Silver Hair, Silver Threads
By Marty Norman
Proverbs 25:4, “Remove the dross from the silver and out comes material for the silversmith…”
I am silver. No doubt about it - silver hair, silver heart. God knew what he was doing when he turned my hair silver. Somehow I think it reflects and is a reminder in the natural of the Silversmith's refinement over these many years. Clearly I have a lot of dross still yet to eliminate but surely I am farther along than I was before.
As Grandmothers we have all been refined in the refiner's fire. Each of our journeys is unique, each one weaving a tapestry that we will only discover when we get to heaven. But God knows. Threads of life, a tapestry of wisdom, in all shapes and sizes, colors that weave in and out of conversations and behavior, revealing a picture of who we are and where we have been.
Recently I have been learning about the internet and the different types of networking opportunities available. With one click of a button the thread of a conversation can be followed from its inception to the present. It doesn't matter what transpired in between, the thread of that particular theme, discussion, or conversation can be traced.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could click a button to follow the threads of our lives? I wonder what themes we would find. I wonder what surprises might be in store for us?
For years I have kept a journal. This journal is not your typical recitation of daily activities. Rather it is a spiritual journey that chronicles the places where God meets me, my god-moments, my god-opportunities, if you will. All of my successes and failures are recorded in this journal, the times I have been obedient, the times I have not.
One thing is clear. My life does not play out in outline form. Everything is jumbled together, a hodge-podge of good and bad, happy and sad. At the end of the year I review the journal by marking the themes in red in the margin. I need to visually see what God and I have been about. I wish I had a “thread” button. Wouldn't that be great? With one click, everything would miraculously be printed in outline form. One thing is certain, however, the Lord is speaking. The threads of his conversations run throughout the journal. I just need to take the time to figure them out.
The same thing is true with my life. November is a time of thanksgiving, a time of inventory and preparation as we look toward the coming of the Christ child. It is a time to inventory our year, to look at the threads, the themes that can make a difference in the life of our families.
This year I am going to do things differently. Rather than just make a gratitude list, I am going to go back and put the themes in the margins. Reviewing my year, seeing where God is working, clarifying for me the places that God is using me in the lives of my children, grandchildren, and the world may give me a clue to what I am all about.
It seems that each week more and more people are experiencing tragedy or facing a terminal illness. Death and suffering abound. We cannot escape the storms of life. But God promises to walk with us through the storms, even unto the valley of the shadow of death. We never know when our number will be called.
This year I am resolving to be more intentional with my grandchildren. More direct in my witness, more open with my heart. Perhaps with my inventory I can see trends and threads that this silver-haired lady is involved in. Refining those threads by making sure they fit into the big picture is an exercise well worth the time and effort.
When I make that final journey, I want the picture I leave behind to be a clear one. I want there to be no doubt where I stand. I hope that my children and grandchildren will say of me that I was a woman of faith who lived her convictions every day of her life – even unto the last breath.
One of my favorite www.Youtube.com is called “The Cardboard Testimony”. In it men and women of all ages walk onto a stage holding a cardboard square that summarizes their walk with Christ. Using just a few words, they describe the before and after of their encounter with the risen Lord. As I have contemplated my own cardboard testimony I believe that mine would read “Credit seeker – Glory giver”. When God changes us he changes us from the inside out. I have always sought credit for myself. I hope and pray that I am now a glory giver. My prayer would be that my kids and grandkids see and celebrate the Christ inside me, that the picture I weave is giving glory to God in all areas of my life.
Silver hair, silver threads – what a picture woven! Not until the last day will you or I know the extent of these threads.
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