Job 8:7 – Although your former state was ordinary, your future will be extraordinary.
Gratitude Day 924
When I was growing up, I remember looking at my parents and wondering if they were okay with their ordinary lives. Yes, they were busy each in their own way. But in many ways, their lives were like many of the other people they knew. They worked. They struggled. They went to church. They participated in volunteer roles they enjoyed. They gave back to their community. They encouraged and supported their family. They were involved in organizations they were passionate about. Sometimes, they did fun things. But so often, their lives could be described as vanilla: reliable but not fancy.
For the most part, they led ordinary lives. No buildings were named after them. They didn’t achieve financial success by culture’s standards. They never achieved any notable rewards or awards outside of the county where they lived after they moved to Wisconsin in the early 1960’s.
As I observed their ordinary life, I challenged myself to NOT live an ordinary life. I wanted to do something amazing. Fantastic. Noteworthy.
But here I am. Living an ordinary, vanilla life. In ways, it is different from my parents. In other ways? There are many similarities.
As I have earned more grey hair over time, I also see that ordinary isn’t all bad. Vanilla can be fantastic. You can put all kinds of additional flavors and mix-ins to make it just what you want. But it still starts out as simple, vanilla ice cream.
And this is how our lives start out: vanilla. Simple. Easy. Well, for the most part. Yes, there are those whose early lives are plagued with challenges and unknowns. But for most of us, vanilla is exactly what we get.
Fast forward to today: things are pretty vanilla in my life. Yes, we have many very good things. Hubby Rick and I know we are very blessed and remind ourselves of this daily. But on the flipside, no buildings will be named after us. Our financial success is comfortable but not anything to make huge changes. We certainly do not need a trophy or award case.
And this is just fine.
Often, I remember the starfish story. As older man is walking along the beach. The tide has gone out and left thousands of starfish stranded on the beach. A younger man comes walking by and notices the older gentleman throwing one starfish after another back into the ocean.
The younger man asks why the elder man is throwing back the starfish. “You know, you won’t be able to throw them all back?” he says. “Why keep trying.”
“Well,” the older gent says as he tosses a starfish into the ocean, “I do believe it made a different to this one starfish.” He repeats this line each time he throws another starfish back into the ocean.
We may not be able to solve world problems or discover a cure for something. We may not have a building named after us or be the name everyone remembers.
But we can affect one person today. One person tomorrow. And the next day. We can help one starfish at a time. One little starfish that discovers your help or service or assistance is just what it needs at just the right time.
Ordinary is okay because what happens after this life? Anything but ordinary.
Maybe ordinary is okay. Vanilla is a great base for so many other flavors. So for today, let’s celebrate vanilla. Ordinary. Regular. It’s really okay.
Blessings –
Dianne
Holy God – May I remember and embrace the idea that Jesus and You work through ordinary people. People who just do their jobs, pay their bills and show up to help one person at a time. May this be enough. Amen.
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One response
It seems to me you have been much more than ordinary. You served the United Methodist Church beyond your local church. You have generated donations and publicity to many charities that they would not have otherwise gotten. Having a building named after you is not all that amazing. We had naming rights to something once but passed on it, certainly didn’t want it named for us.