Eggs and Other Stuff

On top of the refrigerator in our house is a family memento, an aluminum box with a handle on top, and the word "Eggs" painted on the side. I had seen the box in my early childhood but had long forgotten about its existence. When we were going through things at mom and dad's house the box was found in the attic. It was one of the things I chose from their house to be mine. 

When mom and dad married and left the farm life for the city life, they left behind numerous relatives on several farms near Wingate in Runnels County. One was my Uncle Hardy, who farmed and sold eggs, so every time the call came, he would fill up the box with up to six dozen eggs. The postage was 25 cents and the box made the trip to Sweetwater and was put on the mail car of the train and to its destination in Midland. 

I do not know how much Uncle Hardy charged for the eggs, but shipping that box full of eggs for a quarter seems mighty cheap.  Three dozen of those eggs went to our house and three dozen to Uncle Lloyd's house and everyone had eggs.  Then the empty box was sent back to Wingate for the next shipment 

How would you go about shipping 6 dozen eggs today?  Don't bet on many of them making the trip without breakage. I cannot fault the postal service without damaging the heritage of so many postal workers in the family; like my dad in the past, and currently my oldest son.  I just know with all the automation and computerization, all the tossing of packages from one bin to another, on and on go the reasons for not shipping eggs.  Today we leave the job of supplying our eggs to the local supermarket.

Modernizing our world has brought many changes that get us to the point of wishing for the good ole' days.  But think with me for a moment about the changes that are for the good.  Back in the day, our little church building, made from an army barrack, with a congregation of 30-40 people who could hear the preacher without microphones and speakers, and all that seems sufficient.  With modern techniques and equipment, we can now have a preacher be heard by literally thousands of people, spread out over numerous campus locations.  In addition, add to that the number that hear on the world wide web, and reaching  the masses is an astounding reality. 

I'm back to thinking about that box full of eggs, and all the concern and cooperation it must have taken to ship those eggs without catastrophe. It was a combined effort of love from family members, the dependability of the postal service, and the grace of God, but we had eggs at way below the rate of retail eggs. 

Utilizing the talents and abilities of those in the church, combined with the faithfulness of the entire body in reaching the lost with God's message of love, is more astounding than the story of the eggs. Paul said, "From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work" Ephesians 4:16.

Love for God, love for each other, and using the gifts God has given us,  builds the teamwork for bringing others to Him.   That's better than an omelet....any day.