"Our minds are always going home. Family stories are our points of reference in every situation. They are involuntary responses, like sneezes....When you give your stories, you are giving yourself...."I've always enjoyed listening to a good story. They can be hilarious, or heart-wrenching, relate-able or totally foreign to my own little "world", but there's nothing like a good story. You feel closer to people when they've shared an embarrassing moment, or a personal struggle first hand. It deepens your connection to them, it strengthens trust; and rather than two strangers, your lives become more intertwined.
Well, my life is a story being written, as is yours, to be sure. It's impossible to write every little common thing down, and what a bore that would be anyway.... but there are gem of stories in all our lives that bring a smile, that warm our hearts, that remind us of miraculous provision, or a time of character building, or just plain silliness.....
Have I got a story for you. It's just a few days ago kind of history..... literally. Two neighbour friends and I went out shopping, on a lovely sunny "suppose to be Spring kind of Owen Sound" day. It was a random, unscheduled kind of "Let's pick up and do this kinda thing." Which in my opinion makes for some of the best kind of fun.
Little plans, and the open road..... We stopped here and there along the way, spotting deals, seeing the new styles, and enjoying changing seasons along the way. Getting to a bigger mall we each enjoyed some luxuries we don't have so close to home; Target (new to Canada :)) Bath and Body Works, Starbucks, Chapters, and more.... Aaah, yeah! :) Good times.
Then our adventures took us to a pet store, just to look of course. Well, let me tell you, the variety was so sweet to check out. Gerbils, and piranha, parrots and dragons (no, there were no lions and tigers, and bears.... Oh my!). We were enjoying the little zoo, when we came upon...... the hamsters. My friend's reaction was priceless. :) She bubbled over with words; her kids had been asking for one for years, she told of growing up with all kinds of animals at home, and the joy they brought to their lives. She took a picture, texting her husband about the great price they were at. She was smitten, no question. Okay, I was too, tiny fur balls of cuteness. Who can resist pets, right? We chatted, and moved onto the next store, awaiting a text back from her hubby. "He didn't say "No!"..... Understandable, rational hesitancy. Men-level headed, God-given balance to a woman, and God's design.
The pet store was closing in a half hour...... More chatter, pro-ing and con-ing out loud, "It's on sale." "And the cage, wheel, and feeding dishes are all free.....(another friend moving had offered a few days earlier." So the happy to be free for the evening troop of ladies head back to the pet store.... Yes, you can guess... we came out with the hamster, the cutest one in our opinion....
I'm sitting in the back with the little cardboard box with venting holes, and off we go. The lady-banter keeps on flowing as we drive, with the occasional "Gee... that hamster is scratching a lot" type comments peppered in. I had the box sitting on my lap, and there was a lot of movement, I figured it was just all wound up. It'd nip my finger if I put it over a vent hole too, silly little thing. Jokes about names, and the kids reactions of my friend were fun to predict. We get right into the circle drive where we all live, and low and behold the hamster is on my lap, in a small pile of cardboard shavings, next to the box..... Oh dear!
I try to gently push the wee critter back into the box, but no, it couldn't be that easy. We park, and friend A and B are in the front seat, I in the back... three ladies and a loose hamster in the mini-van.
Baahhahaahaaahaa! Friend A is texting her husband who is caring for their son inside, 100 ft away. "It has begun" his text reply. Laughter, swopping hands, and plans to capture the loose pet are the making of memories. He scurried, we leapt, he made his way behind the console.... we waited. My hubby came to help with gloves and flashlight, and we caught it. It was mere minutes, but hilarious ones to be sure.
Those next door kids are so enjoying their new friend, and boy the tale of the purchase.... so glad I was there.
So, I am sure you have a bazillion stories of your own too, we all do.... they are the fabric of us. But is that all? Stories? I have dark stories too, bad times, wrong choices..... So, then, do we just live out these stories and hope for some cosmic balance to even it all out?
I suggest to you, there is a sovereign God who orchestrates all the stories of all humanity over the course of all time. He is the Author, we are His created characters, and He deserves the recognition in the form of belief, following, worship. Here's a video of another story. My husband and I really like this show on A&E, Duck Dynasty. Though their life experience in Louisiana feels foreign to us, there's a connection we share with them though we've never met......
The GRACE of God connects people that know it. All over the world the grace of God reaches hearts in all kinds of life situations, stories and offers a hope, a new framework on which to view and hang those stories of life. Is the grace of God in your story? We are thankful this Easter season and every day for that grace, it weaves it's way through every thread of our life stories, because He is good.
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