Serving Barnwell County and it's neighbors since 1852
I was talking with a friend the other day about how, lately, responsibilities involving paperwork, lots of paperwork, have left my mind swirling around like a hurricane. I’m convinced some of us just weren't naturally cut out for dotting i’s and crossing t’s.
As the youngest daughter, middle child in rank, growing up between two sisters and two brothers it was easy to see how each child is uniquely different. My mother, occasionally frustrated with my laid-back ways, mentioned a few times that it wouldn’t hurt me to mimic her more organized child; the one who did dot every “i” and cross every “t”. A neat and levelheaded gal among gals my sister has always been. And hearing my mother’s comments, of course this sibling gave it her best shot to mold me into her “mini me”. An exasperating experience for all concerned in our younger days. In the echoes of my mind, I can still hear my sister say, with great annoyance in her voice, “take off those rose coloured glasses and look at the real world.”
Our “real world” views were very different though. For years I felt like a triangle in a world of circles. These days however, my edges are smoothing and my sister’s actually beginning to get my “point” of view.
Looking back I can appreciate the frustration she had with me and admit, she was right. I have always had my head in the clouds. But, even as a child, something in my heart believed the answers weren’t really blowing in the wind. Rather, they’d be found in the hands of The One who makes the winds blow. As far back as I can remember, I was always seeking Him. His ways. The Great Creator of Everything. And these days, I can actually see the beauty in why He made each of us so different. And why He gave us the beautiful gift of family. Even if it's not immediate or extended family surrounding us. He does give us, as children of God, through neighbors and friends, brothers and sisters to lean on. To learn from. To care for.
And caring for each other is definitely a God thing. You see, these current responsibilities and paperwork I’ve been feeling overwhelmed with; well, the purpose of it all is to help my sister who, sadly, can’t quite dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s like she used to. She’s going through some heavy stuff presently and only God foresaw how He’d use me at this time to help her. And because I do keep my eyes on Him I can see, it’s all gonna be alright. We really can “do all things through Christ who strengthens us.” (Phillippians 4:13) And ya know, a huge part of what I see as His strength for our family, ironically is the blessing of a beautiful, intelligent daughter He gave me to help me help my sister. To help her favorite Aunt. Her second mother. And one of the most beautiful things when talking about uniqueness is, God made my daughter a perfect combination of triangle and circle all in one! She can dot every i, cross every t and also sees the gift of love above all.
I don’t know what questions or answers may blow our way in the wind as the days go on, but I do know, I trust and thank the keeper of us all.
