Lighting candles and remembering and wondering.....
19 years ago, I was a newlywed.....working as a nurse at my hometown hospital. Roger had an assignment to travel to The Netherlands for a job and would be gone for a month. I was able to join him for 2 of the 4 weeks of his trip.....
This trip defined us in lots of ways. We learned that we love to travel, we love to try new foods.....Roger is very patient under pressure.....I love to relax. We still own the souvenirs we purchased on that trip.....in fact.....just now....I lit a candle with a match stick from a box that I obtained from our hotel stay in Amsterdam....in 1997.....January, in fact. I realize it is dysfunctional that I still have the box of match sticks from that trip. We don't organize or deal with clutter very well here......mostly because we are living a busy and full life, not cuz we don't care.
So I'm burning a candle lit with a match that I gleaned from a hotel in Amsterdam, Netherlands... 19 years ago.....lets just pause a moment and understand that. Matches are sustainable.
We are now 5 children, plus one Grace later.....and 20 years plus in our careers in nursing and in computer tech......and we live in the same town and attend the same church....and the match stick still burns.
The candle that this particular match stick lit, is one that I purchased with the promise that a child would receive 3 meals......and the photo of the child is under the candle. When I light this candle, I think about this child and whether or not the child is hungry or not......
Adoption is part of me....and children in need will always be my heart cry. Almost 20 years of marriage and the theme holds true.....light a candle, feed a child, choose adoption if you can....care for the orphan, the widow, the least of these.....and so tonight I marvel that I still have this box of match sticks......
I hope that means that the flame is not out for passion from God....that there is more that can be done in our family, our marriage.....but for tonight, I am content to enjoy the candle burning....and the half dozen match sticks that remain in my box from that hotel in Amsterdam. Perhaps I need a return trip to replenish??????????????
This trip defined us in lots of ways. We learned that we love to travel, we love to try new foods.....Roger is very patient under pressure.....I love to relax. We still own the souvenirs we purchased on that trip.....in fact.....just now....I lit a candle with a match stick from a box that I obtained from our hotel stay in Amsterdam....in 1997.....January, in fact. I realize it is dysfunctional that I still have the box of match sticks from that trip. We don't organize or deal with clutter very well here......mostly because we are living a busy and full life, not cuz we don't care.
So I'm burning a candle lit with a match that I gleaned from a hotel in Amsterdam, Netherlands... 19 years ago.....lets just pause a moment and understand that. Matches are sustainable.
We are now 5 children, plus one Grace later.....and 20 years plus in our careers in nursing and in computer tech......and we live in the same town and attend the same church....and the match stick still burns.
The candle that this particular match stick lit, is one that I purchased with the promise that a child would receive 3 meals......and the photo of the child is under the candle. When I light this candle, I think about this child and whether or not the child is hungry or not......
Adoption is part of me....and children in need will always be my heart cry. Almost 20 years of marriage and the theme holds true.....light a candle, feed a child, choose adoption if you can....care for the orphan, the widow, the least of these.....and so tonight I marvel that I still have this box of match sticks......
I hope that means that the flame is not out for passion from God....that there is more that can be done in our family, our marriage.....but for tonight, I am content to enjoy the candle burning....and the half dozen match sticks that remain in my box from that hotel in Amsterdam. Perhaps I need a return trip to replenish??????????????
Comments
Post a Comment