It's Saturday night. I'm sanding, painting, and smell like crawdad because the grandkids wanted to crawdad fish today. Three weeks ago Suzanne asked me to write a blog post by today. I've thought about it, even sat down to write it, but then something would come up. Needless to say I'm thinking about the things I do and don't do well. Where painting is concerned, there is absolutely NO perfection in me. I just want it DONE! Sanding I'm a little better at. It doesn't have to be exact, and you are usually covering up the sand job anyway. Crawdad fishing - marginally good. Enjoying grandkids...amazingly good! Procrastination - Perfect!
I'm not sure the connection, but these thoughts reminded me of a time our family visited San Diego. One morning I woke up super early and decided to watch the sun come up while sitting on the sandy beach. To my delight, the sand was covered with hundreds and maybe even thousands of sand dollars! I was amazed at their intricate design and tender beauty. I was grateful and humbled to be able to witness them, and also felt a great appreciation to their creator.
As a college student I was priveleged to spend a semester at BYU Hawaii. One day a couple of friends and I went to a beautiful bay, and on our two dollar rafts decided to relax in the calm waters. Because we had just watched the movie Jaws, we felt the bay was much safer than the wave filled ocean. Unfortunately, we must have fallen asleep because when we were awakened by shrill screams, the people on the beach looked minuscule. "Shark, shark," my terrified friend shrieked. Around us swimming in a circle were fins! As she panicked, the fins turned into dolphins and started jumping, twisting, and eventually calming my friend with their entertaining moves. They stayed with us, calmed us, and entertained us when we lost our cool, all the way to safety. I was grateful and humbled to be able to witness them, and also felt a great appreciation to their creator.
As a newly retired teacher watching the new school year approach with absolutely no pressure, I have had many moments to reminisce on my few years in the classroom. How I have loved these kids. I think St. Johns Arizona has the absolutely, unequivically, best, brightest, most delightful kids in the world. They are kind, smart, unique, insightful, wise, sometimes exasperating, and all the time impressive. I am grateful and humbled to have been able to associate with and get to know them, and also feel a great appreciation to their creator.
I feel a sense of awe towards our creator. He is perfection, compassion, and all. He gives us what we need when we have the sense to ask, and even when we don't. In Mark 1:40-42 we read about the leper. Leprosy was a horrible disease that disfugured people. Lepers were ostricized and sent away. For Christ to heal the leper was kind and miraculous, but he also touched him. Something that didn't happen to this man. Christ could have healed him just with words, but he loved him and also healed his soul with a touch.
I am so grateful to Christ who was first our creator, then our teacher, and then our Savior. What a beautiful world he has given us, with beautiful things, experiences, and people. How fortunate I feel that in my mediocrity I get to experience his perfect love the way I need to feel it. What a Wonderful World!
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