Sons of Zebedee

Several nets:
Not that many, but they are enough.
We cast they daily, and they,
in turn,
return full, brimming with fish, with contentment.

Flourish? Yes, sometimes.
But even when we flounder, we fish.
The squares of our nets bind our lives
Like so many bricks, so much mortar.
The are our purpose, our way.


Until
one day
He arrived.

He said very little - just watched us at our work
(we were mending the nets, I believe)
Tying the worn little squares back together.
We sat there, silent, both waiting.
But that gaze! In His waveless eyes we felt
The Lake after raising a storm
The Sky when the moon's barely up
The Wind when it blows in the Spring
And we loved Him.

"Follow Me," He said.
So we did.
Left our nets
And our Dad
And climbed aboard this Man's ship -
Oarless, netless
And fearless as if we'd had many.

I still remember the first puffs on the road, walking after Him,
Following Him down His path, toward His purpose
Following Him to the Deep we had craved.

We had found our true Way.

Vitamin Gift

Three kids. That's not a large number. Yet they are who the Lord has given me, and I know they love me dearly.

How do I know? That's easy! They shower me with presents! I receive so many knicknacks, portraits, bouquets, rocks and feathers, and abstract twig carvings that I have created a receptacle for them all. Euphemistically termed "Mommy's mailbox," it hangs innocently on my bedroom wall, collecting all the treasures for which I've no home. Periodically, I slink away and dispose most of them ... in the trash can.

But don't tell! A deep part of my mother-heart feels shame and remorse at not being able to receive each of these treasures with the joy in which it was created. I think this is due, in part, to the fact that my own childhood memories don't include a feeling of 'overgifting' my parents. To my recollection, my gifts were each so thoughtful, so artful, so apt! The truth that they were probably the same slips of paper and bits of string my own children offer me seems irrelevant - and maybe that's the beauty of childhoos. All our treasures are priceless - all our creativity is gold. In our minds, our parents have enough room to store every cherished offering indefinitely, pulling them all out and admiring them without end.

And this is as it should be. Our parents, human replicas of the Divine, are created to respond to us with the same open-handed joy as our Father. True, their receptiveness has an end, but our childish eyes don't perceive it.

And isn't it lovely that, in God's eyes, we all remain children? No matter how mature we may feel, we still function as kids, endlessly offering our bits of glitter and glue for His pleasure. And pleasure they bring! He delights in our offerings, filling up on the tidbits we bring. He wants it all - and He has no secret dumping-ground for these gifts! He savors them, displays them with pride, and gives us the encouragement to keep on creating - all out of His deep parental pride in our existence.

Thank You, God, for accepting my gifts. Thank You for being my Dad.

Vitamin Cuttlefish

I've never thought of sea creatures as "cute," much less "cuddly," but that's just the adjectives the cuttlefish brought to my mind the other day. I'd never seen one of these puppy-faced fish, but the aquarium in Sea World boasts a loveable little collection. The children and I stood and stared at them, marveling at their friendly appearance, and then I read their information sheet.

Cuttlefish are remarkable because they can change the texture and color of their skin when they sense danger. If the threat persists, they release a cloud of ink to confuse their predator.

Wow, I thought. Not only are they cute, but clever, too. I spent the rest of the day imagining myself as a a cuttlefish, able to dimple my skin and change its hue at the drop of a ... a ... fishhook. What a marvelous skill!

But then I grew concerned. To exhibit this trait in my real, on-shore existence would mean blending in with the crowd and the culture in order to avoid any conflict. And as a Christian, I know that being 'of the world' is the last thing I should aim for, even to avoid persecution.

But what if my backdrop were changed? What if, when threatened, I were able to become more like Christ ... so that my life was 'hid in Him' and my Enemy were unable to find me? Now that's a defense strategy I can aim for! Those sweet little fish have a lesson for me after all.

Vitamin Sole

It's amazing the pounding our feet take in a day. And especially, for our family, these days. We're visiting San Diego, and each day the kids and I seem to trek miles across concrete, following little paths that never look like they do in amusement park maps. Why is that, anyway?

In all this wandering, I've watched my kids' feet go from pink and puffy to achy and raw as their shoes find their weak spots; but I've pretty much ignored my own set of soles entirely. That's because they feel great! I have delectable, if geriatric, pair of Chacos that have seen me through travels both foreign and domestic ... and have themselves been resoled once already. My arches have not ached, my instep is intact, and my toes are feeling terrific in this lovely choice in footwear.

Isn't it wonderful how we don't think about the parts of us that are working properly - the articles of clothing (or shoes) that we own that do their job well? I'm so grateful for that - grateful for the little thing, today, that is a pair of nicely-formed shoes. The Bible mentions that shoes of the "good news of peace" will help us stand strong, and I can see why. Without a trustworthy foundation, every step is an agony of distress! How many times a day do I find myself distressed in spirit over things that could be laid to rest if I truly put on those good news shoes? It's not called the good news of peace for nothing! -- And I have determined to set my wll to remembering (and wearing) that peace every step of my day. No, it may not make the lines at Sea World any shorter, but it sure will keep my fuse from shortening while I wait! And that's good news for everyone ... not just me!