Help me find the stairs

Welcome to unseen today. The post for today was one of my first and is the "title piece" for my first book. When we live unseen we may feel like there is no purpose for what we are going through. Read on to see how God can redeem our trials.

Help me find the stairs

Bear ye one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

                Once upon a time there were two sisters.  They lived in a big house in a small town.  There was not a lot to do, but they managed to keep busy and happy.  One thing that was fun to do was to sleep in the basement.  It was set up like a living room. Along one wall was a couch. On the other wall was a day bed, and next to it was a bookcase with glass doors. In the back corner was a sewing machine that was set up on a card table. At the front of the basement was a large cabinet TV.  Around the corner from the TV was the stairway.  There were two light switches; one was at the top of the stairs and the other was at the bottom.  The sisters would camp out in the basement and put sleeping bags in front of the TV.

                There was only one problem.   The basement was very dark at night. Many nights the younger girl would wake up and need to go upstairs. She would wake up, get up and go to where she was sure the stairs were. Instead she would bump into the couch. She would adjust and try again to find the stairs, only to bump into the wall this time. Now she was more careful and walked with her hands in front of her. The longer she was in the dark the harder it was to keep her bearings.  She would find a wall and, deciding that the stairs where close by, she would take a step up, but there would be no stair.  She usually ended up along the far wall by the day bed.  If she found the bookcase she would drop to her knees and crawl until she found her sister. She would shake her and say, “Sheryl, help me find the stairs.”  Her sister could find the stairs every time with out fail, because she had spent more time in the basement and because she was older.

                The story about the two sisters is true. It is also much like our lives before we come to GOD. When people are in sin they are wandering in the dark.  They think they know their way out but they find out that they are wrong. The longer they stay in their sin, the harder it is to find their way.  Finally they may be fortunate enough to find someone who has been there before. Who can help them better than someone who has already found the way out?  When we get to the “up stairs” of GOD’S grace, he lets us recover from our ordeal. Then he sends us back to help others.

                 Listen for the cries.   They may be loud and angry or quiet and pleading but they are saying the same thing.

                “Please help me find the stairs.”

Make the Most of it.

Hello and welcome to Unseen today. I have been working on a tribute to my mom and have been searching through my memories. Read on to see what I learned about life from one of my most colorful family members.

 

Make the most of it.

My Grandma was what we lovingly called a character. She always looked at life about 30 degrees off of what everyone else did. You never knew what you were going to get. Once she made sandwiches cut in a variety of sized circles with mayonnaise, cheese, bread- and- butter pickles and jelly. She was so excited about them none of us had the heart to tell her that they were terrible. She loved genealogy and was telling me her version of Grandpa’s family. She said, “Now, your great-great uncle John Carver was a stowaway on a wagon train. “  Grandpa rolled his eyes and said, “Oh, Stella, he was not! It’s my family. I ought to know.” Without batting an eye she said, “Well, I have to make it sound good.”

When I was in high school, my mom and her brothers and sisters told Grandma and Grandpa that they needed new carpet. Grandpa said that they didn’t because it was the top of the line carpet when they bought it. (in 1968) One child got them out of the house and another let in the carpet layers.  Of course when they saw it they loved it.  My cousin Nancy was there that weekend and had gone on a date. She didn’t want to wake anyone up so she didn’t turn on any lights. She nearly tripped on Grandma laying in the middle of the living room floor. Grandma was in her 80’s at the time and Nancy asked if she was alright. “Well, sure.” came the reply. When Nancy asked why she was lying in the middle of the living room floor she said, and I quote, “I’m just trying to get my money’s worth out of this new carpet.”

Grandma may have understood something many of us don’t.  She did her best to get the most she could out of ingredients in the fridge, stories, and carpet. How do we go about getting the most out of life? One way we can do this is by using the gifts God has given us. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul talks about the different types of gifts and how many members become one body. It is tempting to try to fit our spirits and our mind into a mold that looks more exciting or more profitable than what we are designed for. We may want the spotlight or the thrill of public leadership when we may be fitted for behind the scenes work. For example, I could make a meal and host someone at my house, and it would be fine, but I would probably do more good with half an hour of writing or singing than in 2 hours of cooking and 8 hours of cleaning to get my house ready for company.  My mother-in-law finds it hard to express her love in words, preferring to cook, sew or craft instead to show her love.

Ephesians 2:10 say,  For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. He told Jeremiah that he had set him apart as a prophet before he was born. (Jer 1:9) One of my favorite life verses is Phil 1:6. He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it till the day of Jesus.  Then there is the beautiful verse in Jeremiah 29:11-13. For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 

Remember who you are. Find your gifts and learn to serve God and others with your gifts. Then we can do what Paul advises in Ephesians 5:16 Walk as wise men, not as unwise. Make the most of the time because the days are evil.