Trusting 100%

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It was God’s delightful idea to make miniature people and send them to bigger people to raise, a phenomenal plan. And he intends for us big people to learn a great deal from the little ones.

To be a child is to be something spectacular, a person who exhibits innocence, submission, trustfulness. These characteristics are especially true in one-year-olds. I’m privileged to have two of them among my grandchildren, Nicholas, from England, and Skylar, from Florida. And it’s been my joy for the last couple of weeks to have Skylar staying at my address (with her family).

I’ve never known a more enthusiastic person than this one-year-old. She’s up for anything, which includes trying strange foods, meeting new people, petting any animal or swimming in Lake Michigan. When others are hesitant, Skylar is eager.

After she leaves on Monday, I’ll miss her toddler voice and the many clever things she says. Today as I helped her out of her car seat, she cooed at me and said, “Hi, precious Midgee.” How can you beat that?

There are unnumbered good things about Skylar that she shares with all one-year-olds, and having 100% trust in those around her is one of the best. This is a significant charge for the rest of us, to make sure we’re 100% trustworthy in our relationships with them.

The other day Klaus was enjoying Skylar at the beach, asking her if she wanted “to fly.” Of course she was up for it, and he began throwing her as high as his arms could fling her. She squealed with laughter, never doubting for an instant that he’d catch her securely every time. Klaus ran out of energy long before Skylar ran out of wanting to be tossed.

The picture we snapped that day exemplifies perfect trust. Skylar’s face is devoid of worry, and she’s able to take pleasure in an event that actually has the potential to turn out badly for her. She knows how it feels to get splashed in the face or get water up her nose but isn’t thinking of those “what ifs.” Instead she’s trusting all things will work together for good. Haven’t we heard that someplace before?

I am one of God’s children. Hopefully you are, too. The Christian’s relationship to him is based on trusting that he knows what’s best for us, without injecting doubt by unnecessary “what ifs.” We trust the Gospel to be true (see John 3:16) and strive to base our lives on trusting God the Father and Jesus the Son, one-on-one. But there’s the rub: we strive.

We think, “What if he looks away and doesn’t catch me? What if I plunge under water? What if he doesn’t rescue me in time? What if he catches me but the landing hurts? What if I’m too heavy for him to hold me tight?”

The “what if” going through my mind at the moment is, “What if we could all trust God like one-year-olds trust us?”

We’d probably all know how to fly.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

June 24, 1977

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Any little girl who grows up among four brothers learns how to hold her own. Our Linnea, from the age of two, could “deliver the goods” when necessary, learning early that words hold power. Although the rest of us had trouble keeping a straight face when she lectured in her toddler voice, she got the job done.

She made a good choice in not letting the boys run all over her, and she’s made many other good ones with the rest of her 33 years. The best one was made the day she invited Jesus into her life as a four year old. When her Grandma arrived for dinner that night, Linnea took her upstairs to her room, shut the door and said, “Guess what, Grandma! Jesus came into my heart today, and if you put your hand here [on my heart], you can feel him jumping up and down!”

The day Linnea was born I remember standing at the hospital nursery window with Nate and my parents as the nurse wheeled the clear acrylic bed close enough for us to see this new little relative. “She’ll always be optimistic,” Dad said.

Wondering how he could know this from one quick glance at a newborn, I asked him. He said, “The corners of her mouth turn up naturally, and that’s what that means.”

He was right. She’s always looked for the uplifting detail in every scenario and has been an encourager of others all along the way. It was her optimism that prayed faithfully for a sister (see April 28 blog) and was rewarded with two. Both of those girls, 11 and 13 years younger than Linnea, would say they love their older sister’s non-judgmental attitude toward others and the way she points out the good in everyone. The words, “She’s an inspiration to me” have come out more than once.

Another positive choice was Adam. Although many newlyweds struggle to adjust, both Adam and Linnea found Year One to be the easiest of their lives. That was the calm before the storm, however, as they were devastated to learn they might never have children. Such a blow could drive a wedge between husband and wife but in this case served to bond them tightly. When they were given not one but two miracle babies, they gave God all the credit. Even though raising two-under-two is exhausting, Linnea and Adam never take their children for granted.

Nate was the one who named Linnea, and I’ll never forget him coming to the hospital the day after she was born with a ruffled bonnet he’d bought at Marshall Fields. She was his only daughter for the first 15 years of fathering, and he treated her like a princess, wanting to give her the desires of her heart.

She follows in Nate’s footsteps as a list-maker and Post-it note user, organizing her life and projects well, setting goals and meeting them. Her love for education jived with his, and he was proud of her as a high school English teacher. Linnea didn’t hesitate, however, when the option to be a stay-at-home mom presented itself. Even tenure didn’t hold her at the school, and she’s never looked back.

It’s my great delight to be Linnea’s friend, and I’ve learned much from this daughter. She’s a walking, talking model of the fruits of the Spirit, and because of this, her opinion is valuable to me, and there is power in her words. God sure was good to us on June 24, 1977.

“Pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.” (Romans 14:19)

Pattern for Life

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Today as I was changing the bed sheets, I decided to put Nate’s favorites on. They’re full of thin stripes in blues and greens, resembling a king size bar code. I like them, too, because there’s no doubt of which fitted corner goes where. Since king size mattresses are close-to-square, it’s a mental exercise to get it right… unless the sheets are striped. Then it’s easy.

I think Nate liked these sheets because stripes represented order. He liked things to be controlled and if possible, tidy, which was a problem with an often-chaotic life. Being the father of seven brings turbulence as well as blessings, and financial ups and downs compound the turmoil. At the end of a day filled with commotion when Nate turned down the bed and was greeted with his favorite striped sheets, it did something special for him. He never failed to comment: “Oh, I like these sheets,” as if they were brand new.

I guess I could have blessed him with nothing but striped sheets, had I taken time to listen to the longing behind his comments. If I’d known how soon he would be leaving this world, I’d have done it for sure.

Today as I unfurled the sheets, it occurred to me stripes had popped up in other categories of Nate’s life, too. His favorite suits were pin-striped, and the ties he wore most often included diagonal lines. His shirts also followed the pattern, with the exception of the plain white ones he felt obligated to wear in court. If given a choice, stripes or checks were what he bought. Not sometimes, but always.

I hadn’t thought about this phenomenon until today. Disorder was hard on Nate, and he worked at keeping his life prepared and well organized. Even at restaurants, as we awaited our meals, he’d unconsciously straighten his silverware and line up his glass and cup to make his area “square with the world.” Without realizing it, the rest of us often worked against his efforts with our free-wheeling ways.

Reality doesn’t usually look like a bar code or even a checkered shirt. A better description of most lives is “askew”. Emergencies throw our schedules overboard, and conversations don’t always turn out like we expect. Frequently events overlap, forcing us to arrive late, prepare inadequately or flip-flop priorities. Over-commitment often stretches people like gum under a shoe. After a day filled with that kind of disorder, striped bed sheets give a reason to heave a big sigh and climb in, hoping for a better tomorrow.

Sometimes I think of Nate’s longing for his life to be neat and orderly and I’m flooded with thankfulness for where he is today. Either his wish has come true, or he’s changed into someone who can live with carefree abandon as he discovers joy upon joy in heaven. Either alternative is fabulous.

One thing is certain. Because there’s no night there, he’ll never need bed sheets… striped or otherwise.

“There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light.” (Revelation 22:5)