The longest we have lived in one place is seven years.
Then the Lord moved us here.
Before that our longest had been five years.
It’s been good for me.
I’ve learned a lot.
One of the lessons has been in letting go.
God never wants me to cling to things.
But He has also surprised me in this season we are walking in.
Not long ago I was in the kitchen when my husband came from the garage.
His new job has required his focus and he’s not gotten his garage just the way he wants it yet, but he’s working on it.
That’s what he had been doing when he came in.
His eyes held mine tenderly as he reached out his hand.
His blackened fingers (something I love about him, he works with his hands just like my dad did) grasped something which he placed gently in mine.
I had no idea what it was.
“Look at the inscription.”
So, I turned it over till I found the initials carved into the metal.
I knew exactly what they stand for.
It was as if time fell away.
And my bare feet were standing upon the concrete of our driveway.
My long brown hair carefully braided and still wet from running through the sprinkler in the lawn.
My father working on Mom’s car in the driveway.
His tools carefully laid out on his work towels.
And there was Grandpa, talking to Daddy, bent over looking under the hood.
It’s not a real memory.
More like a collage of memory scraps all pasted on top of one another, making a whole picture.
So, how did a small piece of initialed metal cause this?
Because it was a tool used by my Grandfather and given to my dad which eventually was passed on to my husband.
All three men worked on machines of one kind or another.
My husband said he’d been going through his tool box and found it.
Tools have come a long way and this one is pretty obsolete compared to the other sets he has.
But he knew I’d want to keep it.
So, now it’s sitting in my room.
A reminder of how incredible God truly is.
It’s also an opportunity to pray for my extended family.
I doubt I’ll keep this forever.
It needs to move on, into the possession of another man who works with his hands.
But until the Lord shows me who He wants to bless with it, I’m happy to let it remind me of my childhood.
To let it spur me to prayer.
And to praise God for His unfathomable love and care.
Truly,
2 Samuel 7:22 KJV — Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank You for this keepsake. It means so much to me that You would care about a tiny insignificant detail like this. But You understand things that I will never comprehend. Thank You for all Your love and mercy. Thank You for sustaining me throughout every part of my life. Thank You that life has seasons and in each one You have a plan and a purpose. Please help my eyes to be open to what You are doing in this season. Please help my mouth to speak only Your words of encouragement or exhortation. Please let my feet never stray from Your paths. Thank You, Jesus. I love You. Amen.
patientlyhopeful 