Mine Twice Over

Our speaker this week (aka Warhammer) told a story during chapel. The one about the little boy who carved a boat by hand, worked on it in all his spare time, painted it in painstaking detail, and then finally brought it out to the lake to sail it for the first time.

The boat was blown away and lost, although the boy chases it until his breath came in painful gasps and his legs trembled with fatigue. Later, the boy saw it in a shop window. The owner was selling his boat for a high price because the craftsmanship was so fabulous. Even after the boy explained that he had made the boat with his own hands, the shop owner refused to relent. The price was the same.

The boy went home, gathered every penny he had saved, returned to the shop and purchased his boat. On the walk home he clutched his masterpiece in his hands. “I made you and I bought you. You are mine twice over.”

A classic tale of God’s love for us. 

During chapel on Friday night a fierce thunder storm rolled through. I was kneeling inside, singing praise and crying at the beauty of the music around me. When the music stopped I stood and walked outside into the storm. Rain fell in torrents, drenching my clothes and plastering my hair to my back. Hail joined the raindrops. Along with the iron gray clouds, spears of sunlight shone through the trees. One particular patch of rain was illuminated by slanting light. Glittering like diamonds, the storm fell through the sunlight and on to the gravel at my feet. A rainbow arched over the volleyball court and the storm continued to rage. 

Kids experience so much hurt today. We saw that this week. Tragedies they should never have to endure. Hardship that is not of their making. But God speaks through the wonder of of woods, the trees swaying in a tearing wind, a patch of glittering raindrops and a rainbow that can only be seen if you’re willing to walk out into the storm. We saw God’s love this week as well. And through a ten minute storm, God said more about His love and persistence than I could say in a lifetime. He will not stop loving us simply because we have created so much pain in our world. God is truly mighty. His wonders stretch beyond our ability to destroy and He continues to call to us, even amidst the storm. Especially amidst the storm.

Boo Boo