The Ultimate Can Opener

Since knowing this subject was something that needed to be opened up, I have often wondered what direction this would take.

Would I share my life journey? Would I tell you of the women and girls that have confided in me before I had ever confided in them? Would there be new lives to share about in the telling of mine? Would statistics about the matter be better? Should I walk through a process of "How To's"? Do I give out my email and cell phone so people who are hurting can call me and I can embrace their pain with them? Is this for a certain generation that will spread the news and will I know how to speak to that generation? If we are going to start telling - me and you...how do we teach children to tell? How do we teach ourselves to tell?

I am not stuck in a moment that I can't get out of (like U2 sang about). I am living this out with you one day at a time. And, I believe we will explore all of the questions posed.

But, I am praying that God will filet our hearts and souls and take out all of the parts that were never meant to be digested so that step by step...in our times of telling...we will walk less shattered.

This made me think of my can opener. I have a can opener that I love (I love most all kitchen gadgets). My smart daughter Candice had this can opener at her house and I had to have one for myself because it was so nice. I don't mean nice in the way that it was expensive, but if it had a character, I would have to say it was in the area of congeniality. The reason I mention this quality is that when I use this can opener, it looks and feels like I am not opening the can at all. It is hand-held, so it is quiet and when I am finished, the can still looks intact. Really, it appears untouched. However, when I lift the lid, it lifts up perfectly and there are no jagged edges that could cause harm. The whole 10-second process is like a little kitchen miracle.

The other day, I opened up one too many cans of green chilies for a breakfast dish I was making and I had to hurry to run out the door for the event that was waiting for this casserole, so I placed the lid back on and threw it in the fridge. When I came home later to put it in something else, I marveled again at how this can doesn't even look like it has been opened. (It is the little things that delight me.)

Certainly, I believe the process we are going through is much bigger than the small miracles of a can opener, but without a doubt, I believe that when we move through the process with God, we will see how we can be opened up and have our insides exposed and still have smooth edges that couldn't harm us or anyone else when He is done.

Love,
V