Tip of My Iceberg

I’ve been the observer of culture long enough to know that there is nothing new under the sun.

Solomon said that thousands of years ago.

As a mom, I’ve watched toys cycle through new generations. My Little Ponies were all the rage when my oldest daughter was little in 1987. They faded from the scene only to come back in 2010 for another go-around.

Traditional games, like Monopoly and Parcheesi continue to be popular. Parcheesi became trademarked in 1874.

Just because something is old doesn’t mean it lacks quality.

When my daughter Melody sent a picture of my granddaughter Sloane holding a Tamagotchi, a small electronic pet, I couldn’t help but laugh. The responses from Mel’s siblings held equal hilarity–Courtney joked, “You can never let it die, Mel! This might be more time consuming than an actual pet!”

My girls had these ornery little critter/non-critters when they were growing up. I remember hearing them beep with their neediness when the girls forgot to care for them. They needed food, they’d pooped and need to be cleaned, and they demanded attention.

I’m not saying that everything that comes back around is good.

There are those things in life that keep coming back around. I’m astounded at the number of self-help podcasts and blogs that try to encourage us to do this and you’ll improve in that. Or change your attitude about something and you’ll become a better person.

We need permanent change that can only be accomplished by a power greater than our will or motivations–the power of Almighty God to change us. Because we struggle to make lasting changes for ourselves.

“But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions….The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does (help me in my despair).” Romans 7:17-19,25

We’re not all good or all bad, but we all have the capacity to do the wrong things consistently. We can’t be perfect, no matter how hard we try. This is the cycle of sadness and disappointment we live in.

But God. He sees us with love and reaches out to us with compassion and grace. He knows fully who and what we are–and chooses to love us anyway. He’s greater than the worst of our mess.

That love that comes around can’t be beat.

It’s better than an electronic pet.