Preparations in the making…
I knew our kids were going to miss some of the playthings they had enjoyed at our former address, things too large or costly to either ship or bring on the train. So, long before their arrival – and to help me keep my sanity – I set to work to build them some mind-blowing replacements.
Our son had an old wooden chair with home-made attachments added on to it to create a make-believe “drivers seat” of whatever kind of vehicle he might imagine. Though crude, it was one of his favorite toys.
To replace it, I had found an old hand-crafted wooden boat at a yard sale. The boat would require some serious work to make it sea-worthy again, but much less work to transform it into the rocket ship I had in mind.
I cut the boat in half and filled the front end with switches and colored lights. I bought an old radio at another yard sale, tuned it to some non-station static buzz, and cranked up the volume. I hid the whole thing inside the back part of the boat (er, rocket) and wired it to a button on the mock console, labelled “Thrusters.” Push the button and the rear of the ship shakes as you hear the deafening static (er, thruster fire). I can’t recall all the other bells and whistles I built into it, but one thing was clear to me. Once he saw his bright red rocket ship he would forget forever the little wooden chair he had once loved so much.
For our daughter I joined together several of those emptied postal cartons my wife had been sending and transformed them into “rooms” of a large two-storey home for her Barbie dolls. Floor covering and wallpaper samples bedecked the levels, pictures – actual miniature family photos — were “framed” and mounted on several walls. There was a full cardboard kitchen, bedroom, living room, bathroom and to-scale stairway. I figured it would well replace the playthings she had to leave behind.
I couldn’t wait to see their excited faces once they received what I had been preparing for them over the many weeks while we were apart. I wanted them to know too that I had never forgotten them, but had all this while been preparing for them a place… a new home…. with joys and blessings that would far outweigh what they could not bring with them.
Jesus said, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:3). And don’t you know He can’t wait to see your excited face once you received what He has been preparing for you. He has never once forgotten you, but has all this while been preparing for you a place… a new home…. with joys and blessings that will far outweigh anything you must leave behind.
Set your heart and mind on Him. You will not be disappointed!
More tomorrow…
thebrokenrunner 