Henry Theodore Robinson

At the funeral my dad told this story, and I can't help but feel grateful for the wisdom from the story and its metaphor. When my dad was younger he went to shear sheep with his father. After working all day (literally sweating and struggling and wrestling) my dad was able to shear 13 sheep; in the same amount of time my grandpa had sheared 113 sheep--one hundred sheep more. My dad felt timorous with his small offering, but my grandpa cheerfully accepted his part and said, "Well, that's 13 I didn't have to do."

There are times in our life that we have more to give and others we simply have less. When our offering is 13 do we feel ashamed by our part, heaping pressure and judgement upon ourselves? Or do we see it as a vital part; an important part needed to make the whole? At other times, when we offer 113 how do we perceive the smaller offerings? Do we begrudge those who have a smaller part? Do we judge them against ourselves. Or do we take one another's offerings as rich and vital?

I'm thankful for this moment, for my grandpa henry validating my father's offering.