Into The Tuba...a poem for when you feel inadequate

         
                                                               INTO THE TUBA

                                                     The instruments prepare each part.  
                                                      But see... not all are there.                                                

    Musicians wait for Me to start,
    but there's an empty chair.

         I know...it's mine.  But I'm nervous and...I mean,
         what if I'm all out of tune and tempo and
         throw the others off and
         can't keep up and
                                                               when it's my turn for a solo I mess up and
                                                               everyone notices and
                                                         I stick out like a sore thumb                                         

                                and can't I just go hide somewhere?
                                           I could crawl into the tuba
                                     or under the drums or something
                                     and nobody would miss me
                                                    and...oh, help.          
           

I would miss you.  Here, take My Hand and
Come...I need you in your place.
Here's how you can keep pace: look straight at Me!

                              Look straight at Me, and soon you'll find
                              the "butterflies" have flown.
                             My strength swirls through your solo line-
                             you need not play alone!

                        Remember whose life-passioned art                                                         

                                           you must depend upon.

                                               I lift My Hand...
                            now lift your heart to answer My baton!
                                                          
                  ********************************-Becky Rhon************

When we had been back in Quito for several years, a lovely family came to live in the second house on our property.  They became our very-next-door neighbors.  They had three small children, but since they wanted five, they continued trying to add to their nest.  They were thrilled when she got pregnant, and they were eager, at the end of the nine months, to meet their new child.  The night they went to the hospital for the delivery, I stayed with the kids, and during breakfast we were all excited about seeing the baby.


Then they called...their little new-born had arrived with several serious physical problems.  Later during the day, the children were allowed into the hospital room, and were able to hold their new sibling in their arms and admire him before he slipped away into the arms of Jesus...after only nine hours of life.

 Though no one could grieve as deeply as they did, we came awfully close!  It was a heart-breaking time, one with a lot of feeling down and unsure, puzzled and disoriented.  God held their hearts through it all, and though it left a scar, they know they have a beautiful little boy waiting up in Heaven for them.

They lived here beside us for a couple of years, then bought their own house.  When they drove away for the last time, with all their remaining things,  the kids looked around, confused, and asked their parents, "But...aren't Uncle Germán and Aunt Becky coming with us?" They assumed that we were part-and-parcel of the deal!
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Jesus said, "If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)

We may not understand everything that happens to us, but if we remember to keep looking at our divine Conductor, we can continue to play our part in His symphony.  Just keep watching His baton, and let your heart answer Him.

God bless every one of you!