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Embers from the Fire
A weekly blog by Deacon Dan Wagnitz for the Quad Parish Community

Delight – 6/19/2020

I didn’t go far on my walk the other day when I saw them all over the neighbor’s yard. They
were the golden ticket to 8 years old again. I did what any graying, balding senior-citizen
discount eligible man would do. I grabbed three of them. I felt rich. I knew a spot.

Holding onto my new-found treasure made me feel happy. I looked down at my hand and
smiled. I passed a couple of people along the way. I closed my hand when I went by them. No
sense taking too big of a risk at being found out. People talk you know.

I finally reached Trout Creek Road and turned toward the little bridge. By the way, the road
name is spelled c-r-e-e-k, but it’s pronounced c-r-i-c-k. If you don’t know that you’re probably
not from around here.

The water was rushing under the bridge about 15 feet below me. Recent rains had the water
gurgling and giggling over the rocks at a pretty good rip. The morning was calm but a fresh
breeze was puffing every now and then – perfect. I took one of my treasures and looked it
over. It looked flight-worthy. I gave it a toss up into the air. It arced up and then began to
descend down toward the creek. It spun silently but wildly on the descent. It didn’t make it all
the way down though – got swallowed up by a red dogwood bush. I tried the next one. It
fluttered round and round but as if it didn’t want to get wet it veered off to the side and landed
on the gravel. But the third was indeed the charm. I managed to throw it a bit higher and it
caught a little breath of breeze. I watched it spin all the way down and as a bonus it landed in
the water without so much as a splash and I watched it get quickly carried around the bend to
who knows what next adventure.

I remember tossing maple seeds off of my grandmother’s porch when I was a boy. It was the
perfect launch pad as there were 7 big steps up. That helped us get extra air. And there was no
shortage of maple seeds in mid-June. We even went down to get the ones that flew the best to
send them out and up and round and round again and again.

“You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the LORD, a royal diadem held by your God. No
more shall men call you “Forsaken”, or your land “Desolate”. But you shall be called “My
Delight” . . . for the Lord delights in you.” (Isaiah 62:3-4)

I think God created maple tree helicopter seeds for sheer delight. And He shares.

His Peace,
Deacon Dan