Vol 20: Daisies and Growing Young
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Good morning, Friend. Just in the nick of August, eh? I'll be transparent with you: I am extremely close to not writing this newsletter. I told CW last night that I would either get up and write it first thing this morning or I was done with it. Whenever I hear myself say things like that, I know I've been away from the "it" long enough and it's time to get back at it. So let's get back at it. A few months ago, a close writer friend asked me what I do for fun. The question took me quite by surprise. She knew the truth of it: I'd been investing my time and precious limited energy into so many things that seemed responsible and necessary (how very adult of me) and in far too few things that bring joy and life. It is, quite possibly, the first time in my forty-some years that I've thought, "Gosh, I'm old." And that is part of the context in which I sent my newsletter to you last month. That is part of the reason I have needed time and space to do the less-tech stuff. I had grown too old. Years ago, before the pain of Rheumatoid Arthritis had settled into my fingers and wrists, I enjoyed paper crafting. I dabbled in card making and scrapbooking and even tried my hand at paper making (which I'm still determined to conquer someday), but I was never very good at any of them. What I really loved was journal making. It was the perfect medium for me. For a few Christmases, I made journals for all of my nieces and nephews. I loved working with paper. This summer, by means better left for another time, I was inundated with garden seeds and I had this crazy random desire to buy some flowery scrapbooking paper and make seed envelopes. It became a bigger project than initially planned, but I can't complain. I have enjoyed every moment of it. I simply used an empty seed envelope (Burpee's or something) as a template, cut and folded in all the right places, and then glue-sticked the seams. I added a label on the front of the envelopes to write the type of seed and the year, and I added a double-sided adhesive to use when it's time to seal the envelopes. I'm extremely pleased with how they turned out. But one afternoon, as I sat at my kitchen table, folding envelope after envelope, I noticed something. I could get four envelopes out of one 12x12 piece of scrapbook paper, so every 5th envelope was a new design. And every 5th envelope, I found myself thinking, "Wow! That's beautiful! That's perfect for a seed envelope!" It reminded me of God and the daisies and how we desperately need Him to help us grow young again. It is possible that God says every morning, "Do it again" to the sun; and every evening, "Do it again" to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we. The repetition in Nature may not be a mere recurrence; it may be a theatrical ENCORE.
G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy, Chapter IV
So this is me, today, telling you: It is absolutely okay for you to spend time and energy doing things that delight you. If God can make a million daisies without tiring of the joy they bring Him, perhaps it's okay for us to fold seed envelopes just for fun. We are, after all, created in His likeness. Song on My HeartI'd be remiss if I didn't share Rich Mullins, Growing Young, after quoting Chesterton. Rich once joked that if you've never read Chesterton, you'd better get him read because there may be a quiz at your ascension. :) This is the beauty of salvation, though, folks - that sin (whether our own or another's) wearies us with age; mercy redeems us and gives us tender hearts again. Closing WordsThat's all I have for you today, Friend. Stay tuned. Next month, I hope to bring you an update on the Lilacs Project and some other happenings. :) From my heart to yours, Sarah |