November 24, 2013 A Simple Red Pot

God uses the simplest things, doesn't He?  This is my red pot.  Let me tell you a little about how this pot came to be in my kitchen....

If you are here, you probably know what's happened to us over the past year and a half - if not, you can read other posts to find out.  But now we are home, in a house specially built for us.  A giant beautiful new home.  And after all that we've gone through, all the changes and growth, God used my kitchen to teach me anew how human and flawed I am.  You see, I've had orange kitchens in all of my houses - I LOVE to cook in an orange kitchen.  Three of them so far!  But with this one, we thought it was time for a change, and I wanted my husband to choose the color.  He chose green.  I got to pick the shade, and I must admit, it is a pretty color!  But it is not what I am used to, not what I would have chosen if it was all up to me.  What would I have picked?  Do I really need to answer that?  But I took the high ground (I thought).  I would "give" this green kitchen to my wonderful husband.  Do you know how long that lasted?  Right up until the comment from someone that they hoped my new kitchen would be able to live up to the cheery standards of my old one.  Then that was all I could think about - I WANT AN ORANGE KITCHEN.  Stomp stomp. I like HOT colors like orange and red in my kitchen.  Stomp stomp. No, I said nothing, but what does it matter what you say, when you are thinking this on the inside?

Sigh.  Yes, there is the old nasty "I want what I want because I want it" attitude.  But, God provided a way out.  I confessed my icky nasty selfish feelings to my Bible study partner.  And suddenly I felt better about my kitchen.  Suddenly it started to become beautiful.  Just to be clear - it is gorgeous.  But my attitude made it ugly.  The right attitude can make a total dump beautiful, and mine made the beautiful downright dark.  But after opening up about it, I was suddenly free to enjoy the gifts - cabinets made by my husband, gorgeous counters that we got an amazing deal on, really unique shelving, no clutter....

So what does this have to do with a red pot?  Let me tell you one more thing.  I had gone to Home Depot with my husband to get something and I saw rosemary Christmas trees.  "That is what I want for my birthday," I exclaimed.  He laughed, but I was dead serious.  I had to drop by Home Depot again with the kids, and I pointed out the rosemary trees and said "See those?  That's what I want for my birthday!"  I rarely ask for something specific, but I really liked them.

On my birthday, I got wonderful gifts - my husband built me a bed, my kids made me amazing gifts, my church brought me a big card and balloons.  I was completely satisfied. And then my Bible study friend drove up and brought me my red pot.  She whispered, "I got this just for you - something in one of your favorite colors for your kitchen."  My kids, husband and I stood there with our mouths open.  Guess what was in the pot?  "Oh I just got that so you wouldn't get an empty pot for your birthday," my friend explained.
Have you guessed it yet?  After all of my nasty attitude, my pouting behavior, after my change of heart, after a completely satisfying birthday, after a perfect day, God gave me even more. He gave me a rosemary Christmas tree.  He used a friend who had no idea that she had brought God's gift along with her gift...to show me Himself.

And one thing more.  At church, we sit in our car and listen to the service over our radio (wonderful people at church set it up for us).  We face the entry, which has a large pot on either side.  Recently they contained purple chrysanthemums, my birthday flower.  In fact, I had considered asking the church if I could have them once they stopped blooming to plant in my yard.  Last week, right after my birthday, we sat in our car looking at the pots.  At first I was disappointed - they had changed them!  Then I leaned forward - what?  Could it be?  Yes.  There is a rosemary Christmas tree planted in each pot, waiting for me to see them every week at church.  Coincidence?  Maybe for you.  But not for me.

"Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."

James 1:16-17