She stood over the piled-high laundry basket of clean clothes. wailing. loudly. From the opposite end of the hall I had this feeling, this gut-instinct, that we were going to be late. That, or my littlest daughter, who had turned into a puddle of tears, would suddenly find something suitable to wear and we would miraculously be on our way.
I walked quietly to the bedroom and kneeled down beside her. For once on my part, there was no gusto. No booming robust voice.
And I whispered, “What’s wrong baby doll?”
And she half-sniffled, “I can’t find anything to wear that I like!”
(please, keep us in your prayers, after all she is only four… )
So, I said – “But, sweet girl, here is your favorite outfit!” and I pulled out a new dress that her grandmama had given her recently. But, it was to no avail. Nothing was going to work because the only pieces of clothing she had in mind were not appropriate for our day out – old and worn out, or too small. Maybe they could be okay for playing in the backyard, but not for public viewing.
After sifting and sorting through the very large pile of clothes in the basket, and also experiencing an equal amount of wailing, we found something acceptable for her to wear. And we were off.
I’ve been thinking about this event all day today. Mostly because I feel a bit of a kinship to my daughter in this way. Lately, my course has changed in some ways – no biggie, really. But, some of the hats I used to wear, I’ve put away – they don’t fit me like they used to. And there are some new garments, hats or accessories if you will – some new opportunities the Heavenly Father has given me.
Truthfully, I’ve been walking around wearing these new pieces, feeling like I’m not sure if they fit – and I really, really really just want to go dig thru the basket of my recent history and pull out something old and comfortable.
I’ve shed a few tears, in fact. I may have even wailed…
But, when I look at the old, compared to the new – whether we’re talking about my life as a mother, a wife, a friend, a teacher to my children, as a musician and worship leader, a baker or simply as a woman who wants to live a healthy life – I can see one thing clearly.
Stepping firmly into these new roles, I am also putting on new qualities (or you may call them fruit of the spirit): like patience, kindness, humility. All of the “uncomfortable” I’m experiencing that comes with the newness seems to be rubbing away some of the old confidence, the self-reliance, the pride.
The reality: All of these new garments He’s given me, are means He’s using to make me look more like Jesus.
Staring at these snapshots of my heart – the old versus new- I am drawn closer to the truth of God’s Word:
from Isaiah 42:8-9
I am the Lord, that is My name;
And My glory I will not give to another,
Nor My praise to carved images.
9 Behold, the former things have come to pass,
And new things I declare;
Before they spring forth I tell you of them.”
and from 2Corinthians 5:17:
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
While there may be pain or discomfort while it comes to fruition, the promise remains true: with Jesus there is always redemption in the wings. In Him “new” and “more glorious” are always at hand. And there is coming a day, when every piece will fit perfectly, just as we’d always hoped.
Bless His name. amen.
daily portion 