In Control of the Hole

I was out walking the dog by the side of the house and looked again at the hole punched in the siding when a tree fell in a recent windstorm. Again, I marveled that a hole six inches or less in diameter could create such a giant disparity in estimated repair costs between my insurance and the contractor… a disparity that extends to tens of thousands of dollars. Obviously, there is so much I can’t control about the situation.. from knowledge about the materials used to repair the damage and their actual availability…to the contractor’s motive in presenting the estimate he did… to the reputed stinginess of the insurance company in accepting, denying, or modifying the claim. It is truly a blessed relief to be able to put the entire situation in God’s hands and to resolve to be happy with whatever outcome He comes up with, knowing that it will work to my good, as He promised. 

As I walked by and looked up at the damage, a little bird suddenly poked its head out of the hole, hopped out, and flew away! I saw that it was a wren and remembered that the male of the species is always on the lookout for holes in trees or structures in which to build one of many “starter” nests for his mate to choose from and finish herself before incubating eggs. It made me smile to think that the wren found this hole in my house to perhaps be a suitable one for his! 

But there was more to it than just a feel-good moment… perhaps a message from God that He’s in charge of the situation and on the job, despite the length of time it is taking to get the work done. The line from a well-known hymn resonated in my mind: “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.” 

Funny that when my eye landed on that bird, I would “be still and know” that He knows all about my situation and has it all under control. 

“He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I wil be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’” 

(Psalm 46:10 NIV)

Joy in the Mail(box)

I get a little antsy once the 4^th of July is past.

I start to feel like the summertime I love (and didn’t it start just yesterday?) is already halfway over and zooming to a close! I get a little panicky, like I’m not enjoying it enough… wasting these precious days that will be behind us all too quickly!

And so what do I do but try to pack more enjoyment into each one, adding pressure and stress to days that are supposed to be restful and relaxing. Instead, I need to slow down, breathe deeply, and simply savor the moment I'm in.

I did that yesterday.

I was driving home from an appointment when I whizzed by the mailbox pictured above.

I happen to be partial to mailboxes surrounded by summertime flowers.

“Oh, that’s pretty,” I thought to myself as I flew by. Suddenly I decided that no, I was not going to miss that joy, placed by a loving Father especially for me by the side of the road! Rather, I was going to give that gift of beauty the attention it deserved. So I turned around, went back, and this time approached it slowly, finally coming to a full stop for a minute to capture the sight in my heart and on my phone. And then I finally moved on, giving thanks for country roads with little traffic as I did so!

And it hit me that that’s how I make the summertime last… not by rushing past the joy each day contains in a mad dash to try to pack more fun in, but rather to pack more joy in each moment of the day I’m in. When I give each one my full appreciation, I hold it fast for just a minute, stopping the passage of time briefly, making my summertime last. 

"This is the day which the Lord hath made; We will rejoice and be glad in it."

(Psalm 118:24 KJV)