My granddaughters spent the afternoon making gingerbread houses. Our table was immersed in Graham crackers, pretzel sticks, Gummy Savers, marshmallows, multi-colored Sprinkles and lots of frosting for glue. But where I asked was the gingerbread? What a stupid question. Gingerbread houses are not about gingerbread. This was an adventure in design and imagination. Soon there were walls and roofs and sprinkling pathways leading from one fantasy house to the next. The afternoon was filled with tales of little people living in sugar houses.
Surely one of the greatest gifts God has given to us is imagination. Without imagination we would be a miserable lot eking out a living fighting off the elements and foraging for food. Each year the imaginations of bright people bring us wonderful ways to improve our living. Last week, just for fun, I sat in a 1965 Mustang and remembered when I owned a brand new one. I remembered thinking what an incredible machine it was. Now as I sat there stroking the steering wheel I was overwhelmed with how much cars have changed. It is true they don’t build cars the way they used to. Today’s cars are marvels that first existed in someone’s imagination.
Surely the best use of imagination would bring peace to a violently troubled world. The best place to begin is right where we live. My granddaughters’ gingerbread houses were homes filled with laughter and love. Surely it is not too much of a stretch to imagine that for real. Imagine love and it will be so. Imagine peace and it will grow. “Behold, the dreamer cometh.” Genesis 37:19
Written by Roger Bothwell on December 17, 2003.
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