“’For I,’ declares the Lord, ‘will be a wall of fire around her

[protecting her from enemies],

and I will be the glory in her midst.’”

Zechariah 2:5 AMP

I am a child from the farm country, as you know. Not from a farm, but from a place where farmers and their families are from.

Where there is not much time or sympathy for fancy things.

From Trompsburg to Bloemfontein to Pretoria I’ve managed to miss the entire phenomenon, and it would only be days before my wedding that I got my first “Grownup Nails”. Of course, they were longer than any practical duties could require, but this was my wedding after all!

It didn’t last long, and on day two of our honeymoon those suckers had to go. In the car, with no other way, nail clippers and teeth had to do. I know, I know … the entire “nail brigade” is shuddering right now, for that is not how it should be done at all.

Nevertheless …

A month or so after, I started considering giving it a second try. The length could be tamed a bit, and perhaps I could afford it a longer induction period before classifying the experiment as a failure?

17 years on, and the attraction can now clearly be described as a habit.

Here I England the adjustment was … interesting. Here you can find Adams whose job it is to keep the Eves’ hands looking beautiful, and that was interesting. As mentioned.

Then I found a Chinese Katie (to go with our South African Katie, of course), and she became my regular maintenance go-to.

Until year 18 when Covid struck. Katie closed shop as did many other Adams and Eves in the business. For the next 15 months I would walk around with my originals – just glammed-up a bit. But not too much – we were still working from home.

In the meantime, as the initial wariness passed, my job description grew with the addition of setting up a large, red gazebo. My first reaction was that I could not expose the fragile finger adornments to that much fierceness.

Until a week ago. You know how you get the urge to just splash out on yourself a bit …? The hair gets a new shade (from a box, or not), feet get a spa treatment (in the living room, or at the Real Thing), and for me it was New Nails. From Katie.

After two years I stepped out of there with a French on my nails and a smile in my heart. Some of you may think small things amuse small minds.

I prefer to see ways of finding joy in the smaller things in life.

Besides – it gave me something to share with you today.

See, since I have gotten my New Nails, I’ve realised:

My touch is gentler. Whether it is the stubborn washing machine door, the boxes of product that must be opened, my earring on the bathroom floor, or the 6-pack litre bottles of water that has to be opened, wiped and put away.

Everything is handled much more gently.

My own self too.

The mascara-blob on my eye is approached with much more caution.

My body cream applied with more reverence.

My denim zipped up and buttoned much more carefully.

I’m gentler with myself.

For those Adams that couldn’t care less about nails, this may sound like utter nonsense. And even for the Eves that has never even considered anything else than the originals.

But for someone who was used to getting a good grip on things, who never thought twice about trying forcefulness, and who wouldn’t back away from a challenge when there was no male counterpart in sight, this was a wonderful homecoming.

I am allowed to be gentler with the world.

And with myself.

The Lord is a wall of fire around me.

I don’t have to be fire brigade and fire extinguisher and rescuer.

I am allowed to be soft and let Him shelter me.

As He has promised.

And when large, red gazebos need assembling, He will show me how to do what is necessary with a gentle hand.

As He has promised.

“For I am the Lord your God

who takes hold of your right hand

and says to you,

‘Do not fear;

I will help you.’”

Isaiah 41:13 NIV

Your inspiration for the week: GOD will work it out

Your inspiration for the week:  GOD will work it out