fiction

a bag too far

Posted on by Grace Day

Some people collect shoes, others belts or maybe hats? For me it seems to be bags – not purses or handbags but bigger actual bags. I have discovered that I have no shortage of bags. Quite the opposite. I have all kinds of bags. I have bags of various colors and designs, fabrics and sizes. I have no idea how I have ended up with so many bags. I believe it may have started with a few canvas tote bags and grown from there. I did not set out to collect them, but now I have them, nonetheless.

This begs the obvious question – just how many bags does one woman really need? Probably just one assuming it is a good all-purpose sized bag. Ok and then another bag for back up, so two? Actually, a bag for each season would be prudent, so four? And what about the need to color coordinate my bag with what I’m wearing? – that will require multiple bags. And what if I need to bring more stuff with me on some days than on others? This means I need to have bags of multiple sizes on hand as well as bags of multiple colors and designs.

Maybe I will become like the TV character, Elsbeth. She is a detective of sorts, very fashionable, always wearing bright colors. But her distinguishing fashion feature is that she is always carrying multiple large bags with her wherever she goes. These are noticeable because they are so large and because she always has more than one bag with her. I find myself wondering, what exactly does she keep in all those bags? They don’t seem to slow her down, rather the bags are a part of who she is. They actually end up defining her character in a way. Elsbeth is the bag lady, but just how many bags does one woman need anyway?

Apparently, I need to ask myself the same question – how many bags do I actually need? Especially since, unlike Elsbeth, I only carry one bag at a time. (at present anyway) I’m thinking maybe the reason Elsbeth carries all those bags with her everywhere is because she suffers from a deep seated fear akin to FOMO (fear of missing out), however, this fear is FONHWINWINI. Translation – “fear of not having what I need when I need it.” Solution – carry everything with me at all times. That’s what Elsbeth does and it seems to work for her.

But it must be exhausting, not to mention cumbersome and inconvenient, to carry so much around with her at all times. I know one bag at a time is all I can manage presently with any degree of success. So perhaps the antidote to my FONHWINWINI is not carrying around with me yet another bag full of stuff, but instead relying on the promise of someone I trust – namely my Heavenly Father. He has an impeccable track record when it comes to providing for those He has created, including you and me, we who are created in His image. The apostle Paul experienced God’s provision in his every circumstance and wrote these words –

“And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

In Psalms I read this –

“The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made. . . . The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food at the proper time. You open Your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.” (Psalm 145:13-16)

I can’t possibly carry enough bags with me at all times, at any time, to ensure that whenever the need arises for a particular item, I will have that item with me. Even Elsbeth, with all her big, colorful bags, doesn’t have everything with her at all times. There is a physical limit to just how much I can carry with me at any given time. BUT – God has everything I need and more and He carries it all in the palm of His hand! God doesn’t need any bags. All the bags in the world could not contain His abundance of good gifts for us, His children. God simply opens His hand. I have this assurance-

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8)

I guess I really don’t need all of these bags after all. God is my ultimate provider and He is faithful. No matter how many bags I carry with me, they will never be able to hold “all” that I need. God’s “mercies are new every morning” just like the manna He gave the Israelites while they were in the desert was new every morning. (except for the Sabbath) God is able to provide food in a desert and even a feast in a valley of death, a valley filled with danger and full of enemies . . .

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:4-6)

An overflowing cup and a table full of food right in the middle of dire circumstances. Only God Almighty, our gracious and loving Heavenly Father, could and would do such a thing. And He does. Day after day He cares for me, instead of treating me as my sins deserve.

“He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him; for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust.” (Psalm 103:10-14)

Perhaps Elsbeth has gone a bag too far and maybe I have also. Time to let go of some bags. I don’t need all of them. Actually, I don’t need any of them. Jesus made this clear when He said this –

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. . . . Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? . . . And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry . . . For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:25-34)

Maybe it’s time for me (and Elsbeth and you too, dear readers) to stop carrying around so many big bags and instead trust our Creator to carry us –

“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” (Isaiah 46:4)

sincerely, Grace Day

a stationary stone

Posted on by Grace Day

Another for sale sign just popped up across the street. I am surprised by this because it happened so suddenly, without warning, without fanfare – it just appeared overnight – kind of like my dandelions, who, just when I think they are gone for good, reappear in full force, reclaiming my yard and declaring their intention of taking up permanent residence yet again. Sadly, the new for sale sign is doing just the opposite. Instead of signaling an arrival, this sign is announcing the departure of neighbors I know and love, which begs the question – “Doesn’t anybody stay in one place anymore?” (yes, those words are lyrics from a once popular song)

I guess I am the answer to that rhetorical question. I stay in one place. I stay in one place while all around me people come and people go. I am the stationary stone. Others are the cool, proverbial “rolling stones” that are gathering no moss. They are traveling light, seeing the world. Meanwhile I am covered in moss.

Which begs the question “why and when did moss get such a bad rep?” I mean moss has many redeeming qualities if truth be told. A covering of moss over the stone is protection from the elements. It is warmth and comfort. It is adornment. Fancy, lacey moss or soft plush moss – vibrant colors – I’m sure all the non-rolling stones are comparing themselves to each other to see who has the prettiest, the fanciest, the most rare and exotic moss covering. Moss is a status symbol to the stationary stone. Moss can also be a cloak of comfort in cold, dark times.

But I guess to the rolling stone, moss is a burden, a hindrance that prevents it from rolling easily and smoothly on to the next thing. Sometimes I envy the rolling stone its freedom, thinking its life to be carefree and full of adventure. However, I like the comfort and familiarity of my moss and my mossy surroundings. Still, I think that stationary doesn’t have to mean stuck or sedentary. Maybe there is a season for staying and a season for rolling. Maybe there comes a time in every stone’s life to shed the moss and hit the road.

Such was the case with Abraham. Seems like he was definitely a stationary stone – until he got the call.

“The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.’ So Abram left, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.” (Genesis 12:1-5)

Abram was seventy-five when he was called by God to become a rolling stone, so he had probably acquired a lot of moss during his time as a stationary stone. And according to this account, it sounds like he took most of his moss with him. Not exactly traveling light. But he did have to leave behind “his country, his people and his father’s household.”

Maybe I prefer being a stationary stone because I don’t want to leave anything behind. I want to bring all my moss with me, but when stones really get rolling the moss falls away. It is inevitable. When the moss falls away, I will be exposed to the elements – to ridicule, to judging eyes. BUT – if God calls me to roll, He will provide the covering I need. After all, my Heavenly Father is in the business of clothing His creation –

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 6:28-30)

God provided for the Israelites when He called them to leave Egypt and travel to the land He had prepared for them. They had been stationary in Egypt for over four-hundred years – it was time for them to shed their moss and roll! And God provided the covering of protection they needed as they traveled through the wilderness –

“By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.” (Exodus 13:21-22)

God watches over the stones He calls to leave their moss behind and roll. I have this assurance –

“He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” (Psalm 91:4)

Isaiah said –

“I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” (Isaiah 61:10)

Today I am a stationary stone. Tomorrow, God may call upon me to lose my moss and to roll. I want to be ready. After all, there is a time for everything.

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

a time to be stationary, covered in moss, and a time to roll –

sincerely, Grace Day

mysteries amid the mundane

Posted on by Grace Day

Although my days are usually quite ordinary and uneventful, mundane even, somehow they still manage to be filled with the intrigue of multiple unsolved mysteries. These mysteries can present themselves at any time without warning, but they are especially likely to reveal themselves when I am going through a closet or a drawer in search of some lost item, which is a mystery in its own right, of course. While I may not find the particular sought after item which prompted my original search, I am likely to uncover other mysteries, which is to say, my search inevitably leads me to more mysteries – mysteries without apparent answers – mysteries that defy any logic while simultaneously daring me to solve them.

So while my inquiring mind wants to know the answers to these multiple mysteries, I am forced to live daily with the majority of these myriad mysteries remaining unsolved. But it is not due to a lack of effort on my part that these mysteries remain mysteries. (the assumption here being that if a mystery is solved, it is no longer a mystery – not after the answer becomes known) No, these mysteries remain despite my best efforts to solve them.

Is this true for you as well, dear readers? Do you live surrounded by myriad mysteries that lack a solution? You are not alone. I think most of us do. But our mysteries may be different – except for the universal and most important one. That is a mystery we all share.

However, here are some of my current and more mundane mysteries. I have discovered I possess at least nine remote control devices. Why is this mysterious? Because the fact is that I have only one TV. That accounts for one remote device. The mystery is – why do I have all these other remotes? I wonder what they are for, what devices they might control BUT, I have no clue. Each remote control is a mystery to me. I don’t know what or where their intended device is, the thing that each remote belongs to, the thing that each remote is made specifically for, whether that is a TV, a stereo or whatever it might be? Where in the world are all of the electronic devices that belong with each one of these remote controls I currently have in my possession. It is a mystery I would like to solve. I would love to reunite each remote with the device to whom it belongs. That would be a happy ending.

I also have various and assorted keys laying around. Other than the keys to my car (which aren’t actual keys anymore) and the key to my door – what do all these other keys unlock? I wish I knew. I hold the keys to many unknown things. Each key contains a mystery all its own. There’s a lock out there somewhere which is the perfect fit for one and only one of my many random keys. Likewise, there are other locks waiting to be reunited with the one key that will open them. Each key represents a mystery just waiting to be solved.

Then there are the boxes of old photos I have recently discovered. I’m talking very old, black and white photos of people that I don’t know because they died long before I was born. Some of the photos have names on them, but most are not labeled. Each unlabeled photograph tells a story I am sure, but that story remains a mystery to me, since I am unsure of who the people in the picture actually are. They could be my great grandparents or even further back than that. It is a mystery that will remain unsolved for all of the photos that have no names and no dates written on their backs.

I also come across random puzzle pieces from time to time. These individual pieces have become separated from their original puzzles, leaving me no idea to which puzzle any particular lost puzzle piece once belonged. Each puzzle piece carries with it a mystery all its own. How did it end up isolated and alone? What or who separated it from its rightful place as an important part of a larger whole? This lone puzzle piece is no doubt one of a thousand pieces, pieces that when all connected together, make up one complete, beautiful picture.

I can’t help thinking that this lone puzzle piece would probably like to find its place, the place where it fits, the place where it belongs. It is designed to be connected to the other pieces of its original puzzle. No other puzzle will have a place for this piece. Only the puzzle for which it was created in the first place will have a space for which this piece was specifically designed, a space that only this puzzle piece can fill. Apart from the puzzle, this piece cannot fulfill its intended purpose. Alone and disconnected, this puzzle piece never realizes its potential.

Ever feel like a lone puzzle piece trying desperately to find a place where you fit in? This is the mystery we all share. Where is our place in this world? in this universe? We all desire connection over isolation, yet finding a space that matches our shape proves elusive at first, then eventually becomes downright impossible to find. We each are searching for a place where we can feel like we belong. In this world our search proves futile, again and again, as we try various groups, organizations, causes, clubs, cults – anything that promises us a place, a purpose and people with whom we can share those things. Yet each time we are disappointed, because we are made for something more than what we attempt to fashion for ourselves.

We are each created in God’s image. We are created for His good purposes. We are created to belong to Him as dearly loved sons and daughters. We find the space that only our own unique God created shape can fill waiting for us when we become a part of “the body of Christ”. This has been our destiny from the beginning – connection, not isolation. The apostle Paul described it this way in Corinthians –

“The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body – whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free – and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. . . . But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. . . . Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” (1 Corinthians 12:12-27)

Many pieces. One puzzle. One complete picture. The lost puzzle piece finds its purpose, finds its place of belonging only when it gets connected to the puzzle and fills its space – the space that only it can fill. In the connection there is completion. There is also peace and purpose. The mystery is solved. The picture of the puzzle is completely revealed.

I will continue to have many unsolved mysteries this side of heaven. Random remotes, keys without locks, pictures without labels, puzzle pieces without a puzzle – and of course, always, socks without a match. But the important mysteries will eventually be solved in eternity.

“Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:12 & 13)

sincerely, Grace Day

my car knows best?

Posted on by Grace Day

Maybe you recall from some previous posts that I am dealing with a new car after twelve years of being comfortable with my previous car. Now I bought the exact same kind of car, but even so, apparently a lot changes in twelve years. My new car is very bossy. It seems to think it knows better than I do and consequently it does a lot of things without consulting me first. It bothers me that my car seems to think it knows best, rather than allowing me to be the one calling the shots. A battle is definitely brewing between my car and myself. It is a battle to decide who’s in charge.

I guess it’s not all negative however. For instance, when I get into my car, my seat automatically adjusts to a position that I have previously chosen and “set” with the controls. When I open my door to get out of the car, my seat automatically slides back, giving me more room to get out, I guess making my exit from the car easier. It’s a nice gesture on my car’s part. I guess I can live with that.

Then there’s the lights. My car is in charge of them. I used to be the one turning them on and off manually. Not so anymore. My car decides when the lights come on and go off. And my car does this with the “brights” also. My car turns them on when she deems it necessary and turns them off when she decides it is appropriate to do so. I have to admit though, my car seems to get this right. When there is oncoming traffic, she turns the brights off in plenty of time, so as not to “blind” the drivers in the approaching cars. She does a better job than I would do actually, because sometimes I forget to turn off my brights and I definitely don’t like it when approaching drivers fail to turn their brights off. I guess they don’t have a car that makes those critical decisions for them?

Then there’s the radio. Now sometimes I am listening to a favorite song or an interesting discussion or some news and I arrive at my destination but I want to continue listening for a few more seconds or minutes. In the past, I would turn off my engine to save gas but continue sitting in my car listening to the radio. I can’t do that anymore. When I turn off the engine, my car turns off the radio. So if I want to continue listening to the radio, I have to keep my car running even though I am sitting in a parking space or in my garage. Doesn’t my car realize that I want to save gas AND continue to listen to my radio program at the same time? Previously, the two were not mutually exclusive. Why should I have to choose one over the other now? My car refuses to negotiate on this point.

Then there’s the seat heater. My old car had this feature and I loved it. I could have it “off” or on “low” or on “high.” I was in charge of this decision. Now my new car decides if it is cold enough for the seat heater to turn on or not. I can see by the lights on the button on the dash for this feature if it is off, or if it has one, two or three lights on. Because it has been very cold this past month, I usually see three lights lit on the seat heater control when I first start out. But soon it has been turned off. Now if I were in charge of this decision, the seat heater would still be on. I like being warm. But my car has decided that my seat is warm enough and has made the decision for me to turn it off. I guess my car thinks it knows best. But I disagree. I really want to be the one in charge.

I have mentioned my car’s bad behavior in the carwash in a previous post. My car also does this when I pull into the garage. She beeps frantically, panicking because she erroneously believes I am going to hit what’s in front of me. But if I stop before her beeping starts, I am not far enough into my garage to allow the garage door to close behind us. My car does not understand this and no amount of reasoning on my part can change her mind. (if she has one, which she doesn’t – she has only preprogramed instructions better known as A.I.)

My car is also a bit of a hypocrite. She won’t let me play the radio once the engine is off, but she leaves the lights on after the engine is off and even after I get out of the car, her lights are still on, even as I walk away from her. I have a confession – I always stop a short distance away and watch, waiting to be sure she turns off her lights. She does, but what if she forgets? Leaving car lights on is what drains your battery and then your car won’t start. I once had that happen with the interior ceiling light of my old car. I turned it on to search for something, then shut the car and walked away. When I returned, the battery was dead.

Another thing my car does is turn herself off when I am stopped in traffic. She restarts automatically when I take my foot off the brake. I guess this is good because it should save gas, thereby saving me money, and that is always a good thing. Although I have noticed that sometimes my car restarts when I am still stopped in traffic. I don’t know why. Did she just decide on her own that she had been idle too long? Who knows? I thought that was my decision to make – when to take my foot off the brake and activate my engine, but I guess not? Ultimately, my car is making that decision for me.

And so I am participating in this battle of the wills with my car. Who is really in charge here? Much of the time, I feel like it is my car who is making the decisions. She won’t even start if I don’t have my foot on the brake. I feel like this is unnecessary. My old car would start without that as long as it was in “park.” In fact, with really older cars, we used to start them with one foot on the gas to rev the engine, to get it going if it was having trouble starting. (of course the car was in “park”)

My car will beep alarmingly if there are cars passing to the right or to the left of me. She beeps when I pull in or out of parking spaces if she thinks I am getting too close. (sometimes that is the only way into or out of a parking space – you cut it close, but you make it – you have a visual of the situation)

I guess my car is just looking out for me. She is trying to protect me from harm with all the warning beeping going on and with the working of my headlights for me. She tries to save me gas, and she turns off her own lights and locks herself up as I walk away. I had to turn off the lights and lock my old car myself. I kind of liked being in charge of those things. Although, I guess if I forgot to do those things I would end up with a dead battery or a stolen car or the contents of my car taken. So maybe my new car does have my back. Although she does lock herself up before I am done unloading the groceries and this is annoying.

Still, I have to ask myself if my relationship with my car mirrors in some aspects the relationship that I have with my Heavenly Father. Is it a constant battle for who will be in charge? Do I question whether my Creator knows best? I certainly question whether or not my car knows best. I feel like my A.I. driven car (pun intended) has an agenda and I’m not really sure what it is or if I can trust it.

My Heavenly Father definitely has an agenda for me, an agenda He does not hide from me, an agenda I can trust because I can trust Him. He’s pretty upfront about His plans for me and His intentions towards me. In Jeremiah and Isaiah respectively, I read –

” ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ ” (Jeremiah 29:11)

“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him!” (Isaiah 30:18)

Jesus told His disciples –

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

Psalm 121 also makes clear to me that my Heavenly Father does have my back and (unlike my car) does know best –

“My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip – He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you – the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm – He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” (Psalm 121:2-8)

” . . . in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:3)

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

“I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.” (Isaiah 46:9-10)

God knows best – my car? not so much . . .

sincerely, Grace Day

pondering the pithy

Posted on by Grace Day

My neighbors are traveling – again. They have recently returned from one adventure only to embark on yet another travel adventure. I must admit – I am positively green with envy. This brings to mind the rolling stone – you know the one – the one that gathers no moss, right? Well, in this scenario, my neighbors are the rolling stones and I am the opposite of a rolling stone. I am the stationary stone. This would explain my envious green hue. Unlike my friends, the rolling stones, I have gathered plenty of moss. I am, in fact, covered in thick, green moss.

Although, if truth be told, there are plenty of times and seasons in my life, where I too, am a rolling stone. It is during these times of “rolling” that I lose my accumulated moss in the process of being no longer still, but in perpetual motion.

Still, I have to ponder the deeper question here. Is the implication of this often quoted, pithy saying that moss is a good thing or a bad thing? If the implication is that moss is a good thing, a desirable thing, then a rolling stone by virtue of its constant movement, is missing out on acquiring this valuable asset of moss. Moss does provide a warm and comforting layer of protection and adornment for the stone. So moss can be considered something good. This is one interpretation.

Or – is moss considered a burden – extra, unnecessary weight that slows the stone’s roll? Is the moss making the stone more beautiful or hiding the stone’s bare beauty? All these queries are a part of my pithy ponder.

It appears to me that to this point in my life, I have more often played the part of the stationary stone rather than the rolling stone. (must be why I have acquired so much moss) Neighbors have come and gone, friends have moved here and there, while I have been at the same address for many years. And I have the “moss” to verify my lack of “rolling” – a basement and a garage and closets full of the “moss” that accumulates with the passage of time. Are these “mossy” things that fill my home treasure or trash? That is open to interpretation.

But, fun fact. Time does have a way of turning trash into treasure. Ordinary objects become valuable antiques, sought after by collectors, when enough time has passed to turn them into rare and historical treasures. Ironically, moss is a sign that the “stone” has put down roots (so to speak) by virtue of staying in one place, even though moss itself has no roots. (moss has something called rhizoids which enable it to attach to a variety of surfaces)

Moss is a beautiful, velvety soft covering – a vibrantly colored plant that lives on every continent. That’s right. Moss grows in Antarctica and in the desert. Very versatile. So why would a stone want to cease its rolling and gather some moss? Maybe for the comfort a covering of moss provides? Perhaps for the protection or for the adornment of mosses’ emerald hues? Or could it be that the stone desires the moss that grows and flourishes with the connections that are formed, the community that arises, only when the stone stops its rolling?

But it’s hard to stop “rolling” in today’s culture. We are busy and we value busyness. So I too often keep on rolling and then wonder why I have no moss – no protective, comforting, decorative cloak and cover to keep me company. (who knew moss is a good companion?) This must be why God’s word says –

“Be still; and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)

I don’t need to keep running – whether from something or in search of something. My Heavenly Father says I need only to be still. (and maybe gather some moss) He will meet me where I am. In fact, He says this –

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:14)

And He says –

“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.” (Isaiah 30:15)

I guess that’s right. I too often resist being still in favor of that fever pitch at which we all seem to be living life. I’m afraid to slow down and cease my incessant rolling. Why? I blame FOMO. (fear of missing out) It’s a malady of our current day culture. BUT – my Heavenly Father has something else in mind for me (and for you) –

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.” (Psalm 37:7)

“Do not fret”? Why? Because God’s got a better plan for me and for you too, dear readers. God gives us a wonderful invitation, if we dare to accept it and follow where He leads –

“He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul.” (Psalm 23:2)

Doesn’t that sound inviting? A chance to stop rolling long enough to lie down and rest. I’m pretty sure there’s moss in those green pastures and moss on the stones beside those quiet waters. It is in this place of stillness that my Heavenly Father restores my soul, I receive much needed rest, and moss has a chance to grow a comforting, protective, decorative covering over my once rolling stony self.

This is an open invitation from my Heavenly Father, an invitation that I want to accept often. I never regret the time I spend in His green pastures, beside quiet waters, being still, being restored by the life-giving Presence of my Creator. I will “be still and know that He is God.” I will gladly cease my rolling and gather some moss until my Heavenly Father calls me to “roll” again, to follow Him to some new adventure.

sincerely, Grace Day

the gum giver

Posted on by Grace Day

No, that is not a job description, but it does describe a work colleague of mine. He is a substitute teacher at the large, inner city public high school where I also work as a sub. This can be a tough job, a thankless job, a position the students don’t take seriously but they do take advantage of those in this role. My colleague, however, has found a solution or at least a gimmick to enhance his standing with the students even though he’s only a substitute teacher like me. His idea? He is the giver of gum goodness.

That’s right. My colleague has discovered that giving out free chewing gum to the students is indeed a very good gimmick – a gimmick full of goodwill fueled by the goodness of gum! Who knew? It’s a simple gesture but it works wonders. I’ve seen it work. He stands in the halls during passing periods and hands out gum to anyone who asks. Even the most rude and rebellious of students will approach him politely, hand outstretched, and usually remember to say thank you at the conclusion of the gum transaction.

The teenage years are turbulent times by definition. Many students walk around angry, anxious, or on edge, just waiting for their next explosive encounter. Enter the gum giver. Instead of telling students they are in violation of dress code, to take off their hat or to get to class (that’s someone else’s job anyway, someone way above our pay grade) he offers them a choice of gum flavors – a small gift, an act of kindness and goodwill inserted into an often contentious environment.

This giving of gum changes things for the better – one stick of gum at a time – one positive interaction at a time – his gimmick of giving gum goodness reaps a harvest of goodwill. And goodwill is a scarce and valuable commodity among the teenage population, let me tell you. (maybe among the population in general now that I think about it) The gum giver is building bridges between himself and the students, slowly, steadily – each gesture of kindness, each stick of gum, another piece of the bridge he is building every day. (although I’m sure some days the chasm seems too wide to be bridged by mere sticks of gum, no matter how many he gives away)

This is not something new for him. The gum giver has been doing this for years. Students seek him out during the school day – they go out of their way to find him. Of course, they are getting free gum, but they are also getting something more – a smile, a kind word – it’s possibly the most positive interaction of their day. I think my colleague is onto something wise and profound. Although, it’s also a good survival tactic. Teenagers can be formidable adversaries. I think the gum giver is smart to put into practice this strategy –

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” (Romans 12:20)

He is making a big difference with a seemingly small gesture – the giving of a single stick of gum. Living in a culture that is producing anxious, agitated, often angry individuals, what he does may seem insignificant and insufficient against such odds. BUT – we are told in Romans –

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21)

In this case, the goodness of gum is the method and I think it is working. As I said previously, he has been doing this gum giveaway thing for some years, which brings to mind these words in Galatians –

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Galatians 6:9-10)

I wonder if the gum giver ever grows weary? Perhaps, BUT – I have never seen the gum giver give up. And he never runs out of gum either! That’s a minor miracle considering every school day he hands out hundreds of sticks of gum, one at a time, all day long. (many students are repeat receivers of his gift of gum goodness in the same day) I hope his consistent kindness and generosity are contagious. We could each take a page from the gum giver’s play book and practice some small form of “gum giving” every day.

Whether it’s the giving of a smile (there are those who find that too costly or too much trouble) or the giving of a kind word or a listening ear – I am inspired by the gum giver to try and make a difference for good in the lives of those I come in contact with every day. (maybe candy bars?) Whatever it is, dear readers, we each have our own unique contribution for good that only we can make to the world. So let’s do whatever it is, one step at a time, one day at a time, one stick of gum at a time.

And the world will be the better for it – “overcome evil with good.”

sincerely, Grace Day

fun fact – the gum giver is also the person in the post – “moment of glory”