Reading Amy Carmichael’s Gold by Moonlight, I found the original context of that quote I’d recently encountered. In the preceding paragraph, Carmichael tells of someone who’d received a timely “word” at a moment of provocation:
“At that moment this came: ‘See in it a chance to die.’ The word was spoken inwardly, but it was far more clearly heard than many a word addressed to the outward ear. See in it—in this provoking, in this that should not have been—a chance to die to self and the pride of self, to that in you which would strike in self-defence. See in anything that rouses you to claim your ‘rights,’ even to see them or to consider them at all, see in it a chance to die. Welcome anything that calls you to your only true position, ‘I am crucified with Christ’” (87).
The first provoking of this morning: the two-year-old "forgot" to make timely use of the proper receptacle for solid human waste. "Welcome" wasn't exactly the first word that came to my mind. Good thing there's still a lot of 2009 left. :P
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Reminds me of a resolution from a college debate round that I've never been able to get out of my head:
This House Should stop talking about its rights and start talking about its responsibilities.
Can't remember who won . . . and I almost think Gauntlets was still my partner then?
We've foster-parented 3 children and I used to run day care out of my home, so... plenty of ill-timed evacuations around here. Once a day care boy thought he could pee in Barbie's microscopic potty. Months later a foster boy pooped in the tub (when he was taking a bath). Lots of fun.
Now it's my own 3-year-old who keeps me in the state of humility. But there's no one coming to pick her up at 5 o'clock, dern it.
This is great. "Welcome" will be hard to say, as will "Aw, sweet!" But I'd rather work to ruminate on such things over the usual . . .
Rebekah: You and I both know your memory of such things far surpasses mine. But if I was your partner, you won it by yourself. ;D
This makes me think of one of my New Year's resolutions this year--to be thankful for what I have, and stop.grumbling. Meaning: instead of grumbing about more laundry, I will be thankful we are all fully clothed. Instead of grumbling about cleaning the house, I will be thankful for the warm house I live in. Instead of grumbling about my boys being wild and not listening, I will be thankful for the healthy and living children I have. Everything is welcome, because I am blessed!
Joy: I'm always amazed when people can deal with the by-products of other people's children!
EZE Mom: Sounds like a great resolution...keep us posted on how it's working out :)
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