This week I had to say Good-bye. We had been privileged to have one of our sons and his wife and baby home with us for the long holiday weekend. How fun to have them home for a short time. And "short time" is me telling the truth. Time with your kids is never long enough. They arrived on Thursday evening, and we definitely felt unprepared for them to come. Our week had been so busy that we did not get some of the things done that we wanted to have done before they arrived. But they are so forgiving of our shortfalls and that shows how much they love us. And then on Sabbath morning, we arrived at church to discover that another son had a surprise for us! He started out very early Sabbath morning to come home and join us for an even shorter time. We discovered his car near the church where he thought we wouldn't see it. But I did! What a happy surprise for Sabbath! His work schedule prevented us from having a longer time with him, but we are so glad for small things. That he would forgo his sleep to come to us shows his love in a big way. Again, time with him wasn't long enough! Those 2 words--"short time" are not my favorite words, still, I am thankful for the "short time." While they were here, we were able to have a couple of family dinner "feasts". Such fun! Such good food! And then--Goodbye!
Saying goodbye to all of them came with hope! We have their promise that in a short time they will soon return to help us with another yearly job that they are refusing to let us do for ourselves anymore. Isn't that nice of them? To know that they will someday soon return made saying goodbye this week much easier. Family--tables with food--special times together! They remind me of the hope of God's soon return. He doesn't just come to visit us. He comes to take us home with Him. He will prepare a huge banquet table for us to feast from, to be part of the huge family gathered around the loaded banquet table, and we will enjoy being in the family of God. We probably have been thinking that it is such a long time before He comes back to take us home. But a long time for us is only a very short time for God. It is very short compared to eternity. Eternity is a very long time and waiting for it really is a short time! I want it to be very very short! And no more good-byes!
We are planning on having a floor redone since it wasn't done right the first time. Ugh! Once again, we must remove everything from the room. Where to put everything has taken some figuring and planning for me. Slowly I am finding places for things so that we can continue to live in our home while the work is being done--hopefully it will be completed within a month, but no one is giving me a guarantee. I haven't been able to put things in place for nearly a year--a long year of not being settled. Some of the displaced items are a few pieces of fragile glassware. This week I attempted to move some of them to a safer place, looking ahead to the day that they can't be left where I had temporarily placed them. I picked up three items and carried them to a shelf in our living room--again, not a permanent home for them. Having made that decision, it seemed simple to take them there. Isn't it amazing how terribly fast things can go so wrong. I still don't know how it happened but---suddenly I found myself twisting and falling (with glass pieces in my hands) and landing flat on my back! Yes, the glass somehow stayed safe and for that I am glad. Me, on the other hand, could have done without the fall. I hit my head on a metal stool with a loud crack. The knee that has been giving me walking issues for some time now has another reason to keep on giving me walking issues. In fact--I laid flat on the floor for some time wondering just what was going to be wrong with me. My head definitely was hurting, and thoughts of a concussion passed through my mind. After a bit I thought perhaps I should try to stand. In order to stand I was going to have to kneel on my knee that I twisted, and I tried three times to figure out a different way. But no, I had to grit my teeth and just do it. So thankful that nothing serious seemed to be wrong. My falling reminds me that fall has arrived. The seasonal signs are all around. One day we were having summer and then turned the page on the calendar and suddenly Fall is here! Seemingly as sudden as my fall!
Suddenly, someday soon, Jesus will come. The signs are falling all around us and show us that the time is near. I will look forward to falling on my knees before my King! Knees that will no longer be painful.
This week I am remembering the story of the widow and the never-ending pot of oil. Just when she thought she might have used up the last bit of oil, then she had enough to make more loaves of bread for Prophet Elijah. "So, she went and did according to the word of Elijah, and there was food every day for Elijah and the woman and her household. The jar of flour was not exhausted, and the jug of oil did not run dry, according to the word that the LORD had spoken through Elijah." 1 Kings 17:16 My "jar and jug of oil and flour" are really a couple rows of green beans. I have picked and picked them. Every time I pick them, I think, "well, I did such a good job this time, there won't be many next time." Only that has been wrong thinking on my part. I have never-ending green beans. And this is a good thing except that I want to be done picking and canning them! I want to move on to other things and in reality, they should be done producing such great quantities by now. They are proof that God is blessing us with good things, and I really do appreciate the bountifulness of our green bean patch. They have not run out and I have been able to share God's blessing with others. They are just small little beans, but they show me that God's blessings are sometimes small. We are thankful for the small blessings, gifts that He gives every day.
Let's all determine to fall on our knees and praise God for His bountiful blessings. I know we will praise Him throughout eternity.