Somewhere between being a kid and becoming an adult, we lose a big chunk of what makes us lovable. We go beyond the age of innocence and awe to the wisdom of skepticism, doubt, and sarcasm. This is an age where we often cling to our beliefs and hopes of our youth, but it is truly a struggle beyond our own abilities.
If you take the excitement and joy of being young, discovering so much in the world around you, you find a transparency we often label as na?ve. We look back at that age and wonder if life was ever as simple as we saw it then. The transparency of hope, belief that things will get better if only we try, and blatant optimism in the next generation is gone; replaced by the opaque colors of fear, uncertainty, and doubt.
Whitney had a problem. Her bathroom had no room for her growing make-up collection. There was a spot but no counter. Apparently, hesitation is not a word she recognizes in her vocabulary! A quick survey of the garage found wood, screws, and potential legs. Some of the wood was a little bland in color or marked by previous adventures, so Whitney blissfully added the paint supplies on the inventory stack. The final touch came with the glitter jar.
I came home to find a “perfect” make-up table rocking in entry. Whitney was so proud! “Could you make the legs level?
“Sure, but you might want to help.”
We trimmed the legs, counter-sunk the screws, and added a lower shelf for stability, and everything was in good shape. Whitney watched, wore gloves for a while to be careful, reminded me she had not turned on the power tools, and said thank-you so many times it became the recurring theme of the night.
With the paint now dry from an overnight rest, the table stands ready for use. Whitney is happy and I look at life differently.
“Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it.” (Romans 12.9) This is Whitney. This is God’s gift.
