“Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy…” Her little voice just keeps repeating the word. There is no hysteria or whine in her voice, just a persistent calling of her dad’s name. I can tell by the way she repeats “daddy” that she is sure that through a combination of her persistence and his care that she will be heard. I love her assurance.
Luke 10:21 says, “At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.’” The little girl, standing there and seeking out her father’s attention – she is such a beautiful example of a child who reaches out to her father with the expectation of his response.
When I pray, I need to remember this small voice repeating “daddy” over and over. It is a revelation of how we connect with our Heavenly Father. We all have times when prayers seem to stop at the ceiling and just hover there taunting us. But, in reality we need to be persistently, patiently, repetitively approaching our Father with great anticipation. Because sure enough, the daddy soon enough stooped low, picked up his daughter, and gave her His full attention. Would our Heavenly Father do any less?
Showing posts with label persistence. Show all posts
Showing posts with label persistence. Show all posts
Monday, February 28, 2011
Friday, November 12, 2010
Granny
Veterans Day was yesterday, a day set aside to remember our veterans, those who have served in both peace and war time. So, let me start by a saying a big thank you to all of those who have served. Not only those in uniform, but the support in the offices, the support in the homes, and the support of the families; thank you for your sacrifice, your work, your effort.
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She always smelled like White Linen, walked miles nearly everyday, and had both candy and wisdom for each visitor. A conversation sparked a memory of Granny, the name that everyone used for my great-grandmother. With her pearly white hair, quick wit, and deep family love, the combination of many years of life lessons, sorrows, and triumphs made her into a source of strength within the family.
What made her from just another wonderfully loved grandmother into Granny, the matriarch with guidance and wisdom for her family? What changed her from the woman who liked to walk in the woods and watch football while taking little naps to the woman who survived when she wanted to give up?
I think part of it was a decision to continue on during a difficult time. There were some extremely difficult situations, times when I’m sure she just wanted to give up. But, she didn’t and that I think is where the crucible was turning the raw materials into something tempered and extremely strong. Persisting in life, in times when it would have been much easier to pull the blankets over her head and refuse to move, she got out of bed and continued on. Instead, she did even more than just survive, she flourished and became a vital and well loved woman of wisdom, lively personality, and a community that loved her.
I miss Granny, I miss the smell of white linen and her laugh. But, I thank her for the lessons she left.
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She always smelled like White Linen, walked miles nearly everyday, and had both candy and wisdom for each visitor. A conversation sparked a memory of Granny, the name that everyone used for my great-grandmother. With her pearly white hair, quick wit, and deep family love, the combination of many years of life lessons, sorrows, and triumphs made her into a source of strength within the family.
What made her from just another wonderfully loved grandmother into Granny, the matriarch with guidance and wisdom for her family? What changed her from the woman who liked to walk in the woods and watch football while taking little naps to the woman who survived when she wanted to give up?
I think part of it was a decision to continue on during a difficult time. There were some extremely difficult situations, times when I’m sure she just wanted to give up. But, she didn’t and that I think is where the crucible was turning the raw materials into something tempered and extremely strong. Persisting in life, in times when it would have been much easier to pull the blankets over her head and refuse to move, she got out of bed and continued on. Instead, she did even more than just survive, she flourished and became a vital and well loved woman of wisdom, lively personality, and a community that loved her.
I miss Granny, I miss the smell of white linen and her laugh. But, I thank her for the lessons she left.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Defined
Who gets to define what success is? I was in a conversation not too long ago and the topic turned to what is success. If I Google successful people, I come up with a wide variety of Thomas Edison bios, instructional material on How to Be a Success, and promos of How to be Successful Without a College Degree. Looking through the list, it is easy to see that the main qualification for success here is financial success or media success. But, is that really the end of the definition? Is that even a good definition?
Is the mom who bakes 200 cupcakes for PTO a success as she puts every effort possible forth into raising her child? Is the entrepreneur who follows a dream and does not ever meet wealth a success? Is the artist a success for creating the art or for finding a buyer? Do you have to move to a foreign land to be a success? Do you have to make a certain amount of money; is there a minimum and cap to that? I was reading a biography about John Adams and I think that he phrased it quite well “The laws of man may bind him in chains or may put him to death, but they can never make him wise, virtuous or happy.” The laws of man, though he was referring to actual legal systems, are also composed of the unwritten rules. The rules of what society deems what is to be “normal”, “acceptable”, and “successful”. Those laws, they are often separating, divisive, and confusingly defined. If someone fails, how much success does it take to make up for that, to balance it back out? Why does that change for some and the scale seem weighted?
So, I guess when it boils it down, what is distilled is I question what do I consider to be a success, for me to be a success. I think one reason why it is so hard for me to answer that is that there are multiple points trying to impress upon me their definition. Plus, my finish line seems to keep moving. I no more accomplish one thing and then feel like I need to jump to the next challenge. So with all of that rolling around in my head, it was a struggle to sleep, until I came upon a very short phrase that led me to turn off the light, snuggle into my blanket, and head to sleep. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28. My drive to achieve is part of me, it’s a persistence that has proved to be a boon when I have spent ten hours on an econ exam, when I didn’t want to take the next step, when I wasn’t sure what I was going to do next. But, how sweet those words were, when after the trying and seeking and working and wearing out, “come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Now that’s a definition I can live with.
Is the mom who bakes 200 cupcakes for PTO a success as she puts every effort possible forth into raising her child? Is the entrepreneur who follows a dream and does not ever meet wealth a success? Is the artist a success for creating the art or for finding a buyer? Do you have to move to a foreign land to be a success? Do you have to make a certain amount of money; is there a minimum and cap to that? I was reading a biography about John Adams and I think that he phrased it quite well “The laws of man may bind him in chains or may put him to death, but they can never make him wise, virtuous or happy.” The laws of man, though he was referring to actual legal systems, are also composed of the unwritten rules. The rules of what society deems what is to be “normal”, “acceptable”, and “successful”. Those laws, they are often separating, divisive, and confusingly defined. If someone fails, how much success does it take to make up for that, to balance it back out? Why does that change for some and the scale seem weighted?
So, I guess when it boils it down, what is distilled is I question what do I consider to be a success, for me to be a success. I think one reason why it is so hard for me to answer that is that there are multiple points trying to impress upon me their definition. Plus, my finish line seems to keep moving. I no more accomplish one thing and then feel like I need to jump to the next challenge. So with all of that rolling around in my head, it was a struggle to sleep, until I came upon a very short phrase that led me to turn off the light, snuggle into my blanket, and head to sleep. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28. My drive to achieve is part of me, it’s a persistence that has proved to be a boon when I have spent ten hours on an econ exam, when I didn’t want to take the next step, when I wasn’t sure what I was going to do next. But, how sweet those words were, when after the trying and seeking and working and wearing out, “come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Now that’s a definition I can live with.
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