Melissa-cholism #3: What Magic is There in a Campfire-boiled Egg?

So many years ago, when our house in the mountains was still being built, my mom would take us kids to see the construction at different phases. There were times when we spent the night in the half-finished house. I remember us staying one night through heavy rainfall. Of course this was Baguio City, so you could just imagine what rainfall there actually means. (If you couldn't you have to try going over there during the off-peak months of June- September). The roof (upper level floor) was finished but only the walls of the rooms were completely up.  We had to cook our dinner by fire wood (or any debris that would sustain some sort of flame) and for some reason all I remember us having were some eggs. We had to do everything from starting the fire (I think we did have a few matches), watching it so it doesn't get blown out, etc. Being the amateur campers that we were, it took us hours to cook the eggs and boil some water. We got super hungry in the process and the pot got super black! But then when that was done, I don't remember having better a boiled egg than that in my life.

 

Our version was a lot cruder than this. Photo by Jan, taken from www.guest-travel-writers.com.

I am reminded of that memory when recently I've had to do quite some work for something I really wanted. Going through that process has been stressful and probably cost me some precious neurons but at the end of it I felt inexplicably elated. At first I thought I was some sadistic psycho! Haha. But then I realized that my elation comes from gratefulness to God for allowing such a situation; for letting me fight for my Canaan. (Why yes, months before I was being amazed at grandpa Caleb asking to fight for his portion of the land of promise.) I anticipate hard times ahead but I know when they come I will remember that this has not been thrown at my lap. I will value what I have because I worked hard for it!

See the connection with the boiled egg already? I think it's human nature that things easily received are taken to have less value as those acquired with blood, sweat and tears. Case-in-point: natural diamonds and a handful of lottery winner stories. God knows that about us. That is why He doesn't just hand us blessings at our whim, even if His very desire is to bless us. Sometimes, He puts us in situations that will qualify us for those blessings (even if, we can't really do anything to qualify ourselves) to make them all the sweeter, all the more valuable. 

And that, my friends, is all the magic there is in a campfire-boiled egg.