Aug
6
2024
The Corner
Posted in Salvation 4 Comments
We rent the same house each summer in the Outer Banks.
The house has eight bedrooms, to accommodate our large family.
It is three houses away from the beach.
It has its own pool.
We have two large tents that we bring with us to set up on the beach.
One daughter-in-love makes a schedule for setting up and taking down the tents each day.
That way no one has to do it all the time.
Two people get up early and set up the tents for the rest of the day.
We all come and go as we choose.
Parents, with young children, go to the beach in the morning, bringing lunch for the children.
Right before nap time, the parents leave the beach to head home.
The younger ones sleep and the older ones go in the pool.
Some decide to stay at the beach all day.
They are often the ones who take down the last remaining tent.
The other tent has been brought home by someone else a bit earlier.
The system works well and benefits everyone.
We set up meals as well.
I only cook once during the week.
A couple chooses the day and the meal they would like to make for all of us.
Variety and delicious food awaits us.
The grandchildren, all age six and under, have no idea that all this planning takes place.
To them, the tents are magically there at the beach.
The meals appear on the island counter ready to be served and enjoyed.
That is as it should be.
I watched the children play through the week.
Favorites like magna tiles and princess dolls were shared throughout the week.
Books were read over and over.
Coloring and crafts were done on the large table.
A wrap around deck with a covered porch was so wonderful for the children.
They could go out there by themselves, since it was all enclosed with no way to get down.
They felt autonomous, though they were in clear view and within earshot of all the adults.
They thought they were in their own little world.
A picture was taken that hit my heart so sweetly.
My three oldest granddaughters, age six, five, and four, were playing together.
The sofa and love seat formed an L because of the way they were placed in the room.
That L made a corner that just begged to be used by three imaginative little girls.
They took pillows from the large sectional and pillows from the sofa and love seat.
They strategically placed them, just so, in the corner.
All the princess dolls resided in this prime spot.
The three girls found the perfect place to play.
When you think of going in the corner, you may think of being placed in time out.
You may think of school, many years ago, when standing in the corner was punishment.
Being directed to the corner was a type of banishment, but not to these sweet girls.
Being in a corner was being in a world of their own.
They talked, and imagined, and pretended.
They were right in the room with the rest of us but they were on their own.
They couldn’t see us, tucked in where they were.
Consequently, they thought we couldn’t see them.
But we could.
And we did.
And it was wonderful.
How I wanted to join them.
There is a time and place for a grownup to enter a child’s play.
There is a time and a place for a grownup to stay on the periphery.
We didn’t belong there.
Things were being worked out in that corner; a grownup would have interfered.
Children like little spaces.
They feel safe.
It is almost like a cocoon where imagination flourishes.
Oh, to be a child for a while.
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. (Psalm 91:4)
We have a Cornerstone.
Jesus was the Stone the builders rejected.
The psalmist says that He covers us with His feathers and under His wings we find refuge.
We find safety in the Corner.
We find, in the Corner, our shield and our rampart.
We find our protection.
We find safety.
We can rest in Him, and with Biblical imagination, dream of when we see Him face to face.
Don’t you love a corner?
Don’t you love THE Corner.
Oh, to be His child.
We are seen and we are safe.
Amen.
So sweet! You are very blessed with your family all vacationing together. And I’m sure you are teaching the little ones about the true Cornerstone.
Sue,
Their parents are doing an amazing job of teaching them about the true Cornerstone, the Lord Jesus. I get the privilege of coming alongside to support and encourage.
Gina
Good to see you today. That is a wonderful blog and I can see blessings all thorough it. Love, Iva
Oh, thank you, Iva. It was a delight to see you today. I am so thankful that you are blessed by these Whispers.
Gina