Ups and Downs…and Ups
Yesterday Rich and I had the privilege of joining one of our dearest friends, Mike, as he celebrated his birthday. We met Mike, his mother and sister, and another couple at a local fish restaurant for a leisurely lunch, filled with stories of Mike’s childhood, relaxing chat, and general merriment. Oh. And Baskin-Robbins clown sundaes for dessert.
Honest.
During the conversation, our talk turned to childhood experiences with meals featuring fish. Mike’s mom commented that her own mother was not a great cook and typically boiled fish.
She continued, sharing a statement close to this: “I never liked fish until I had the occasion to eat fish that had been beautifully prepared. After that, I could eat it even if it wasn’t nicely done, because once I had eaten good fish I knew it could be good again.”
Her words rang in my head for the rest of the day. What a great perspective to bring to our lives, to bring to our God!
Maybe I’ve had a stressful day, a challenging week, a difficult month, a heartbreaking year.
Plate after plate after plate of boiled fish.
But we have a promise. We’ll be offered better fish soon. Grilled wild salmon is just around the corner, if we only remember to trust in His word.
And boiled fish nourishes me, even if I don’t like it.
10 In His kindness God called you to share in His eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, He will restore, support, and strengthen you, and He will place you on a firm foundation.
1 Peter 5:10 (NLT)
Mike and his mom, Yves
Thank you so much for joining me on my Birthday and for being my friend over the last several years. I appreciate you and the diference you have made in my life. I love how you took the story of my mother and saw God in it. Thanks to your Godspotting, I have another great memory and lesson that I can relate to God with. I thank God that He has given me a taste of everything that is good and perfect. While I know there will be a time where I need to live on less, I also know that very soon I will again feast at the Lord's table.
Amen, Mike!
Your friendship and your steadfast love is a tremendous blessing to Rich and me. I hope Sunday was even better than Saturday!