“I am more broken than a piece of splintered wood.”
This is a line from one of my characters, Harvey Huckfinn, in my upcoming novel, Make it Right; Make it Matter. I thought of that line today as I stared at my cedar deck from the kitchen window. It made me realize that wood could be pretty fragile and as it ages it gets worn down and dry—easily splintered.
Day in and day out, I look out to my backyard at the deck. Every year the darn thing needs to be power washed and stained before summer comes. Like me, it’s aging under the climate of our Midwestern weather. It seems sturdy and at times it is, but it is still fragile and desires the love and care for its upkeep and well-being. Harsh words, lack of sleep, bad food, and seductive advertisements all contaminate a body that’s meant to withstand the worldly views in which we live.
Like Harvey, a part-time pastor, he dedicates his life to serving others. He once said, “I often forget I’m human too, and have my share of failures. His shoes are hard to fill, but one must try every day.”
When it is our time to go, we will be just as weathered as the cedar deck. But, if we take the time to power wash our minds and pour good stain on our hearts, it don’t matter what kind of elements are out there. We will be preserved and protected by the Spirit.
