Hands Off...

Take Your Hands Off

Remember when your child began walking the furniture? You reached out your hands. You encouraged.  You thrilled with them at those first steps.  Holding the bicycle and running along side – “Peddle, peddle!”  “You can do it!”  

You have had to release your hold and let that child peddle off – Oh the joy and excitement!

And then came the car. Hours of riding along, teaching, advising.  Slamming your foot onto the non-existent brake.  And then came the driver’s test and license.  Off they drove. Alone.Without a parent.  

As our son said when he got his license, “A whole new world has opened for me.

There comes a time when our help ends. We have to trust their ability and judgment.  We have to allow mistakes, poor judgment to happen, waiting and watching for the good choices to be made.  Being quick to praise and encourage.  We have to allow them to grow up – take our hands off and trust. 

God does this on a daily basis with me.

Diamond...

Stars twinkle like diamonds, we say.  

Baseball is played on a diamond.

A diamond is the usual engagement ring.  Given as a promise, “I want you to be my wife. Just mine. And mine alone!”

If you are young it is usually not a very big or expensive “rock.”  As the years go by and money is more available, the original is replaced with a bigger stone. Some trade in the original.  Others are sentimentally attached and want to keep the original diamond.  

Diamond earrings are much the same.  Start small, move to bigger more sparkly. The size and sparkle doesn’t always correlate with the love and commitment that is more often the thought behind moving up!

I saw the Hope diamond years ago – I was disappointed.  Yes! It was large, but not sparkly.  I want my diamonds to sparkle.  No matter the size.  I go for sparkle.   To get the best sparkle a master gem person uses a hammer and chisel.  He knows where and what to cut off, chip away.  So when the light hits the stone, it reflects the light.  

God wants me to be His diamond – sparkling and brilliant in His light.  He is working carefully yet forcefully to break the habits and thoughts that dull; to make me into the image of Christ and a reflection of God’s glory.  A priceless gem and 24 carat gold to boot!

Oh! The  baseball diamond.  God is planning a Home Run in the bottom of the 9th with the bases loaded and the score tied.  I am His secret weapon.