the joy of the Lord is our strength - and -
Rom. 12:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
1 Thess. 1:6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in
the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.
Ps. 126:2 Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
Today holds eternal treasure. And joy. And laughter...along with pain or disappointment or sorrow.
Rom 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
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