Compilation Sunday: (that special time of week when picture and prose become as one)There’s somewhat of a common theme in the various mix of Sunday Compilations on fullcirclebc.blogspot.com. For those not in the know, Carla and I usually alternate taking the lead for our weekend collaboration. One Sunday I’ll tell her what I’m going to write about, and she needs to come up with a photo to go with it. The next Sunday she’ll give me a photo, and I need to provide the text to make that photo come to life. Often what happens is that when it’s her pick, she’ll give me something whimsical, lighthearted and carefree, such as a teddy bear. On the contrary, when I get to do the choosing, I tend to pick broad, philosophical themes. “Carla, this Sunday I’m going to write about sanctification. Please take a photo that captures the essence of it.” The challenge of living with a husband who loves to think deeply about the nature of things can be daunting indeed.
For this particular Compilation Sunday Carla simply served me up a delectably juicy morsel of a picture, just the way I like it, ripe with opportunity to wax philosophical about the deeper things in life. Thanks, Sweetheart.
As I looked at this photo, I tried to not think quite so seriously. I really did, but, well, there are some photos that simply evoke certain strains of thought.
I love my daughter Kenna. She is a spirited, passionate, emotional child. Notice that all three of those adjectives can be easily used in either a positive or somewhat negative way. And thus, when I think about my beloved middle daughter, there are times when her spirit, passion and emotion are not always used for good but for evil. I suppose that’s the case for every child. And like every child raised by parents who fear the Lord and seek to raise their children well, I want, more than anything else, for her to truly stand on the cross.
The words of the verse in III John say it all. “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” With Kenna officially starting school in another three weeks, she’s taking the first steps into a world of constant interaction with her peers. As she meets new kids and starts forming friendships and bonds with classmates, I pray she stands on the cross.
In just 21 days time, Kenna will be spending a large chunk of her time with a gifted, compassionate teacher with a heart for kids. Daily Kenna will have a choice to bless her teacher with words of joy and love or drain her with words of selfishness. In how she interacts with all the different teachers she encounters in her years of school, I pray she stands on the cross.
As she matures and grows, she’s going to learn to develop and use the varied and wonderful talents that God’s blessed her with. Along that road of growth and development, she’s going to face one choice after another, from what outfit to wear to whether she really wants to develop a relationship with that boy. In all the choices that she makes, from the seemingly insignificant to the ones that have life or death consequences, I pray that she stands on the cross.
In short, I simply pray for her that this picture may come to be very telling of her heart in the years to come. No matter if stands in a crowd or in the minority or, like here, she stands alone, I pray that she stands on the cross.
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