Ivan is a poet.
He wouldn’t say so—tractors, not words, are his forte—but he thinks in pictures and uses concrete examples to explain himself. I know of no better description of a poet.
I cried one day—one day in a progression of many—and he cupped his hands under my teardrops, whispered the most beautiful words anyone had ever said to me. “Here,” he said, “let me hold your tears.” After that, when I was crying or sad and he cupped his hands beneath my eyes, no words were needed. I knew my tears were kept, treasured, and safe.
God also holds our tears. “You have taken account of my wanderings,” David cries in Psalm 56:8 (AMP). He wrote the words during a time when he had fled for his life from King Saul, only to be captured by the King of Gath. Fearful for his life, he feigned insanity—scratching at the gate and letting saliva run down his beard—so the king would perceive him as harmless and let him go. “Put my tears in your bottle,” David pleads with God in the next breath. “Are they not recorded in your book?”
I have no doubt that the God who sees every sparrow fall and knows the exact number of hairs on each of 7.8 billion heads did exactly that.
Remember that next time you cry.
Your tears are kept, treasured, safe.
Remember it, too, when you try to comfort your friend or child or spouse. Maybe you can’t give them a solution…and that’s okay…the world spits out nearly 7.8 billion of those a day. Maybe all they need, really, is a person to hold their tears.
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Photo by Aliyah Jamous on Unsplash
This is beautiful! I am an imaginary tear bottle on my desk!
Beautiful words! While I processed something painful in my therapist’s office yesterday and sobbed, he cared for me in such kind ways. I am loved.
Ivan is a poet . . . and certainly a keeper, like my husband. My own father was stern, as you know from reading my memoir, but God gave me a most compassionate mate for life.
The “tears in a bottle” quote was part of a quiz in Bible School in my young life. I didn’t find the answer, but someone raised her hand and quoted the verse; Psalm 56:8Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book? KJV Yes, God is Love!
Lovely.
Thanks for sharing…….so very special!!
We are praying for the family of Sasha Krause,who are grieving the loss of their daughter. I suppose you heard this story. My sister lives near Sasha’s family in Texas. We also have two dear friends who lost their spouse to cancer in Feb. Both were in their “50’s” So grateful the Lord understands our tears.
Yes, I have been impacted by Sasha’s story as well.
Oh how beautiful! What a wonderful husband you have. Bertha, I too have been praying for Sasha’s family. I had prayed that God would bring her home safely but He had other plans and brought her Home. I cried.😢
Oh my goodness Luci, this is a tremendous reflection and such a beautiful gift to have a husband who holds grief alongside you