The 20th of July

Of all the days in the year, my Kodak camera conks out on me. Just when I really need it to take a picture of the sheet of paper that is hanging by our dining table lamp!

I have no choice now but to simply blab about it—and no photo to show I am not exaggerating (as I am wont to do, being an advocate of hyperbole):

I get up early as usual, 4:30 AM. Unlike in the past days, the dawn is dark. It seems like a December morning. Peering through our bedroom window, I see the heavens blanketed with dark clouds; rain threatens to pour. I quickly don my walking outfit and prepare to drink my first glass of water before hitting the road.

That’s when I see it—the sheet of paper. It isn’t going to be a dark day!


Printed on it are photos of me—one as a baby, and a few as an author (signing books and looking happy). The words read, “The living story of God’s faithfulness.”

Instantly, the sun in my heart bursts into millions of rays and as I walk under the black clouds I see bright light. I look back to my journey on mother earth and realize how the Creator of sun has proven His faithfulness in my every stride. Sometimes (okay, often) I see only the shadows and stumble on blind spots.

But today, I am told of the story of that faithfulness by my boys who worked on that sheet of paper. The lessons I've learned and the strength I've gained through all the valleys of daily grind are the conflict in that story of faithfulness. Today I seem to have resolved it.

And I now believe that birthdays need to be celebrated—they are important parts of the continuing plot of that faithfulness story.

My eyes smart as I look up the sky, and then the God of surprises rains laughter on me: the sole of my left rubber shoe goes flip-flop and if I walked any farther, I will totally lose the flopping sole. Adidas is not supposed to flip-flop on anyone!

Oh, but Kodak shouldn't conk out either. There goes the two big brands I used to sell through advertising. On this beautiful day, they both fail me.

Well, cameras, shoes, and anything on earth fail, but the Lord’s faithfulness is forever, and His grace weaves into the fabric of our life stories.

What a birthday gift!