Life is full of so many questions, from little basic questions to pondering the most complex issues, or questions that may not have answers at all.
I was thinking about my Granddaughter, Harlee, the other day because we were texting back and forth. My son met Harlee’s mother when Harlee was just two, and he fell in love with that little child immediately, and does to this day. There was a time about a year or so later when my son and Harlee’s mom split up for a while. Harlee couldn’t understand why he wasn’t around. On a trip to Walmart, as she was sitting in the child seat of the cart, she kept asking everyone she would see ‘Have you seen my Dave? Do you know my Dave? Have you seen my Dave?” Relationships are vitally important to us at any age. Children are so innocent, vulnerable, trusting, and inquisitive. ‘But Jesus said, let the little children come unto me, and do not try to stop them, because it is such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs’. (Matt 19:14) So questioning and seeking for an answer..
How many of us read a book called ‘Are You My Mother?’ by PD Eastman to our children? It was a book about a bird in a nest, and she felt the egg beneath her move. She knew her baby was coming soon! She decided that she needed to go out and get some food for her new-to-be-hatched baby. The baby bird hatched and couldn’t find his Mother in the nest. The book told of adventures of a baby bird’s quest to find his Mother. He came across a kitten, hen, dog, cow, car, plane, and other things; and to each he said, ‘Are you my Mother?”. The book ends with them being united and happy. Always questioning and seeking.
Another common question (other than ‘why did I walk into the kitchen?) is ‘why am I here on this earth? , or ‘what is my purpose?’. I find myself pondering that thought very frequently, and my realization is that I’ve made that thought way too complicated. Remember when the scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz got his brain? He said ‘the sum of the square roots of any two sides of an isosceles triangle is equal to the square root of the remaining side’. What does that even mean?? Much too complicated!
Life’s purpose is all much simpler than it appears on first blush. It’s my opinion that we have different purposes as we go through life. When we are little, our ‘job’ is to go to school and become educated. We develop relationships along the way, relatives and friends, teachers and students. As we grow, we take on the responsibility to help others in the form of chores. Help fold clothes, put things away, wash the dishes, feed and care for a pet. As adults, we take care of ourselves and do the necessary tasks that need to be done to keep life going, and we take care of our families. Sometimes, however, our identity mistakenly becomes entwined with our job. What we spend the most time thinking about has become the main thing in our lives. We have to get back to keeping the main thing the main thing!
Business with our every day tasks takes over. I will speak only for myself, but my Adult ADD sometimes takes over. If I’m straightening up the TV room, and take something back to the bedroom, I see something out of place. So I stop there and take care of that. Along the way, I’ll pick up a stray magazine, and sit down to read an article; however, I need a cup of tea in order to do that. While the water is heating, I’ll check my email… whoops! I need to get that ‘thinking of you’ card out before the mailman comes! You get the idea… can anyone relate? Questioning and seeking…
First thing you know, the day has gone by without anything of substance appearing to be complete. However, that person who receives the ‘thinking of you’ card may get it at just the moment that it is needed for encouragement. Meals have been prepared for my husband. John and I discussed and prayed for people who are heavy upon our hearts, friends and loved ones, circumstances that are beyond control. We have laughed many times and joked and kidded around during the day; we have passed tender looks of love back and forth. Simple appreciation for those tasks that we do for each other has been spoken. Each of us has been built up. We talk about our hopes and fears. I have texted my kids, grandkids, and friends because they came across my thought path; and along with a text is always a quiet prayer. Devotions have been read, prayers have been said. Time alone with God continues through out the day. I held the door for someone a the store, greeted the person behind the counter with ‘eye smiles’ above our masks, and told them to stay safe. They are ordinary happenings, nothing earth shattering; however, God is always found in the ordinary. It’s where the extraordinary happens, where grace and peace abound.
So what IS my purpose? What do you feel YOUR purpose is at this stage of your life? I’d like to hear some of your answers in response.
We are to love one another as ourselves, as Christ loves his church. We are to ‘judge not so that we will not be judged’, and to be accepting of all people no matter the skin color, political persuasion, or social status. If there is someone who is thirsty, we are to give them a drink; if someone is hungry, we give them them food. Our call is to be hospitable, helpful, caring, loving and forgiving. When one hurts, we all hurt. We care for one another in many ways. ‘Have you seen my Dave?’, as Harlee was seeking and searching for someone she loved. Jeremiah 29:13 ‘When you search for me you will find me; if you seek me with all of your heart’ Have YOU seen my Jesus? Do you know him? Have you seen my Jesus?
Life is hard enough, especially now, and if we can be anything.. be kind, give others a break, they may just be trying to get through the day.
‘But for right now, we have three things to do to lead us forward. ‘Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of these three is love.’ 1 Cor 13:13
Be Blessed,
Candy
Because He Lives (God Sent His Son)
God sent His son they called Him Jesus
He came to love heal and forgive
He lived and died to buy my pardon
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives
Because He lives I can face tomorrow
Because He lives all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living just because He lives
How sweet to hold a newborn baby
And feel the pride and joy he brings
But greater still the calm assurance
This child can face uncertain days because He lives
Because He lives I can face tomorrow
Because He lives all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living just because He lives
And then one day I’ll cross that river
I’ll fight life’s final war with pain
And then as death gives way to vict’ry
I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He lives
Because He lives I can face tomorrow
Because He lives all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living just because He lives
Musings from Candy 