Magnets and Refrigerators

I never knew what color my refrigerator was when my children were little.
I think it was an ivory color, at least that is the color we chose.
The color could not be seen because other things covered it up.
The other things were important; they were masterpieces, really.

My refrigerator served dual purposes.
It kept all the perishable food cold.
It made ice cubes and kept all the frozen things, frozen.
The other purpose of my refrigerator was much more important.

My refrigerator was an art gallery.
It was the place to hang art work and handwritten notes in kindergarten handwriting.
It was the place to display schoolwork that made my children proud.
It was the place to display the cute magnets they bought me with their own money.

I always kept some of the magnets down low for the littlest child.
That little one would toddle up to the refrigerator and move the magnets all around.
Sometimes, the magnets were grouped by color.
Sometimes, the magnets were grouped by shape.

My refrigerator was a kaleidoscope of color.
I liked it that way.
I didn’t have to worry about hand prints.
There was no place to put their little hands.

One day I had the brilliant idea of placing magnetic letters on the bottom of the refrigerator.
The child learning their letters could practice them there.
As I cooked dinner, we would play a letter game.
Many words were spelled on that refrigerator, starting with their own name.

I then graduated to magnetic numbers.
Recognizing the correct magnetic numbers and putting them in sequence was great fun.
My children never realized they were learning.
They thought that they had my attention for fun and games.

And fun it was!
Learning is fun!
Eventually, we had a chalkboard easel in our kitchen that had drawing and writing on it as well.
Everything was nearby, yet the younger ones felt so independent as they practiced their skills.

I thought of all of this as I looked at the side of my refrigerator.
My old side-by-side refrigerator is long gone.
Now a stainless steel refrigerator stands where the other one once was.
The side of my refrigerator has a few magnets on it because no magnets will adhere to the front.

I remember when we replaced our appliances with stainless steel ones.
My husband came into the kitchen before we went to the store to choose the one we wanted.
I just wanted you to know that magnets won’t stick, he said.
That’s all he said but it didn’t register until we got in the car.

What did you just tell me? I asked, replaying his statement in my head.
I just wanted you to know that magnets do not stick to stainless steel, he repeated.
That doesn’t make sense, I remember saying.
It’s steel; of course magnets will stick, I said confidently.

I was never a fan of science classes.
I did not enjoy chemistry.
If there was something on the periodic table about stainless steel and magnets, I forgot.
I was sure my husband was mistaken.

We got to the store and I saw just the one I wanted.
It had a refrigerator on top and a freezer on the bottom.
It had lots of room inside.
And then I asked the question.

Do magnets stick to stainless steel?
I remember the salesperson had a look that said, Now that’s a first!
No, magnets will not stick to stainless steel, the salesman said, glancing at my husband.
But in a moment of ingenuity he added, But magnets do stick to the side of the refrigerator.

My husband looked at me as if to say it was my decision.
Our children were well beyond the age of displaying art work and school work.
However, I had grandchildren to think of someday.
I looked at the solitary magnet with the store’s name that was on the side of the refrigerator.

We bought the refrigerator.
It has no magnets on the front and only a few on the side.
However, the kitchen door that goes out to our deck is a steel door.
That has become my new art gallery whenever young children draw me pictures.

If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning… Face it, friend. He is crazy about you! (Max Lucado)

Did you ever think about how much God loves you?
I can imagine God proudly saying, Did you see that?

To bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor. (Isaiah 61:3)

You are the display of God’s splendor.
If that doesn’t make you feel special, I don’t know what will.
God loves you.
God loves you as if you are the only one in the world for Him to love.

God has a gallery that displays all that He has made.
His splendor is displayed in His masterpiece.
That masterpiece is you.
There is no one like you, even down to your fingerprints.

God is pleased.
You are the display of His splendor.
It is good.
It is very good.