The Doorkeeper

(This is Friday which means it's Elephant Day! Every Friday, I take one of the many elephants in my collection and write about it, the memories I have about it, the inspiration it might give me for daily living.  So here's another elephant--which serves as a metaphor for my spiritual life!)

 I recently converted our daughter’s bedroom into a sewing room.  It’s been 6 years since she’s gone of to college, and she is living her own life now.  When creating quilts, there is a lot of ironing that must be done.  I use the iron and ironing board more with pressing out seams than I ever did after doing laundry.  Therefore, I decided to move the ironing board from our laundry downstairs to my new haven upstairs, the sewing room.  This particular ironing board does not stand alone.  Instead it hangs on the back or front of a door and swings down when needed.  There was a problem with this, though.  Whenever I ironed, the door would swing back and forth according to my arm motions.  This was could be dangerous! 

Then I remembered I had the perfect solution.  An elephant!  Yes! One of the elephants in my collection, given to me by my mother (she gave many of them to me) was a doorstop! But it was sitting in front of our dining room door.  A door we never use so it is perpetually open. Because there was no need to "hold that door open", my elephant doorstop wasn’t really serving its intended purpose.  However, the dining room was as good a place as any to put it for people to see.  But now, it is serving true purpose.  Being very heavy--nearly 20 pounds--it’s perfect for keeping the sewing room door from swinging dangerously back and forth while ironing.  It also adds a whimsical touch to my sewing room, which is home to all of my stuffed elephants. Because of this elephant’s purpose I call it my “doorkeeper”.

 

Jesus said, "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." (John 10:9) (ESV)  He also said,  “I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”  John 14:6  (NIV)

I love the image of Christ being an open door through which I can daily walk to receive a more abundant life.  And as a Christian, I believe that I can be and am called to be a doorkeeper to that Door.  I can hold that door open for someone else who wants (or needs) to see Christ.  I can do it in a number of ways: By being available to someone in pain (I’ve not done this very well in my lifetime); By holding someone in prayer which can keep the “door open” for that person’s healing and comfort; by maintaining communication with my two Compassion children; by acting in loving ways toward my husband and others in my family.  The list goes on I’m sure.  I do hope that writing on this blog is holding the door open to Christ for whomever reads it. 

 

As Christians, we often talk about and pray for “open doors” – new opportunities for spiritual growth, new pathways in our lives.  But maybe we should be praying that God might help us be doorkeepers – keeping Christ (the Door!) open, available to those around us. 

What are the ways you can be Christ's doorkeeper?

Star Light, Star Bright!

I haven't been posting on my blog as often as I was and here's one of the reasons why:

This will eventually be a bed quilt with the lone star (or star of Bethlehem) centered on a black background. The star itself is not all pieced together yet, as you can probably tell from the main photo.

I have long been intrigued with the Amish culture and several years ago, the three of us took our motorhome eastward and during this trip, we were fortunate to visit Amish communities in Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania.  There are important differences which I won't get into here.  One of the trademarks of Amish quilts is the use of solid, plain colors--jewel tones--often on black.  As you can see, I am not using plain colors but instead, using some of the beautiful hand-dyed and batik fabrics that are available.

Another culture which has fascinated me more recently is the early Celtic culture.  This quilt will adapt themes from both the Amish and Celtic cultures.  In addition to the black background, four Celtic knots will be appliqued around the star.  I have to admit the idea is not my own.  I got the idea from a magazine I've had for years.  And I have made a similar quilt ten years ago when I was first quilting.  On that quilt, I used solid colored fabrics and I didn't have the Celtic knots and instead did handquilting.  My applique technique was terrible!  Though many of the points of the diamonds are not sharp, and the applique stitching is lousy, I have always been a proud of the quilt because it was the first quilt (and only quilt) that I made entirely by hand!  No sewing machine!  I didn't own one.  It amazes me that I was patient enough to cut out each of the individual diamonds for the star and piece them together by hand -- now I just strip piece with my machine and use a rotary cutter to cut the strips at angles-- much less time consuming.

My daughter has this first quilt now and unfortunately the only pictures I have of it were taken ten years ago with a very early version of a digital camera; I do not have the digital photos anymore; just two prints done on an old printer -- leaving much to be desired in the quality.  If I get the initiative, I'll see if I can scan it in sometime.  Anyway, now you all know why I haven't been writing on my blog.  Still writing poems though!  None that are ready for posting though!

Round and Round We Go!

 It’s been a whole week since I’ve written anything on this blog.  Blame it on taxes!  And nice weather!  And a new quilt project I’m starting!  These are the very reasons I made the “elephant commitment”.  Being committed to write at least once a week, keeps me connected to this writing that I love to do, especially at times when other things compete for my attention.  I do try to write something everyday—poems, journal.  But this blog gives me a chance to write with intention—a good spiritual practice for me.

This small brass elephant is mounted on a brass pole, such as on a carousel. A co-worker gave it to me at least 20 years ago!  She was one of my paraprofessionals at the time, and a dear Christian lady who liked to talk! She worked hard, loved the children, and consistently demonstrated her Christian faith in all she did.  So every time I look at this elephant, I think of her and that’s a gift in itself!

There’s something almost magical about carousels: their lavishly decorated animals, the music of the calliope, the mirrors that reflect the changing image, the soothing (at least to children) revolving movement. I remember enjoyable carousel rides with our daughter when she was young.   Carousels are among the first rides of preschoolers because parents or older siblings can ride with them; there’s the safety of something to hold on; there’s security in the predictability of going round and round.

Routines act as a carousel for me in my life.  Routines give me order, predictability and security.  Teachers and good parents know how important routines are for children and teens.  I know from working with children with autistic and behavior disorders that routines were even more important for them in communicating and helping them manage their behavior. Routines have been an important communication tool with our dog, too.  She knows the kind of behavior expected from her with each part of our daily routine.  (That doesn’t mean she always follows through, though!) Routines are part of our rituals, our daily lives.  Have you ever noticed how adults will sit in the same pews at church, year after year?

Routines are comfortable while, unpredictability produces anxiety and fear—fear of the unknown.  I imagine good routines are probably essential for good mental health.

But routines can also result in rigidity that might be unhealthy or prevent us from growing to our full God-given potential.  Have you noticed in your life, or in the lives of others, how often loss, or tragedy can be a catalyst for spiritual growth and maturity?  Tragedies jolt us out of the comforting, though numbing trance of daily life.  We are forced out of our comfort zone and it’s at those times, people will often turn to a Higher Power. 

We don’t have to wait for a tragedy to step out of our comfort zone and from the carousel of our routines.  Simple changes in routine might be catalysts for new growth in our lives. For example, sitting in a different pew at church causes me to get to notice and relate to different people—that I might not otherwise acknowledge on any given Sunday.

That’s a small example, but I believe that God challenges each of us to occasionally remove ourselves from the carousels of our routines.  And that if we take Him up on the challenge no matter how small, we learn something very important: Trusting Him.

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”  Ps. 20 :7

Together we're better!

Many years ago, toward the beginning of this developing elephant collection, I received a gift – from my mother, I think – but memory is fuzzy.  I truly was puzzled when I received these elephants. My first impression, looking down at them in the open box was that I had received a bunch of wooden rats!

I didn’t realize they were elephants until I looked at them from another angle.  But still I was perplexed because it seemed to be they were meant to perform some kind of service or task.  I’m not sure if my mother was actually present when I opened the gift, or if I lived in ignorance until my curiosity trumped my pride.  But my memory seems to prefer the latter. So I asked and learned they were napkin rings!  Oh, okay.  I could see that after removing them from the rod around which their trunks were wrapped. Over the years, I’ve used them occasionally as napkin rings; they make good conversation pieces. Mostly they just sit in my hutch cabinet with many of the rest of the collection.

Real live elephants are much more useful and are like humans in interesting and significant ways: their intelligence compares to dolphins and chimpanzees and they have been known to surpass human researchers in solving certain problems. Like humans, they form relationships and grieve the loss of loved ones.  They are highly social animals and, in research, have demonstrated they understand the logic behind teamwork.  I have to say that some humans I know have yet to demonstrate that understanding! 

Anyway, while we know that elephants are very strong animals and can lift heavy loads alone, these “napkin ring” elephants lifting a load together remind me of the value of teamwork. There are a few things we can do alone, but most of the time our tasks are those we can only accomplish well in cooperation with others. I experienced this in my job as a preschool special education  teacher.  Over the years, I was blessed to work as a part of a team with paraprofessionals and therapists from other disciplines. Together, we engaged in the difficult work of teaching (and keeping up with!) young children; many had significant developmental or behavioral issues.    That was not a job to do alone.

I’ve also known the value of teamwork in various church activities, most notably the Vacation Bible School program during the summer.  For years, we’ve cooperated with another church, and adults and teens together are engaged in all kinds of volunteerism: cooking, creating decorations, teaching crafts, music, recreation, and Bible lessons, or providing snacks.  No one person could ever do that job alone. 

Teamwork is important in most every arena of life, but as a Christian, I can view teamwork from a unique perspective.  Paul says it quite well in Romans 12:5 – 6 “... so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.  We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.”

Life is a pretty heavy load to lift alone. But God, in His infinite wisdom has placed us on this earth with others who can share the burdens.   He has designed us with different gifts that only together might we fully be His body! 

A pretty significant lesson I’ve learned from these little napkin rings!

One Year of Grace

This morning during my quiet time, I thought of our little granddaughter Allison.  Tomorrow is her first birthday, and though her first year did not begin easily, it will end with celebration.  While I was thinking about her and our gracious Lord, this poem came to me.  

For Allison Rose

She’ll be one year old

In one more day,

And we all will celebrate:

Her family, friends and all the others

Who prayed, who tended,

Who wept and mended

Our broken notions

Of what a new life brings.

But for all the tubes, the stitches, wire,

IV’s, monitors and scars,

And prayers,

mostly the prayers,

We’d not be joyfully awaiting

Watching her lively precious face,

Savor a piece of her first birthday cake.

Let it shine!

(This is Friday which means it's Elephant Day! Every Friday, I take one of the many elephants in my collection and write about it, the memories I have about it, the inspiration it might give me for daily living.  So here's to another elephant!)

On a table in my living room sits an elephant made from stained glass. By looking at it you would not know that it has the light bulb inside.  The only clue is the cord draping from its body. Obviously with the colored glass surrounding the bulb, the light doesn’t prove to be very functional. But if the lights in the room are low and it’s dark outside, the elephant provides an enchanting glow.                                                   

I have a fond memory of one of our granddaughters, Katie, and this particular elephant.  I’ve found that children who come to our house are especially fascinated with all my elephants.  Katie was no exception.  One day, she was drawn to this colorful elephant on the end table in our living room.  I showed her how it lights up and afterwards we turned it off and went into the dining room where many more elephants sit on the shelves of a hutch cabinet.  I didn’t give any of this another thought until the next morning when I went into the living room for my quiet time.  My husband never goes into that room except when we have company – I go in daily for my quiet times.  (I could hide a million dollars there, and he’d probably never find it, because he just doesn’t use that room! Of course, if I had a million dollars I'd probably do anything but hide it!)

Anyway, there was my elephant, all lit up!  And for several hours, I’m sure, because Katie had left our house the afternoon before.  This got to be a little game between Katie and me.  Whenever she had been our house, I would check the living room later and this little elephant’s light was shining. It was sort of a sad rite of passage, I guess, when she no longer did this.

It’s wonderful to have that kind of memory – simple as it is.  But the light of this elephant also reminds me of the nature of our souls.  We live in physical bodies, wrapped around our individual souls.  Philosophers, theologians and psychologists have wrestled forever with the essence of the soul and its relationship to the body.  And I am certainly not going to solve that problem here.

But as a Christian, I have to believe that my soul is the work of our creative God. I believe my soul is eternal and meant to be with Him eternally, even after death.  But what about now?   Jesus says in Matthew 5: 14-16 “You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand it give light to everyone in the house.  In the same, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

I believe God is asking each of us to “shine our lights” for the world to see.  Our “light” may not be bright (at least at the beginning of our spiritual journey), but just as my little elephant, we each have a “light” that can shine for someone, in some beautiful way.  I’m sure that with practice, prayer and patience, and with the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit, our lights can grow brighter. 

This reminds me of a popular children’s gospel song  (thought by some to be from an African-American spiritual)...

    
  “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine,

let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!”

 

Let your light shine!  God wants us to; Jesus told us to; the Holy Spirit allows us to!