Skip to main content

Moulding a Promise






One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is going to programs that feature children —often so humorous and uninhibited. Today was a Thanksgiving program given by the first graders. As they sang “I am a Promise,” while each of their precious little faces flashed up on the big screen, I couldn’t help but think of this poem:

I took a piece of plastic clay
And idly fashioned it one day.
And as my fingers pressed it, still
It moved and yielded to my will.

I came again when days were past:
The bit of clay was hard at last.
The form I gave it still it bore,
And I could fashion it no more!

I took a piece of living clay,
And gently pressed it day by day,
And moulded with my power and art
A young child’s soft and yielding heart.

I came again when years had gone:
It was a man I looked upon.
He still that early impress bore
And I could fashion it no more.

Author Unknown

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Remembered by God--Happy birthday, Zachary!

The warmth from the August sun absorbed by the concrete blocks of the parking garage of the Allegheny General Hospital was not enough to ward off the chill that David and I felt as we clung together. Clinging like shipwrecked survivors to a dinghy --quite sure we were NOT ready to face the storm of the diagnosis just given to us by the doctor.  An ultrasound is usually a happy event, that first peek at the life not yet seen. But not that day. The grim face of the physician spoke volumes, even in his silence. They suggested that we terminate and quickly as "he" was already 23 weeks.  We walked away knowing that God, in His sovereignty, could redeem even this, but in my flesh, I was terrified. We had no further ultrasounds.  The months passed agonizingly slow, yet somehow they flew by. David named him Zachary because the name meant, "remembered by God."  We were extremely protective of this potential diagnosis and with the exception of a few close friends ...

February 27 Update

I just called to see if Amy wanted to blog anything today, but at the moment she is talking on the phone to her wonderful friend, Deb Rose. Deb and her husband, Brian, used to live in Louisville several years ago. They were our very best friends. If I were talking to the Roses this evening, I would tell them that Amy is desperately scared. The docs have given her a very stiff dose of antibiotics, but as of this moment, her body temp is climbing once again. Her primary doctor told her he fears that this infection may be fungal in nature. I don’t completely understand all of the implications, except that we are shooting at this infection with our biggest guns, but it just keeps on coming. In her introspective manner, she shared with me today that if she had known she would lose her sight, she would have invested it more wisely in the things she read and watched: “What if I go completely blind and can’t read the Bible? I have to get more serious about memorizing.” This morning a do...

Feb 27 Update

Amy was sleeping when I left her tonight – I have that effect on people. In this case, she really needs sleep. She was awake most of last night. I left around 10:30, shortly after the neurologist told her that nothing else has gone wrong with her eyes today. Wonderful news! Earlier this afternoon the infectious disease doctor told her that the infection has subsided to the point where she no longer needs IV infusions of antibiotics: now she can take them by mouth. Her temp has fluctuated between 99 and 100 most of the day. The docs aren’t too concerned until she hits 100.5. God is clearly helping her physically. May I give you three specific prayer requests? Amy’s blood pressure has been edging up again. One reason the docs want to check her heart is to see if she has developed a clotting abnormality, especially to make sure that she won’t be sending any clots out of her heart. She is being given blood thinner. A second request is that God would give us wisdom about choosing a...