The Pipe

The women in our neighborhood of twenty-four houses have a conversation text thread.
I started the thread so that we can communicate easily with each other.
The text thread may be used to ask a question.
It may be used to share information about trash pickup or other important matters.

Now that each women has the thread on her phone, anyone can initiate a conversation.
The most recent question was about Halloween.
No one was sure what our township was doing about Trick or Treating.
No one was sure about the township’s Covid protocol for that night.

I decided to call the township.
The township said that they were leaving it up to the parents to decide.
If the parents wanted their children to go Trick or Treating, it was their decision.
So we, as a neighborhood discussed it among ourselves.

A few houses are not participating this year.
They will leave their outside lights off that night.
Others will stand socially distanced at the end of their driveway and give out candy.
I want to respect the various views of the parents, but still want the children to have fun.

I bought little snack bags.
I put the candy I bought in individual snack bags.
Some do not want their children to ring any doorbells this year.
I am putting the candy in a big orange bowl and will put it near the rockers by my front door.

The neighborhood children know to take two or three bags each.
They usually Trick or Treat early in the evening.
If children come from different neighborhoods, they may feel that they can take more.
It is a candy honor system of sorts.

Everything is different this year.
Even the simplest thing has to be modified.
Things we did the same way for years, have to be changed this year.
Everyone is cooperating but everyone is tired and weary.

My youngest daughter sent a picture to all of us in our family text.
She had been on a walk after her remote workday was over.
She noticed something that caught her eye.
She had to stop and think about what she saw.

She saw a house and a front porch with steps leading to the front door.
The lawn was decorated with Halloween things.
Pumpkins were placed on every step.
A wrought iron railing was along one side of the steps.

It was the wrought iron railing that caught her attention.
Acting like a second railing, on top of the first, was a PVC pipe.
She laughed.
She came to her own conclusion as to the purpose of the pipe.

I mentioned the picture to my husband at dinner.
He had not checked his phone, so the picture remained unseen.
I showed him the picture from my phone.
He laughed.

It’s a laundry shoot for candy! He said.
His engineer brain figured it out immediately.
He seemed impressed with the ingenuity.
He thought the PVC pipe on the railing was very clever.

I followed the PVC pipe with my eyes.
The open end was at the top of the railing.
The elbow of the pipe was at the bottom.
The elbow hung over the real railing and hovered over the sidewalk a bit.

I imagined the people in the house waiting on their front porch.
As children came by to trick or treat, they would drop candy down the pipe.
The children would catch the candy in their bag.
It was very clever indeed.

The family considered the safety of all the children.
The ingenious pipe allowed the children to have fun while remaining safe.
This house would, no doubt, would be the house that everyone wants to go to for Halloween.
This family used their creativity to work within the restrictions.

And from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. (John 1:16)

Did you ever think about the grace that you receive from God every day?
Grace is undeserved.
Grace is a gift from God’s hand.
Grace is not earned; there is nothing we can do to acquire it.

He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:45)

It is as if there is a long PVC pipe through which God showers His grace among His people.
God extends common grace to those who do not know Him.
Common grace is extended even to those who do not acknowledge Him.
Common grace is given so that perhaps people may seek Him.

The next time you ponder God’s grace, think about the PVC pipe on the railing.
God showers grace and blessings upon us every day.
We do not deserve it.
Yet, with joy, He lavishes His grace upon us.

There is not a container large enough to contain all God’s grace and blessings.
Showers of grace.
Showers of blessings.
Grace upon grace.

Amen.