Scary Situation

Fear not, for I am with you;

be not dismayed, for I am your God.

--Isaiah 41:10a

It was her first sleepover and it was with me, her Grandma.  I don’t know who was more excited, me or her. As for her parents, they were a bit anxious. My son and daughter-in-law had never spent a night apart from two year-old Addie, and they wondered how it would go. They packed up all the essential equipment to make for a smooth stay-over—the books, the toys, the favorite foods, and of course the pajamas. And when they dropped her off, they offered reassuring words about when they would return and how much they loved her.  Then they set out for a night alone—dinner and shopping for a few more items for the baby-on-the-way.

At last, Grandma and Addie time! We colored, read books, watched Peppa Pig, and looked at every picture on Grandma’s phone. Time flew quickly, and before we knew it, it was time for bed.

Naked and Afraid

Disclaimer: The following reference to Discovery Channel’s TV series “Naked and Afraid” in no way  indicates my endorsement of the program but is used for comparison purposes only.

"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."—1 Peter 4:12-13

Remember the peacock from my previous post…standing in front of the glass door, gazing at his reflection, his beautiful four-foot-long plumage gone.  Does he feel naked without that gorgeous train that was once a part of him—his identity even?  I mean, what’s a peacock without a fan of blue-green feathers, each marked with that distinguishing feature, the all-too-familiar eye.  Without it, does he feel afraid—naked and afraid?

The truth is that all mature peacocks shed their tail feathers every year in late summer.  The shedding process is called molting.  If it happens every year, then the peacock shouldn’t be surprised, right?  Doesn’t he know this isn’t something strange happening to him—that his feathers will grow again and he will be beautiful in time?