Thought So!

Which Widget?

Our son, a senior in college, works on the stage crew on campus.  The last time we visited, he delightedly showed us a piece of his handiwork.  Taking us backstage, he approached a gorgeous chandelier.  Revving with motherly pride, I remarked, “Wow—this is great!” etc., etc., ad nauseum.

“Oh,” he added, “I didn't make the glass part, just the widgets.  I made thousands of them!” he said, beaming.

Hey, if he could be happy about the widgets, so could I.  After all, who needs a son who can make only drop-dead gorgeous chandeliers?  But back to the widgets.

“What exactly is a widget?”  I asked in a less breathy, more down-to-earth tone.

“These little metal pieces that hold all the glass together.”  He gestured and we looked

closer at the chandelier, listening as he described the process.

Yes, even the widgets were important, for without them, the chandelier would be only a pile of glass.

Are you a widget-maker who hasn't had a glimpse of the finished chandelier?  Do you wonder how the Lord is using you in your little corner?

Where Shall I Work Today?  (Anon.)

"Father, where shall I work today?"

And my love flowed warm and free.

Then He pointed me toward a tiny spot

And said, "Tend that for Me."

I answered quickly, "Oh, no, not that!

Why, no one would ever see,

No matter how well my work was done

In that little place, for Thee."

And in the word He spoke, it was not stern,

He answered me tenderly:

"Ah, little one, search that heart of thine,

Art thou working for them, or Me?

Nazareth was a little place,

And so was Galilee."

(Vol.84 Num.2 Mar./05 Morning Glory)

© Thought So!

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You Name It?

Don’t you just love some of the names on major appliances?  Are there little groups of people that sit around and come up with these labels?  Or does the last guy in the assembly line have to slap a piece of fake chrome on the machine before it goes into a box.  Maybe there’s a bucket there with all kinds of names, and they just reach in and pull out one. (We did not purchase any of our major appliances—they were in the home when we rented it.  And none of these names have been changed to protect anyone).

My oven is an Admiral (I bet that piece of knowledge has you drooling with jealousy).  What does that name have to do with anything?  I suppose if it were a Captain or a Corporal, no one would ever dream of buying it (“Dear, hasn’t anyone told you?  Privates are so Passé). 

My oven is a Clean-a-Matic.  There’s nothing automatic about it, if that’s what they’re trying to say, and I’m the only one who cleans it, so it’s not very clean (not to worry, though—if you come over, I’ll be forced to clean it).  It is also labeled Infinite Heat.  Does that mean it doesn’t need wood and a match to run?  I sure don’t leave it on for infinity.

Did you know that I have an Auto-Control Center on my oven?  I’m not sure what that means, but it sounds like I should be able to feed in recipes somewhere and by dinnertime, out pops a 7-course meal.

Those names are basically pointless to me, but not these:  Jesus, Savior, Jehovah, Jehovah-Jireh (and a lot more than just those!).  What great meaning they have to us as Christians (do you know their definitions?).  I encourage you to take just one name each day, study it, and see how it applies to your life.

Excuse me, but I have to go clean a matic.

© Thought So!

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Motherhood is Hot

I saw this handy bit of information on a poster in a maternity store window. The "mom" had a set of teeth the size of an ice-cube tray, and had more skin showing than clothes.. There were no kids hanging from her navel ring, nor did I notice a pot of potatoes boiling over in the background. From her expression, either she had only thought about becoming a mother, or she had just dropped off 4 screaming rug rats for a year at grandma’s.

Yep-- you guessed it, honey, motherhood is hot....and messy, and wrinkly. Oh-- did I forget smelly, smeary, and sometimes just plain crabby (like the no-nap days). Or, have you ever been in that time zone when you wondered just how long your child had been sitting on the potty, or who was that you just talked to on the phone, or why did you take that meat out of the fridge?

But that’s not every day. What is every day is this: the Lord’s promises-- He’s your refuge and strength when you want to escape to a locked bathroom for 3 hours (Ps.46:1). His mercies are fresh every morning-- even if you’re looking at a laundry-room full of dirty clothes (Lamentations 3:23).

So the next time your kids cling like a Bounce sheet and you’d like to resign from the job, dig out those verses and do your own clinging.

© Thought So!

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Just Quit

It crawled away from the dirt pile on my kitchen floor. I swept it back. It crawled away. My first thought was, "At least it’s not a cockroach." My second thought was, "If I kill it, will that alert all the others to stage a protest right here on my linoleum?

It was taking off again. Maybe it had forgotten it’s wife’s birthday and was on it’s way to get a giant granule of sugar. Perhaps it was trying to make it home in time to relieve the baby-sitter.

Did I really expect the ant to sit down, cross all of it’s little black legs and say, "O.K. If she’s going to keep bugging me with that broom, fine! I really didn’t think I could make it anyway." Or how about, "Oh poor me...it’s all over, so I might as well curl up and die right now." Of course not. I’m sure he even worked his way out of the garbage can after I dumped him in.

What’s your obstacle today? Do you feel like you have a giant broom aimed right at you? Go ahead and quit... doing it your own way. Ask the Lord for His wisdom. Then start crawling!

© Thought So!

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Who Gets Up With The Baby?

Cain was obviously a big boy when Seth was born.  Did Eve have a clue of how many more kids she would have, or for how many years she would hear those loud words in the darkness, “Mommy, I feel sick.”?

“And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years:and he begat sons and daughters:” Gen. 5:4

How long do you keep the baby clothes?  Do they just rot?  Do you have a shower for each kid and get new stuff all over again?  Did Eve ever get to say, “When the kids are out of the house, I’ll finally get a good night’s sleep”?  I get tired just thinking about this woman.  How did she do it?

If Eve had known about Psalm 27:14, I’m sure she would have plastered it to her fridge and quoted it daily.

Are you feeling weak today?

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Now Where Did I Put My Sunglasses?

“And the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.” Rev. 21:18

Have you ever driven up behind a white car on a sunny day and been almost blinded?  The light reflects off of the white, right?   (Don’t worry, this is not another one of those science lesson blogs.)

Now, picture heaven… not reflecting the glory of God (like the car), but allowing it to shine right through the pure gold.  His glory will shine unhindered by anything on earth (and no Windex needed either, ever). 

And there’s me without my shades.

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