All our fret and worry is caused by calculating without God.
~Oswald Chambers
Once upon a time I spotted rows of bright green happy bowls.
I stalked them for months at a neighborhood store.
They weren’t outrageously expensive but enough that I felt they were a bit
of a splurge when I had other bowls sitting on shelves at home.
But one day, I took a stroll through this store and happened to see
the remaining bowls in the marked down bin.
As quickly as I could stack them in my mini cart, I set them on a
conveyor belt and escorted them to their new home.
I had visions of using them to hold toppings for sundaes or
even taco salad.
I had the bowls’ purposes all lined up.
Quite awhile after their arrival,
I saw someone eating cereal from one of my lovely bowls.
Another time I happened to see a flash of green pass me from the
picnic table where I sat, moving quickly across the CONCRETE patio heading
towards the deck.
I cringed because you know, my beloved bowl could be broken.
As silly as this sounds, it is even more amusing that I might have casually
launched a few comments airborne hoping they would land at just the right
angle to get my point across.
Yes, maybe I had all the subtlety of a Nerf Super Soaker.
I mean using the bowls for what they aren’t intended for is one thing
but taking them from the safe confines of indoors is clearly another matter.
At any given moment, there can be any number of balls coursing through
the air.
Face it, my backyard is quite dangerous!
Around the same time as I began to realize the
extent of my bowl madness,
I stumbled across the Oswald Chambers quote.
Alright I will be honest, I read it immediately after
I averted my eyes from the bowl and the concrete pairing.
His words helped me understand how
deeply I had wondered from shallow waters to the
deep end of worry.
Bowls weren’t the only objects of my worry.
The list was long, wide and covered my family,
loved ones, money plus any number of what if’s.
Somehow I had begun to believe there was never enough
and no one capable of providing for whatever was lacking.
Any broken bowl would tip the scale beyond recovery.
*****
Well once upon a time on another day,
let’s call it last Saturday,
our neighborhood had a block party.
We planned the event with 3 other families.
Perhaps because of the heat, instead of sprawling down our street, we ended up
remaining planted in our yard.
There had been days of worrying all about the enough’s.
Would there be enough food?
Enough ice?
Enough shade?
Enough people?
Guess what?
There was plenty.
Plenty of people, conversation,
food, drinks and sun.
At one point, I noticed a ring of people in chairs laughing at someone’s joke I suppose.
I let my eyes wander and looked beyond the fabric chair backs.
A girl was sitting on the grass picking and feasting on blueberries and
then I watched her sister pluck a daisy and
thread it through her hair.
A smile formed on my face as witnessing these small acts
displayed the girls had felt welcomed.
I want to live my days with the abiding promise that I have a Provider.
One who takes a careful account of all my needs and meets them.
What if I lived with arms open of invitation and not scorn
when someone touched my stuff?
Dare I feast on blueberries and pluck flowers with no concern
that I have depleted the source?
Bowls are meant to be filled and emptied.
Flowers and berries are meant to be picked.
Each day I awaken empty,
needing to be filled
for the sole purpose of being depleted over
the course of each ticking second.
Carl and I will celebrate 28 years of marriage this week.
(Carl took vows unaware he was marrying a bowl worrier.)
Whew!
One of my favorite wedding gifts was a square bowl.
Yep, I have a thing about bowls.
We weren’t able to take many gifts with us when we left
for Minnesota days after we married.
I was so anxious to use this bowl once we returned.
This bowl has been lovingly used almost daily.
Currently it holds mounds of grapes.
Except for a small chip, this bowl has never broken.
Imagine that!
I am so glad I didn’t hoard this gift but liberally used and
enjoyed it.
Whether it is a material item or a loved one,
release your hold.
Lift your bowls and offer
them to be filled.
We might be pleasantly
surprised by the contents of the filling.
Note: I am confident that spider had vacated the blossom
before it was plucked by that sweet little gal 🙂
Love your post Helen! May our bowls be filled and overflowing…
Mary,
YES to bowls overflowing from what has filled them!
Bless you,
Helen
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Great post filled with grace and wisdom! I need to apply it all and run into this day!
Cher,
It is always a nice reminder to know I am not alone
and that we all have our “bowls” that we need to hand over
to more capable hands.
Helen
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Lovely truths. Thank you.
Kathy,
Thanks so much for reading and leaving such a precious comment.
Helen
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Happy 28th Anniversary! Love you both!! We can’t wait to see you soon in Chelan. 🙂
Thanks so much Lisa!
Helen
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I have the love bowls gene also. I never throw away my broken crockery. I use it in my flower pots and yard. Loved your thoughts on worry. Felicia
Mor,
I love that you have redeemed the broken pots.
I am glad to have company on the bowl lover ledge.
Helen
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Helen, your writing reminds me to live like I intend to live but I seem to always get sidetracked along the way. Thank you for the sign on my side path pointing me back in the direction I want to go,
Sherri,
Your comment came on a very hot day and was the most delicious refreshing cup of cold water.
Thank you for reading and for your kind words.
Helen
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Apparently I have a thing about bowls as well… and jars. Helen, your words are a blessing in the Lord’s perfect timing. Wonderful how that happens, lol! Amen!
Thanks so much for your kind words.
Jars are a good thing too!
Glad you landed here!
Helen
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