Spilling Over: Bulletin Boards

I am amazed by so many things; I am so thankful that through all of my years of corruption and waywardness somehow God has preserved in me this wonder over the smallest of things. I have been enthralled by babies’ births and anthills and bumble bees. On a daily basis I usually find something regardless of how simple to interest me, some thread of seemingly nothing to someone else.

On our refrigerator we have two bulletin boards. They are white boards with a cork inset and a black magnetized marker attached. My third daughter bought these back in September and they have been on the bottom of the fridge door ever since. No one in the house would consider moving them. These boards are two of my favorite things in the house.  

Why?

They aren’t used to remind us of calendar events or daily chores or grocery lists.

These boards are used to remind us of who we are.

Really, Tamera, aren’t you being a little over dramatic? (Who would dare accuse me of such a thing?)

Seriously.

I’ve only written on these boards twice since they arrived. My youngest daughters, who still live with us, fill the white space with black letters. They are the ones who do most of the messaging, and I always know which one because their handwriting is so distinct.

I am so grateful.

These boards are erasable, but the messages are indelible.

These boards hold messages: scripture verses, quotes, song lyrics and notes. To me. To Steve. To each other. To themselves.

Reminders.

Beautiful reminders of the truth God desires for us to remember about him, about others and about ourselves.

Some mornings I stand in front of the refrigerator and laugh. Right out loud. Sometimes I need to sit down on the stool behind me, floored by the insight before me. Sometimes I just stand in the middle of the floor and cry because of the vulnerability and transparency.

These girls know how to encourage. They know how to bolster someone’s spirit—not with flattery, but with honestly raw words. They know how to turn a word or phrase so it exhorts without ever being pushy or overbearing or sappy.

The length of the messages varies. The intervals between new messages fluctuates. One message may remain for a week. A message may be three words long or it may start on one board and spill over to the other.

Last night when I got home one of the boards said—

Hope unswervingly

Love extravagantly

Today I am thankful for bulletin boards.

Today I will attempt to live out those four words. I am reminded of my motivation and my purpose.

Partly because of four words written on a white bulletin board on our refrigerator.