There's an old story about an individual viewing life as a tapestry -- but from the reverse side and wondering about the mass of dark threads. The question the individual had for the weaver was "Why the dark threads?"

The master's response was that without the dark, the bright or light shades don't show to full advantage, they are not appreciated.

It's certainly true that as humans we tend to take for granted those things that are everyday and ordinary. I so remember being in Ecuador and living for several months without a refrigerator and cooking with only one electric skillet and a coffee perculator. (Remember the 70's and electric skillets; they were a necessity in any American kitchen. And what can I say about the electric coffee pot that actually perculated the coffee?)) But electric skillets and coffee perculators were intended to be an adjunct to a stove and other pots and pans. I discovered that a perculator will also cook soup (Yep! We had perculated soup--and not from a can, either) And an electric skillet will cook rice and other vegetables. I became very inventive with one dish meals. (Okay for those of you born AFTER 1976 -- microwaves were very rare and expensive prior to 1976...and only 4% of U.S. households had them in 1975...This in answer to your question "But why didn't you just use a microwave?")

But I digress...

I so remember the day that my refrigerator and stove arrived. A real stove with a real oven. After a year of cooking as best I could with two small electric appliances, the stove was warmly (pun fully intended) welcomed. The refrigerator! Aaah! What can I say about the joys of a refrigerator when one has been living in a climate with an average temperature of 92 without refrigeration? I promised myself that day that I would never again take for granted the privilege of opening the door to the refrigerator in my kitchen. And I do stop regularly and appreciate the benefits of a icy glass of water.

But now, the dark threads of life are once again in focus as I contend with a deadly disease. The "picture of good health" me has vanished (Bright threads to emerge later) and recovering from surgery, learning the options available for chemotherapy come to the forefront.

But I must remember, the masterweaver has the pattern all planned. It will become a beautiful tapestry. I need to keep that in focus.

PJ

(photos from Guatemala, courtesy of Rodney Fitzgerald)

church website: www.jccelgin.org