All in a Day (5/24/2024)

Yesterday I wrote about the challenges and trials of my previous day and part of it was my breaking of my porch companion, Freddie, a rock sculpture from my daughter. I was totally surprised yesterday when my husband went to our porch and worked for the longest time to re-capitate poor Freddie. He patiently applied glues and sat holding the sculpture parts in place; rock doesn’t glue well. But his patience and persistence paid off. I received three gifts yesterday: the restoration of Freddie; learning that my husband reads my blogs; and recognizing all over again that the LORD can work through our mishaps.

As I mentioned, repairing and restoring Freddie was not an easy task. Rocks don’t glue well. My daughter had warned me of that earlier in the day. She’d read the blog, too. She warned me in advance that rock sculpturing like this was an act of faith and patience. But my husband is one of the most patient people I know; he’s been married to me for 55 years which underscores profoundly his unflappability and endurance. And once again, as I sit at my table on the porch, Freddie, with his whimsical face looks back at me, and it makes me smile for so many reasons.

Learning that my husband reads the blog was an unexpected gift to me yesterday. Writing the blog is something I do. I’ve been doing it for almost three years. We don’t speak about it. So, I didn’t realize he read it. The realization, though, brought me joy. It’s a simple thing, but aren’t most harbingers of joy simple?

As I sat nearby and watched my husband painstakingly reconstruct Freddie, I thought again of St. Teresa of Avila’s expression: “God writes straight with crooked lines.” What we initially see as bad may often turn out to be a means that the LORD uses to bring about good. We can miss it because we are too focused on the bad to see the good unfolding or we refuse to be open to what the LORD is calling us to in that moment of need.

And once more, I sat in prayer this morning, marveling at the LORD who is all-present and all-loving to me on this journey. I looked long and hard at Freddie, seeing him with new eyes, realizing he was a means for my education. Yesterday morning, I was still reeling from a day that went poorly. This morning, I am sitting in the sunshine beaming myself. What a difference a day can make. What a difference another’s loving kindness can make. What a difference the LORD can wrought if we are receptive to His grace.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.