Many Gifts

Today a friend stopped by and took Owen to the playground for a couple of hours. It was a lovely gift. Owen was ecstatic going and coming. My mother-in-law, Pat, commented that she could not imagine volunteering to take someone else's kids to the playground. The playground is not on her list of fun places to be.

I started thinking about all the different kinds of help I'm getting right now and how what people give me connects with their gifts and abilities. The grandparents are an excellent case in point.

My parents have taken Sam and Jude to their house for two weeks. They are going swimming and watching ball games, eating burgers and ice cream, reading books and playing games. They sound so happy and sometimes very tired. I could not possibly keep up with those guys right now and it is a tremendous gift to me.

Pat is here taking care of Owen and me. Things are much quieter here. She is doing most of the household work, playing with Owen, and being contentedly present even when there is nothing that needs to be done. She is the ideal companion for me right now because a big part of what I need this week is to be quiet and restful but not alone.

(My father-in-law is in a South American jungle building a medical facility this week. He is scheduled to find his way out soon.)

We didn't plan it out in advance, but it turns out that Pat and my parents have, out of love for Ben and me, divvied up the daily responsibilities of my life in a way that suits their personalities. Because I am a Christian, I see this as the body of Christ at work. I appreciate that they are each doing what they see is needed and are able to do with a sense of satisfaction.