A Quiet Wood

A Quiet Wood

Monday, November 24, 2008

A Cautionary Tale

This is Sonja.


She is nice. Some people really like her. But Sonja has a flaw. Sometimes she forgets to listen to her mother.

When Sonja was little her mother said, "Sonja, don't ever leave the water running in the sink. You might forget about it, and you could have a flood!!" Sonja listened. She knew her mother was right because her mother was Wise.

But Sonja thought, "I can do more than one thing at once." And so she did. For many years Sonja let the water run in the sink while she did other chores, and nothing ever happened until...

Saturday morning Sonja was getting ready to meet her friends. She combed her hair and brushed her teeth. Then Sonja walked into the kitchen. Sonja wondered, "Why is that puddle on the floor?" "Why is that lake on the floor?" Then Sonja saw the water pouring out of her sink and onto the floor. The bubbles were piled high!

Oh, no! What was she going to do? First, she turned off the water because she is a smart girl. Then she pulled the plug in the sink. Then she began to clean up the water. (Later she remembered to get her camera - after she had already cleaned up a lot.) The cabinet under her sink was flooded.


The floor was flooded.


Sonja cleaned 2 and 1/2 basins of water off her floor. Sonja was sad.


But her floor and cabinet were clean! *Woo Hoo!*

Sonja should have listed to her mother. She also should have read this poem BEFORE the disaster. Because it is a good poem and says Wise things.


TURNING OFF THE FAUCET

If you don't turn the faucet off tight

When you're done in the bathroom,

You'll be wasting water.

Also, the sink might fill up

And overflow and flood the bathroom,

And then the bathroom would fill up

And overflow and flood the bedroom,

And all your clothes would get soaking wet,

And when you wore them, you'd catch a horrible cold

And have to stay home from school

And you couldn't learn anything

Or see your friends.

And after you'd missed school long enough,

All your friends would forget you

And you would be so sad and wet

You'd probably just stay in bed

Wearing your sad, wet clothes

With your sad, wet head

On your sad, wet pillow

Until you just shrivelled up and wasted away.

And nobody would care.

Except your parents

And they'd be all sad and wet

And shrivelling and wasting away, too,

Because you didn't turn the faucet off.

- Jeff Moss



Sonja should have read that poem. But she didn't. She should have listened to her mother. But she didn't.

And she flooded her kitchen.

Fortunately, my dears, the story doesn't end there. Later that night, after the coldness and wetness were done, Sonja went to see her BROTHER! Whom she LOVES! He sang in a concert. It was pretty. Sonja loved it. She smiled...and so did he.


They both smiled. Because they were happy. But it almost didn't happen. Because Sonja didn't listen.

So, my dears, always listen to your mothers. They are Wise. And never, never leave the water running.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Fallish

Fall came back today. I think it took a bit of vacation and got summer to cover for it for about a week, but today it was back and working hard. (Does that seem like a lot of "its" in one sentence? It does to me. Wait, there it is again...and again. *sigh*) Anyway, I kind of missed fall, and I'm glad it's back...overcast skies, rain, cold, the whole shebang.

You know what else I love that's back? A full day without hearing any sort election coverage. I missed those days, and now they're back. (Excuse me while I wipe a tear of gratitude.) I pray that, no matter how we feel about who won or lost, we will behave like true followers of Jesus and students of the Word. May we honor, obey, and pray for those in authority over us. May our spirits stay sweet and our words gracious. (Enough said.)

Many things have happened in my life since last I blogged. I shall quickly enumerate a few of them for you.

I made a trip to PA to see my aunt and uncle. They always make me feel loved and a bit spoiled. (Lovely.) Of course, I didn't pull the camera out to get any shots of them...just their yard. But it was early fall, and I was overwhelmed by changing color. It must have gone to my head.



I love these trees. You just gotta love trees with faces.


Like I said, I think it went to my head.


I also made a little fall display for my office. My uncle picked out the appropriate pumpkin and gourds for me (following orders from his wife). I think he did a pretty good job!


I also went to a hayride and pretty much did everything but that. There is something lovely about a big fire, cold night, hot dogs, marshmallows, s'mores (in which the chocolate never melts properly), lukewarm "hot" chocolate, hats with pompoms, and crazy kids. It's a pretty great combination! Here are some of my flock.






This is the one where I'm a disembodied head. (That's actually convenient at times.)


So...it has been busy. Right now I'm teaching Biology for almost 2 weeks while the regular teacher is away. I'm really enjoying myself...except for the prep work. However, I find that it's actually the grunt work that makes the experience of teaching a truly enjoyable one. Without it I'm ill prepared, nervous and basically a mess. However, when I put in the time beforehand, I have a blast explaining how stuff works and examining the handiwork of our Creator. Hmmmm. Think there might be a lesson in here somewhere?

This weekend I'm in the office. I just came back from late night in the gym, and sometimes it takes a while for me to settle in for the night. Thus, the blog. Speaking of the office, there's grunt work to be done in there as well if I want to have the kind of rapport I need to have with my girls. Starting to see a pattern here?

I believe that in our spiritual lives there's grunt work as well. Sometimes we complete our spiritual disciplines simply because they are just that - disciplines. Sometimes we do right just because it's right. Am I saying that there is no joy in the spiritual disciplines? OF COURSE NOT! However, if I did only what I felt like doing, there are days I wouldn't take the time to forge through that difficult scripture passage or scribble my scattered thoughts down on paper. But, as with Biology, prep work yields rewards. I may not see them right away, but as I daily do right I form a pattern of living. I begin to watch the Word transform my life, and I enjoy the abundant life God promises.

"For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary." Gal. 6:8-9 NASB

Keep up the good work!!