"Only..."

Our friends the Furuya's came for supper tonight; Brian and Frances, with Jacob, Summer and little Eden Belle.

Frances gave me a gift; a potted white calla lily. The plant is lovely, with an abundance of creamy white blooms. It came beautifully wrapped in clear plastic, tied with green and pink ribbons. Inside, the pot was surrounded by two layers of tissue, one decorated with sprays of red flowers and one plain, a vibrant green.

I unwrapped it carefully but I hated to throw out the beautiful tissue paper.

"Throw it out," Frances urged, "It's only tissue paper!"

So I screwed up the tissue paper and threw it in the garbage and didn't smooth it out and save it as I as tempted to. And we laughed as we were reminded of something that had happened to Frances a while ago.

A friend had come to visit, and stayed longer than she expected. Frances had been looking forward to a pasta salad stowed away in the fridge. The friend though, seemed oblivious to the time, so finally there was nothing for it but to invite her to stay for supper. Frances opened the fridge, knowing that there was no way her friend was going to have any of her pasta salad. As she did so, she actually thought she heard God say, “Oh for crying out loud- it’s just a pasta salad.”

Just tissue; just a pasta salad; they made me think of how we can place importance on things that are really so insignificant!

I know that I am prone to cling to silly things and neglect the truly important. And sometimes it takes being shaken up a little to realize what is silly and what is real.

It would be so much better to be aware of what is truly important moment by moment and not get lost in minutiae...to not get sidetracked by tissue paper and pasta salads.

Proverbs 8:10-12 (New International Version)
10 Choose my instruction instead of silver,
knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
12 "I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;
I possess knowledge and discretion.

Comments

Anonymous said…
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8:27 AM
Joyful Fox said…
Hi Belinda,

I have my own list of "pasta salad and tissue paper". It seems like the minutiae is less demanding and more simple than dealing with relationships and other difficult things that are truly important.

In His strength alone can we be wise and faithful. That is a much needed reminder.

Love to you and blessings on your day.
9:24 AM
Joyful Fox said…
Hi Belinda,
I like our new picture on the post.
Ellen
6:47 PM
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