The Wooden Bowl

[canny]

The Wooden Bowl

I guarantee you will remember the tale of the Wooden Bowl tomorrow, a week from now, a month from now,
a year from now.

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year-old grandson.
The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered

The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and
failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor.
When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth.

The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess.
'We must do something about father,' said the son.
'I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor.'

So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner.
There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner.
Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl.

When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone.
Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food.

The four-year-old watched it all in silence.

One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor.
He asked the child sweetly, 'What are you making?' Just as sweetly, the boy responded,
'Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up.
' The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.

The words so struck the parents so that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done.

That evening the husband took Grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table.
For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason,
neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

[ByHisGrace]

Hard and harsh reality........ we are living loner but no quality in many lives..... we all need to be a little more understanding...... Thanks canny

[Lily]

Heard this one before and it still chokes me

[Pariah]

A good story.

How quickly we forget what our folks went through in taking care of us when we could not take care of ourselves when we were infants.

How fast our boast of loving our spouse through sickness disapates when it comes to loving our parents through old age.

We are failing to see how much love God has for us in all the messes we have made for Him to clean up after.

May we all turn to Him to clean up this oversight with the love we need to love others.

[Bloodbought]

A little child shall teach them.

[canny]

A little child shall teach them.

yea,,, now aint that something ?

[Bloodbought]

Canny
I must confess that I got the quotation wrong. It should have read:-

Isa 11:6 .... and a little child shall lead them.

It may be out of context but it is an interesting thought

[Pariah]

Isa 11:6 .... and a little child shall lead them.

Yep.. And I wonder if a little child is using this right now in leading the parents to buy them stuff when they go shopping.

"Mom!! You are going against the Bible!!!"

And a little ornery child shall lead them into spanking them. Still Biblical.

Sort of.