Plans change.
It’s one of the few things that I know. That, and how peanut butter makes almost any situation better. Also, there’s the matter of the ocean and how to this day, scientists are discovering new creatures in its depths all the time. So I also know that we don’t know everything.
And all that makes me think of God.
For some reason, the way that the more we know actually reveals how much more we have to learn, makes me believe in him more. I like the weight that meaning gives to my every day and I cannot attribute meaning to life without God.
It’s like the difference between a robot building a structure and a man in love building a home. The robot constructs it with the correct measurements, sure, but there is no soul in the work. No emotion attached to the project, no kind of love that would cause a seven year project to feel only like seven days, he is so greatly anticipating the end result and what that means.
Because, meaning; it’s so weighty.
But the man in love–now, he builds a home. He draws it and dreams it. He falls asleep thinking of the way he can make the windows just so with a view of the ocean through the two in the front. He puts his heart into the project and the time he spends on it is nothing compared to the meaning he takes from it; a home for the one he loves.
And I think of God like that man in love. I’ve never loved robot stories so much, though I have heard very good things about Wall-E, but a love story? Now, that gets inside me. It goes deep and eventually yields the kind of garden that I can live off of for a very long time.
But what I meant to talk about was how plans change.
Like today, for instance. When we were all set to go swim in the 7,000 acres near my house. But then we hear a roll of thunder spread across the sky like dominoes are falling, but judging from the volume, these must be very big dominoes, indeed. And then the rain starts to fall and we already have our bathing suits on, so I tell the brave souls who will listen that it is time to go outside and march in the rain.
We are in our bathing suits anyway, I reason. But there is thunder! exclaims my mom. Shouldn’t you stay safe and inside? But thunder is just noise and I will not stay inside because of noise, though I did mollify her somewhat by promising to stay close to the house, at least.
So we ran outside. Eli, Emmy, Josh, and myself saw the trampoline and it seemed downright lovely to jump about in the storm.
And it was.
If it had been a movie, and had I been with people to who I was not directly related, it would have been a scene in which I fell in love. But I have learned that there is lots of magic left to the world, even when it does not include the business of falling in love, per se.
That isn’t to say that I didn’t exactly not fall in love. There was still the storm and the great leaps we were engaging in; I was definitely in love with all that business.
And my point is that we never did get to go to the 7,000 acres today. But what we did do was quite fetching anyway. And I don’t think I’ve ever written the word fetching before. Perhaps I should also tell Scarlett O’Hara that frankly, my dear, I don’t give a d**n. I mean, since I am saying antiquated things, and all.
But right, plans. They change. And since God is like a man building a home for the one he loves, I think he does something to help make sure it still turns out a masterpiece.
Life, I mean.
i love this..it is so true how weighty meaning is..it can make the smallest gesture by someone who loves you so meaningful..what you wrote at the beginning reminds me so much of jacob..he has poured his heart and soul into our house..and if someone on the outside looked in..they would just see a man working really hard on a house. but when i look, i see him pouring his love into every detail. God is so like that, in the way he works in our lives..in love with us, in love with His plan for our lives..in love with every detail..this is just so beautiful.
Sarah, exactly.
When you guys showed me that house, I just thought to myself, “This is a man who loves his family.” Because truly he is pouring himself into that house; it’s a part of him and it’s such a beautiful thing to see–it’s how it should be. It made me so happy to see:)
What a lovely blog!
thanks, mom!:)
well, WALL-E was a robot in love, and parts of it are quite compelling, although I am not sure that I have ever sat through it, start to finish, including this morning, all piled in bed with the kids. It’s funny how being a mom has changed me. I want to get all preachy about lightning going along with thunder, and jumping on the trampoline with multiple people, but I even annoy myself! I’m glad you had a blast, there’s just something about the rain… I was loading groceries into the trunk, and I didn’t mind a bit! Oh, horrifyingly mom-a-licious.
oh right! He WAS in love, wasn’t he? I need to watch that movie. I’ve never seen the whole thing, and when I tried to watch it, I was super tired, so fell asleep before too much of it had gone by.
and I think a mom’s preachiness is a very good thing, indeed. Many more of us are still on earth, probably due to it.
And “Oh, horrifyingly mom-a-licious” is one of the best sentences I’ve seen all day:)
It is interesting that you would mention that in your blog. I was at Jim and Trish Leach’s house yesterday when all that hit. The kids were about to head into the pool at their house, and we all were about to have some fun, but then as soon as the door opened, the wind really picked up, so we ended up staying inside, and still having a good time talking about old times, and how that kinship has been around since they were still called home churches.
Your blog kinda made me tear up a little bit. God truly does love us, and it is amazing every time to think about!
It is just cool how God puts you in those situations that at first seem like you want to be doing something else, but then end up being the greatest medicine that he ever created!
“It is just cool how God puts you in those situations that at first seem like you want to be doing something else, but then end up being the greatest medicine that he ever created!”
Um, couldn’t agree more, Rachel!
and it sounds like a really fun, sweet and sentimental time at the leaches. Yay:)
I’ve been lost in the world of your words this evening, and this batch of ‘em has indeed been my favorite so far. We are not friends, but you’ve already inspired me. Praise God for blogs! Truly you have inspired me and excited me to the idea of being myself because of who I am to God. Not sure how that happened, but it’s what I’ve come away with tonight after reading several of your posts. I feel freer and more loved than when I started. You are His masterpiece!
Sarah–your words are so kind…I am so glad that you are excited to be yourself, for I know we don’t each other, but I would wager to say that in your case, that is a downright lovely thing to be! Thanks for reading; I appreciate it:)