A time for metaphors

Marriage is like a bicycle. The guy is the front wheel because he takes the lead, but you have to be going the same speed and working together to go forward. Sure, you can be a unicycle for a while, and it's kind of fun and impressive, but it gets tiring. A bicycle stays upright easier, and has a kickstand. Of course it falls over every now and then, just as marriage has it's disagreements and frustrations. But you get back up again. In a marriage you travel over paved roads, gravel roads, dirt roads... you see beautiful views, you go through dark valleys, and you get flat tires. You cover the same ground as a bicycle as you do a unicycle, but you do it with another wheel (another person) instead of by yourself.

Friends are like books. Each one has a unique story. Some are happy and beautiful stories, and some are sad and tragic stories. Each of them makes you feel emotion and get caught up in their lives. Sometimes, the book ends, and it sits on your bookshelf, and you have good memories of the book... Sometimes you can pick that book up again and dust it off, and pick up where you left off. But other times, the book is finished, and you can't go back to the book. You can only re-read old chapters, but eventually the memories and the words on the page start to fade. But these books - these friends - are treasures. The cliché quote is true: “Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.” Some are magical, like Harry Potter. When you're with them, great things happen. Sadly some friends turn into enemies, like Hunger Games where they're on your side one minute, and trying to kill you the next. (Ok, that's a bit extreme. But I couldn't think of another one with the same concept.) No two stories are alike. Some of the books have conflict in them. Some have resolutions, some don't. Some have happy endings, some don't.

Life is NOT like a box of chocolates, because I use a knife to cut them in half instead of not knowing what they are, or I use the diagram on the box of chocolates. I mean really, why would someone make a box of chocolate without a diagram? Because what if you're allergic to nuts, or hate coconut? (I'm not allergic to nuts, but I dislike nuts and coconuts.)

The church is like a symphony. Everybody plays their instrument, and together we make great music. God's the conductor. Yes, there are lots of the same instrument in an actual symphony, but it's like needing 10 people to help with the nursery, 10 people to help with youth, 10 people to lead worship, 12 people to lead a young adults' bible study... everybody is needed! Except within each of those roles, you bring your own style, your own melody. It's intricate, it's complicated, it's beautiful.