Good As New

This morning as I was changing my sheets, I noticed a large split in the seam of my fitted gold sheet nearly top to bottom. I'd seen the hole earlier, but this morning knew something had to be done. Pre-Recession, I might have just trashed it and got another fitted sheet to match. However, luxury is not a word in our vocabulary right now. So I got out the sewing kit and in 30 minutes the seam was repaired. As I put the sheet on the bed, I noticed an opposite seam splitting. So rather than wait until it got worse, I repaired it as well. The fitted sheet was as good as new.

Later in the morning, I went to put on a pair of copper loop earrings when I noticed how tarnished they were. My first thought was trash them, but instead I got my jewelry cleaner and polished them up as good as new.

It was then I realized how disposable I'd become in my thinking. If something had become less than perfect it was time to throw it away and get something new.

Then I saw my palm tree. I think it may be dying. Just recently we were hit with a stretch of temperatures in the teens. When I bought my palm tree last summer it said, "Hardy to 20 degrees." Knowing our bitter temperatures of late could be detrimental to the palm tree, I covered it each night to keep off the frost. The first few nights it seemed to do okay, but two days ago the fronds started dropping. I cut off the fronds that snapped to the ground. Then I prayed to God to save what is left of the tree. I love to look at my palm tree. It makes me smile. And it's not something I want to toss or replace. I'm doing what I can to help it, but wondering if the palm will grow and thrive.

When I think of my many faults and weaknesses, I wonder if the Lord ever says to Himself, "Time to toss her and replace." I do think a time will come when He does just that, but for now, He's sewing seams, polishing what's tarnished, cutting off what's dead in me and hoping I will grow and thrive. I hope with the years left in me, I can be useful for God's Kingdom, growing it and sharing our Father's love with the lost and lonely. All of us, no matter how used, worn and broken, can be healed by the Father ... good as new. Praise our Lord Jesus for that!

Snuggling When You're Not Sick

When my children were little, getting them to sit down and snuggle was a next to impossible. Filled with boundless energy, they had people to see, things to do, places to explore. So any moment where they might actually want to sit next to me and cuddle, I delighted in it. And typically anytime they were ill was the most common time for that cuddling. With little energy for anything else, we'd sit on the couch together and snuggle, reading books, talking or watching television together. It may sound twisted since my children were ill at the time, but I loved those moments.

I have noticed on my spiritual journey that I am much the same as my children. When things are going well, when I'm too busy, I have a tendency to not find my quiet alone-time with God - to "snuggle" with the Creator, as it were. And inevitably when I am ill, whether physically or spiritually, I'm all about the snuggling. I wonder if God wraps me up in His mighty arms, me sitting there ill on His lap, and if He smiles, thinking how much He enjoys this time with me ... and wishes it were more often.

I'm thinking God doesn't deserve that. I think He deserves the well me and not just the sick me. He is so special, important, awesome and loving, that I should be able to cozy up to Him every day to talk and read His Word. I work my schedule around many ridiculous things, truly, like some insignificant television series for example. Surely I can fit snuggling with God in there. We could talk about what I'm up to, what I need to fix, needs of my friends and family and how I could serve His children better. And what better time to do that than when I'm healthy!

I'm feeling pretty good right now. I think I'll go thank Him for that.