The Large Spectacles

It’s been a busy week… sharing several meals with Daughter-Jo and family… spending a lovely day with friends Tim and Jill… celebrating son-in-law-Allan’s birthday… welcoming our church home-group… saying goodbye to grandchildren Zak and Hannah, returning to their studies… enjoying nephew-Joel and his family visiting us from France for a couple of days…

It’s been the best week. Rachel’s entertaining skills have been tested; she’s passed with distinction. There were twelve of us yesterday afternoon. We noticed the quiet yesterday evening when everybody had gone.

Last night I dreamt about our full house with lots of noise, laughter and activity. Everybody left. A large pair of spectacles remained on the table. They had no owner, but that didn’t matter. I liked them being there.

I woke up singing the old Johnny Nash song:

I can see clearly now the rain is gone
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind

It’s gonna be a bright, bright sunshiny day

Seeing clearly – through my large spectacles – through the busyness of the week, to the importance and love of family and friends. As I saw more clearly, I became more grateful.

This morning, I read about King Solomon. His father, King David has died; he has the awesome task of leading the Jewish nation. God appears to Solomon in a dream. Unlike Aladin’s genie who offers three wishes, Solomon has just one: ‘Ask for whatever you want me to give you.’

Solomon asks for wisdom – ‘a discerning heart to govern your people, and to distinguish between right and wrong.’ He’s asking for a large spectacles to see more clearly…

I remember Richard of Chichester’s prayer: ‘Day by day, dear Lord, of thee three things I pray: to see thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, follow thee more nearly.

As I see clearly I love dearly; as I love dearly I follow nearly. First I must see clearly – through my large spectacles – day by day.