Mama's Pink Tub

My dear parents, Adeline and Reuben, were increasingly financially successful in their life together.  It was sheer hard work and sacrifice, on their parts!  After dad retired, they lived on the west coast, then they moved to the east coast.  Every house they built was more beautiful and much larger than the last one.  Finally they downsized and moved to a small condo in a high-rise in Texas, where they died.  Today I'm remembering the grandest home on the east coast where mother had a pink tub.  It was not an ordinary tub, it was square, spacious, carnation pink, and jetted.

Once when I visited them, I asked mother if I could try out the pink tub.  She quickly stopped me with, "Oh, no!  Then I'd have to clean it!"  Well, what was I to say?  If I had been quick enough, I could've countered with, "No problem.  I'll clean it when I'm finished."  But I was a bit shocked and sad because I had never been in a tub with jets everywhere.  (I was permitted to use her shower.)

What are the 'pink tubs' in my life?  What do I have that is so valuable and precious to me that I won't share it with my loved ones? Probably my favorite thing in the whole world is my piano.  I bought it with my inheritance from dad.  It is a shiny black, baby grand piano.  I actually took a black marker and wrote on the blank wooden underside the date I bought it and that "It was bought to console myself after the death of my dear father."  (Mother had died first.)

So I debated with myself, "Should I let anyone else touch it besides me?"  "What about little grandchildren with gooey hands?"  What if they pound on it with toys and break some keys?"  It didn't take long to decide that I wanted to encourage them to play the piano so, if gooey hands touched the piano, I would just clean it.  But I'd watch them with toys!  Since then, I've been able to teach several of them - whoever was interested - how to play the piano.

Now I'll search to see if there are any other 'pink tubs' in my life.  What about you?  Are you withholding something that you could share?  What will we do?

Lord God, everything we possess, everything we achieve, is a gift from you.  Help us use each and every item and skill for your greater glory and to help everyone we encounter!  We love you!