A few days ago I opened the fridge in that pre-lunch-wonder-what-we're-going-to-eat search and noticed a box of macaroni, not the plain kind but a longer, straight, smooth noodle that looked yummy enough. I did not remember buying it, but with my parents in the bunkhouse for the summer and a caregiver in the home almost daily, I was sure it was just some community macaroni someone put in the fridge to save from the mice who LOVE my cozy home! I grabbed the box, opened it, and poured most of the dry noodles into a pan. I was walking to the sink to add water when I noticed a foreign object in the macaroni. It was brown, not at all the beautiful, clean color of noodles. I shook the pan and noticed it was long, brown, and well, somewhat "involved" in the noodles! My mind was still trying to process the object, and once I realized it wasn't a living thing slithering in the pan, I picked it up. To my surprise and complete confusion, I pull up a brown piece of string with many macaroni noodles STRUNG into a necklace! Wow, was I confused then. The remaining noodles appeared clean, so I proceeded with the cooking and walked the surprise jewelry find over to the bunkhouse to ask Mom what she knew about it. I showed it to her, and she started laughing, and I mean LAUGHING HARD! Then once she got control of her laughter, she told me she had purchased the noodles for Garrett to make necklaces and such, and she thought the fridge was the best place to store the opened box. Well, then I got tickled and Mom and I had one of those good laughs we have enjoyed so many times over our years together.
Next day, Mom mentioned how the necklace in the box carried some meaning, maybe a blog theme even. And it does. I have thought about it a few times, but not had a chance to collect my thought or the message that I got from it. But I am in an airport for an hour or so layover and have a few minutes, so here goes! The necklace finding is so central to the life I live right now with my Garrett. I am the box of macaroni, not really in the right place, but safe for now, at least. Like my earthly being, heaven being home, but the earth being a passage, a journey, a room, if you will. I am out of my element but placed by God into a safe existence. Box of noodles...in the ice box. Inside of my life resides my soul that is completely wrapped around this little person that is Garrett. Beautiful, sweet, complicated, mysterious, and sometimes also very out of place! Necklace of noodles in the box. But in my box of macaroni is this beautiful little Garrett who is the macaroni on the string. In the midst of plain noodles is this necklace, this very well-planned, organized being that God created in His image and with His plans in mind. I have to admit that this is hard to write. I honestly feel the desire to vent about the last couple days' frustrating times with Garrett as some things are out of control with him as this disease ravages his mind mostly, but here again is the necklace. Just as the necklace was a total surprise to me, so is the plan God has for Garrett to effect so many people and to turn my hard, cold, judgmental heart back over to the One who sees the whole picture. And as I pour through the noodles of experiences and opportunities in my life, when Garrett comes to mind, I see more clearly the beautiful design, the love he shares with me, and the planned placement of the beautiful child. Aside from my weird analogy that I am pretty sure Mom did not have in mind, I also think of the humor of it all. Sometimes we have the chance to learn the neatest things about someone else, see beauty we might have missed, and even build a relationship with another human who needs us......if we take a minute to shuffle through the daily plain noodles and ask to see more in the world!
Off to catch a flight! Missing my home and my kiddos and Nina and Pop, but so excited to spend two nights with Grouchy in the big city for some business meetings.
Blessings, and may your macaroni hold surprise string necklaces and NOT bugs!!!
Clara-Leigh
Awwww...
ReplyDeleteIn the words of Larry the Cucumber, "I laughed, I cried, it moved me Bob."
I love this post, Clara-Leigh. Truly, I laughed till I had tears (I was really expecting the brown blob in the macaroni to be a dead mouse). Though my eyes were already leaking from laughing, the part about God's amazing plans for Garrett's life really got them going. It's all in His hands...and there is no better, more secure or loving place that any of us could rest. And your beautiful children do indeed have a very special planned placement (love that thought!).