Sweatshirt Sermon #2

I have this great sweatshirt that simply says “Palm Beach” across the front.  Very simple, very classy.  I bought it in, guess where, Palm Beach.  :)  Let me tell you about my Palm Beach trip.

Several years ago one of my nieces was living and working in New York City.  (Hi Natalie!)  She had done an internship there while in college and was blessed to work for and live with a couple who became dear friends.  They love her and she loves them and they are part of her family by heart.  This couple has several grown children and several grandchildren, have been very successful in business, and are just the nicest, most generous people you would want to meet.  They have several homes; one out from the city where my niece lived during her internship, one in upstate New York, an apartment across from Central park and a home in Palm Beach.  Since “the season” in Palm Beach is in the winter they typically are not there in the summer so they offered the house to my niece for a week one July.  She invited her mother and her sister to go with her, and also included me and my two daughters.  Can you just imagine two sisters (my sister and I) and both of us with our two daughters getting to go to Palm Beach for week all together?  It was a fabulous trip and so much fun for all of us.

The house when we arrived was so much more than I expected.  It had seven bedrooms, I’m not sure how many baths, a beautiful Palm tree lined pool, was on the intercoastal waterway, beautifully furnished, and came with a maid even when no one was there.  The owners kept clothes and makeup and all that kind of stuff in the house so that when they wanted to visit that home they could just get on a plane and go.  No luggage to worry about.  And they were so generous that they offered it to us for the week. 

A couple of weeks ago I posted about a comment Kim at MommatoMany said about the view from the bathroom window (at this post) where she wondered what it would be like if your view from your bathroom window was all the world you ever saw.  When I wore this sweatshirt last week I thought about that post.  What if what you saw of the world wasn’t narrow at all, but instead was skewed in the other direction.  Now please don’t misunderstand me – this is not a criticism of that couple, not in any way.  In fact, just the opposite.  What if you really had all that you ever dreamed of having?  How would that have made you a different person?  Or would it?  I tried to think about what I dreamed of having and I don’t suppose I’m much different from any of you…the perfect house, cars that never break down, clothes that make me look skinny, a cook and a maid and a butler, and world peace.  Don’t forget the world peace.

Joking aside, what if…money was no object and you could live anywhere in the world.  Where would that be?  What if you could work at any job you dreamed of, what would that job be?  And how would you share that happiness with others?

To be honest I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather live than right here.  With maybe new hardwood floors.  I can’t think of any job I’d want other than the one I have…being a wife and mother and grandmother and follower of Christ.  And sharing happiness-I hope I do that every day just doing what I do.  There’s nothing profound about my life but thanks to Jesus it’s a life filled with joy and with love and with family and friends.  I don’t guess for me there is anything more I could have dreamed of.