My Children:
Mandi Nason aka Morton
Robert Knickerbocker aka Bobbo
Heather Nason aka Snooks
My other children:
Melissa Whitten aka Mud
Aaron Tobin aka Aaron Dude
Emily Tobin aka Bugs
Sara Willyoung aka Little One
A traveler through the countryside of Italy stopped and watched with curiosity as a lumberjack occasionally jabbed his sharp hook into a log, separating it from the others that were floating down the mountain stream. The traveler asked why he did that, and the worker replied, "These may all look alike to you, but a few of them are quite different. The ones I let pass are from trees that grew in a valley where they were always protected from the storms. Their grain is coarse. The ones I've hooked and kept apart from the rest come from high up on the mountains. From the time they wree small, they were beaten by strong winds. this toughens the trees and gives them a fine and beautiful grain. We save them for choice work. They're too good to make into plain lumber."
James reminds us of such truth when he wrote "My friends, be glad, even if you have a lot of trouble. You know that you learn to endure by having your faith tested. But you must learn to endure everything, so that you will be completely mature and not lacking in anything." (James 1:2-4) The adversity we face makes us just to good to be plain.
A young boy lived with his grandfather on the top of a mountain in the Swiss Alps. Often, just to hear the sound of his own voice echoing back to him, he would go outside, cup his hands around his mouth and shout, "HELLO!" Up from the canyons the reply reverberated, "HELLO...HELLO...hello...hello..." Then he he would call out, "I LOVE YOU" and up from the canyons the reply would come "I LOVE YOU...I LOVE YOU...i love you...i love you..." One day the boy seriously misbehaved and his grandfather disciplined him severely. Reacting violently, the child shook his fist and screamed, "I HATE YOU!" To his surprise, the rocks and boulders from across the mountainside responded in kind: "I HATE YOU...I HATE YOU...I HATE YOU...i hate you...i hate you..."
And so it is in life. We get in return exactly what we give. It all comes back. If we wish for a marriage that is gracious, loving, and supportive, the feelings must be reciprocal. For a friendship to exist, the relationship must be a two-way street. If you want others to judge and condemn you, you start it. If you want them to be understanding, broad-minded, and loving--then begin by being that way yourself. Jesus best exemplified the law of echoes when He said, "Treat men exactly as you would like them to treat you...Don't judge other people and you will not be judged yourselves. Don't condemn and you will not be condemned. Forgive others and people will forgive you. Give and men will give to you...For whatever measure you use with other people, they will use in their dealings with you" (Luke 6:31, 37-38, PHILLIPS)
Today, remember that our deeds and words serve as echoes to those around us. May our lives echo the love and grace of our loving God.
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