Everything Isn't Always As It Seems

This summer I planted two tomato plants. At first I didn't even think they would grow because nothing seemed to happen for weeks. I just kept watering them. Suddenly, the plant on the right really sprouted. I kept watering both but thought we would probably lose the one on the left. Every few days the one on the right continued to surprise me and have another growth spurt.  It even gave birth to some green tomatoes. The one on the left finally decided to grow. It still hasn't produced any tomatoes, but it is flowering like crazy and is now taller than the one on the right.

I sure wouldn't have predicted this.

Isn't this just like life? Things look one way to us but often turn out surprisingly different once they unfold. Or, we just get more information.

Simple things like walking in the room and finding a broken lamp on the floor and several sheepish kids standing nearby. If we were but to ask "What were you trying to accomplish?" rather than begin a tirade, we might find out they weren't throwing things but were trying to dust the lamp.

Simple things like hearing screams and walking in on your kids fighting and assuming the loudest one or the oldest one surely must have started it. That quiet one, that younger one may just have your number and is enjoying their secret power.

Medium things like thinking your child who does not like school is a disappointment or isn't very smart because that is what their grades say. Perhaps they do not learn well in a classroom setting catering to auditory, compliant learners? Maybe they need to walk around as they read? Or maybe they might need extra help?

Medium things like getting an incident report sent home from your child's high school noting that your son vandalized property and immediately yelling at him. After all, he is one of those teenage boys. If you were to ask him before accepting the report as valid, you might learn all he did was unplug some computer cables in the PC lab out of boredom and the teacher checked the "most appropriate" box on a poorly designed form.

Hard things like your daughter's most smiley friend is actually the one with the most problems or is actually deviously hurting your child behind your back. Just because someone looks you in the eye and is a charmer doesn't mean that is who they are when you aren't around. Worse yet, a child in emotional or physical pain could do the same thing.

And the worst thing like your own child faking you out. They are so nice and compliant and never make a noise. They must be good, right? After all, they are quiet and they are good because they never make a peep and do well in school and might even volunteer at church camp. They feed you the lines you want to hear and you believe them... only to find out later you were played as they racked up warrants and failures such as stealing your credit card and getting DUI's. They just schmoozed you to get by and keep you in tow.

I have met people in each of the above examples. One is even mine. The stupid vandalism citation. The school's form actually categorized it as "terrorism" and did I let them have it for such a broad category. And yes, we told our son not to disrupt the class even though his father and I would have probably done the same thing. No harm was intended.

The reason I like my tomato plants is because something good and unexpected is happening  and I like to think that good things happen in life and that we should be less narrow minded and more hopeful. And we just need to keep watering so we don't miss out.

The World's Most Important Baby

Last week a baby boy with arguably the largest security team ever was born to Britain's Royal Couple. His birth, gender and name had been highly anticipated and diligently chronicled by the entire world. Imagine that? The entire world knows you are going to have a baby and has some level of interest!

This story is born out of the tragedy the young father suffered when his mother was killed before our eyes in a horrific car accident. His parents had divorced and had not even married out of love. 31 years later from the day that awkward young princess stood on the same hospital steps with her newborn son, this man stood lovingly with his arm tenderly guiding the wife he loved and his own new son. The facial expressions couldn't be more telling - or different. Things will be different this time. This child will still of course be in line to the throne, but his parents will be on the same page and he will be surrounded by their mutual love for one another in addition to their love for him.

Don't we like to hear stories where tragedy turns to triumph? This is such a story and it gives us hope as we watch this couple share their joy.

I think God lights off fireworks and holds parades for each newborn on earth - we just can't see it the way he does. Each new birth is the beginning of a new story in the lives of the people connected. It is fresh and pure and if need be, can be a break from the old. Each baby is the most important baby in the world, we just don't have the same jewels or palaces.

When we are blessed to influence a brand-new life, we can let go of old ghosts. How many people tell you something had been done way back to bitter old great grandma and they shrug? They think that is the way is has to be because that is the way it has always been. Ah, but we have the power with God's help to do something about that. I come from a long line of grudge-holders, but that stopped with me when I learned that it is God's job to handle that. Just because your entire family line has never played the piano doesn't mean you can't. We don't need to blame our circumstances or character on anything or anyone in the past.  We can move forward.

This royal baby reminds me of how eager we are to hear something positive and happy. But we can all have this thrill in our own lives, too. Just close your eyes and imagine the fountains and bugles God has set before you as he rejoices in you!

Rebuilding Takes Time

Over ten years after America's worst terrorist attack obliterated the World Trade Center, it's descendant, the Freedom Tower has nearly reached it's full height. With just 500 more feet to go, when finished she will soar even higher than her predecessor. Today a column was hoisted in place that already makes this possible.

America has been in the rebuilding business ever since the tragedy was forced upon us. I did not know until today that the new building will stand 1,776 feet high in honor of the year 1776. It is a big deal that America now has one of the top three tallest buildings in the world. It represents our resilience, productivity and leadership. But it's been ten years in the making, and not finished yet.

This is a good example about what it takes to recover and rebuild after a tragedy. We can't snap our fingers and make it go any faster than it does. A minute is a minute is a day is a month is a year. Rebuilding cannot be rushed, as much as we would like it to be.

How many times have we been in something so thick and painful and cried out for it to be over? As a parent, I have held my sick children while they hurt and wished to feel better soon. "Mommie, can you please ask Jesus to make this go away faster?" It is a helpless feeling when we can't fix it, we are also waiting...

Waiting to feel better, waiting not to hurt so much, waiting for that test result, waiting for that job to come through... Waiting for your credit to be restored so you can try to own a home again, waiting on an email or call from a long-lost loved one...

We can rebuild from utter desolation. Each step in our process reminds me of the talent that is building the Freedom Tower. We need the new infrastructure, the engineers, the equipment and the plan. We need the people behind each action item to help us reach our goal. In addition to all of this, we need a realistic view of how long things will take.

Side chuckle: I once had the CEO of the company I worked for jab his finger in my face and demand that I learn an entire software program that evening. This was at 5:00 p.m. The actual learning curve for this program would take 8 weeks of in-depth classes.

So maybe the people we need are bankers or lawyers. Doctors or counselors. Maybe we need a good book or website to encourage or inspire. These people can help us get the "right equipment" so we can rebuild in our area of need.

Just like Freedom Tower, it won't be the same as before, but it can honor what has gone before. And then, there's that new part that introduces hope for the future.

Gotta keep hoping...

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."