Change

July 12, 2019

We know it won’t stay this way forever; in fact, it’s already changing. It’s the second Friday night of the month, the first “Meema-Beepa” night. Linda’s mac and cheese (the genuine article, not the fake stuff from a box) is an expected staple, followed by “high-low,” where we go ‘round the table with the best and worst thing that happened through the day. Everyone has to have a high; lows are optional. I had three highs which turned into four by the end of the evening. I had lunch with my daughter, got good news from the watch repairmen about the antique pocket watch from my great-grandfather. It was missing its hands, but when I showed it to the repairman, he said, “I was just going through my old parts, and I have an original set of hands for this.” How cool is that?

The third high was getting the new stairway cabinets stained this afternoon, and the fourth was having all the grandkids except Ian for the night. Ian is working at Bethany Christian camp, so was unable to join us. Dinner followed by a campfire and prayers before sending them all to bed is a perfect ending to a great day. Over the summer, different ones will be gone on vacation, and before long, Alex and Abi will be back to college, trimming our crew down to eight. Sports and friends will claim different ones through the year, and in a couple more years, the attrition will accelerate till only Gemma is left. Then, there will be none.

I suppose it’s just the old man in me speaking, but I am ever more aware of the reality from that old hymn, “O God, Our Help in Ages Past,” which says, “time like an ever-changing stream bears all its sons away.” God willing, it will be some time before I’m borne away, but life changes, and part of the secret of living is understanding and bending to the change. Too many of us create our own unhappiness trying to forever hold onto that which is destined to slip through our fingers. We waste so much energy wishing for the past, dreaming of the future, all the while ignoring the beauty of the present that is right before us. The day was filled with accomplishment, and our evening with relationship, both of which are ephemeral, but also beautiful gifts from a gracious God.