Perseverance

June 14, 2017

Sometimes it takes awhile to get something right. Last year I spent a small fortune on some epoxy sealer for the fish pond in our front yard. When we moved here three years ago, the pond was half filled in with silt and debris, and I was foolish enough to try to bring it back to life instead of burying it for good. In short, it leaked. We could only fill it about halfway; thus the epoxy sealer. The epoxy itself was bad enough; I'm not going to tell you how much I paid for it. I also paid grandkids Ian and Izzi and Izzi's friend Hailey to clean the pond and paint it with the epoxy. When all was said and done, I couldn't put any more water in the pond than when we started.

This spring I had the good fortune of coming across some used rubber roofing just like I had used on our fishpond in Cassadaga. Finally, a couple days that were both available, sunny, and hot; perfect for laying down the rubber and gluing pieces together so everything fits. Today I jacked up the rocks surrounding the pond and slid the rubber edges underneath to hold it all in place. It looks pretty ugly now, with folds and creases all over the place where I had to make it conform to the odd shape of the pond, but they won't be noticeable once it's filled with water. The only question is whether I got any gaps in the gluing where the water can leak out. I'll know in a day or two when I start filling it.

Even now, just like some of the excuses people give me for not following Jesus Christ, it may not hold water. If that happens, I'll locate the leak and find a way to seal it. The crazy thing about all this is it's all for a bunch of fifty cent goldfish! I'm stubborn that way. Someone once asked me why I put up with a particularly troublesome friend. "Jesus didn't give up on me; how can I give up on him?" was the only answer I could come up with. 

Too often people give up instead of soldiering through their problems. Marital problems, aches and pains, a difficult school class, or financial issues that could be solved or endured, instead become occasions for throwing in the towel, preventing them from experiencing the satisfaction of overcoming.

This evening, our granddaughter Madeline was honored by the local Kiwanis Club for being a "Terrific Kid." She was one of four chosen by her school faculty out of more than eighty names submitted. chosen for the character traits of Thoughtfulness, Enthusiasm, Respect, Responsibility, Inclusiveness, Friendliness, Inquisitiveness, and Capability. Madeline works hard, cares for others, and has a tender heart. And she never gives up. My perseverance may not pay off this week, but it will eventually. The leaks will not win, but that is of little ultimate consequence. What really matters is the kind of perseverance Madeline demonstrates, the kind that makes a difference not in a puddle, but in people. It's been a good day, and I am thankful tonight, not for the pond, but for Madeline.