A Step Up!

It never fails! As sure as I get rid of something, it isn't long before I find myself needing the very thing I had no use for formerly! Well, not this time. I had bought a bed stair some years ago at an estate sale and had used it for various purposes: book shelf, step ladder, plant stand, etc., but never to climb up to bed. Our bed was low enough to get into easily.

Every time I had gone to our daughter's house in Georgia and saw our granddaughter's very high bed, I would tell myself to bring that bed stair to Rachel. But invariably, our car is packed too full, or I just forget to try to get it loaded, or we fly or ride with someone.

Then a couple of years ago I came upon an irresistible bargain in an antique, iron bed with beautifully scrolled metal work headboard and footboard. We loved it. But when it was time to go to bed, I couldn't get into it! Our mattress and foundation on the iron rails made it too high! My tall husband had no problem though. He easily sat on the bed and comfortably swung his legs over onto it. That's when I remembered the bed stair! The two steps leading up were just what I needed! Now I don't know what I would do without it!

Today we were on the walking track at Cann Gardens, and we kept meeting a couple of teenagers who were also walking. Sometimes they would overtake us, or we would see them coming from behind at a distance, their walking speed much faster than these two senior citizens! On a bench at one of our frequent resting places, we spoke to them as they were passing in front of us. "What does your shirt say?" my husband asked the boy.

"Oh, I'm on the basketball team at our Christian homeschool, and this is our shirt," he explained, turning around so we could read the message on the back. It was a scripture from Matthew, and Howard asked what church he attended, to which the boy replied it was non-denominational. We chatted briefly with the friendly pair (no, they weren't boyfriend/girlfriend they assured us, just walking buddies.)

"Everyone needs a walking partner," I said, and as they went on Howard called, "Keep walking!"

This reminded me of a song, "Walking Up the King's Highway," sung often by the late Jesse Dixon. The words go something like "If you're not walking, start while I'm talking, Walking up the King's highway... It's the highway to heaven, None can walk up there, But the pure in heart, Walking up the King's highway." No one could sing it with the enthusiasm of the irrepressible Jesse Dixon.

That in turn made think of Jacob's vision of the stairway going up to heaven, commonly known as Jacob's ladder, where angels ascended and descended while Jacob wrestled all night with one. Well, my bed stair may not lead to heaven, but the bed feels heavenly when I ascend it!