Buckets of Refreshing

Overall, this summer has been extremely pleasant for someone who is not a fan of high heat.  Cool days and cooler nights have come to a temporary end as the heat arrived and seems to want to stay.  My plants that seemed refreshed and able to handle the heat this morning were bowed down and droopy by this afternoon.  The soil seemed as if the moisture was evaporated out at such a rate that what was okay this morning was completely dry by evening.  Grabbing the bucket and filling it up multiple times from the garden hose, plants were watered slowly.  Too fast and the water just rolls off.  Slowly, repetitively, water needs to be added, allowing it to sink in.  One time watered, two time watered, and slowly I watched the water sink in.  After an evening and night to soak in the new water, tomorrow the plants will be recharged.  Of course, that is water for one day.  Tomorrow evening, in this heat, water will also be needed again.

I feel like these plants sometimes.  The heat of a busy day arrives and what started out as refreshed ends as drooped and bowed to the sun.  I can feel dried out, over extended and badly in need of refreshing.  In fact, I’ve been feeling that way in the last few months off and on.  Wonderful opportunities to be involved in so many different projects and activities, doing great things to serve – things I want to do.  But, without refreshing I will be as dry as that dirt.  Yet, I have noticed that as refreshing comes from the Lord, and it does come, it comes like the water from the bucket – a little at a time.  It came in watching fawns for some time this afternoon.  It came from an unexpected encounter waving to a friend during an afternoon.  It came from seeing a shooting star, a hummingbird, and a friend’s smile.  A child’s exuberant and unencumbered praise of Christ, the time in prayer, and the words of the Bible all come like cool water and refresh my spirit. 

Yes, I do bow with the heat and the dryness that life can bring, just with the schedule of things I love to do.  And yet, I am continuing to find each day, buckets slowly added to bring refreshing.  

Super Hero

I will readily admit being fan of super hero movies, especially the classic batman with the cartoon words like POW and BAM that flash across the screen. But, even the more recent movies like The Shadow and the Phantom are something I enjoy. There is something so enjoyable about the idea of someone who is gifted with a special ability and then goes about intense training to learn to fully use the skills for the betterment of society.
Two little boys were playing in the nursery at church last Sunday. Amidst play dough and sand box toys, I overheard a conversation. These two little boys were discussing how they were going to be super heroes when they grew up. It would have been the epitome of un-cool to coo over them at that moment and declare them both “the cutest little super hero boys,” so I restrained myself. But, I loved the conversation none the less.
I loved how these two fair haired boys were discussing this with calm and candid confidence. Not yet old enough to have had their dreams of super hero professions dashed by reality and grown up knowing in that those things do not really exist. Instead, I hope those boys do become super heroes. I hope that they realize that they have been gifted with special gifts, unique to them and their purposes set upon them and in them by God. Most likely, these gifts will not come with special suits and masks, thought at that moment it would inspire another burst of really cute-isms that the boys would probably declare is gross.
The thing is, is that it reminded me that we tend to declare some gifts or skills more special than another, but each are important! We should all aspire to be a super hero. I know I want to (especially if there is a cool car and cape that comes with the job)!