I was 15 and he was 16 the day he gently whispered, "Nice Elbows" as he slid past me on the grand staircase of King's Garden High School. I glanced backwards to see who would make such an odd comment. To my surprise, the eyes that met mine were the most liquid blue, kind, mischievous and twinkling eyes I had ever encountered.
That "ONE" silly, offhanded comment settled into my consciousness and etched itself onto the walls of my mind 42 years ago. Over the years, it often has brought a smirk to my face. It has also made me ultra aware of my elbows.
I have never really examined my elbows until recently. They are pretty amazing inventions. They allow my arms to bend. If I didn't have elbows, my arms would be these two foot long, stiff, useless rods dangling by the side of my body. Itching myself would be out of the question; hugging would be awkward; and shaving my legs would simply be impossible. As I pause to ponder these realizations for a moment,a huge grin is slowly appearing on my face. Suddenly I hear myself outright giggling. Sometimes I have to wonder if other people's brains work this way, or if some of my wiring got crossed. Either way, it doesn't matter because I do enjoy these moments.
All these thought about elbows have made me appreciate a new special friend. Recently, she spoke to a group that I was a part of. She introduced herself as an "elbow" in the body of Christ. This self-assigned nickname brought an endless smirk to my face, especially considering my recent "elbow" thoughts. She explained to the audience that this name is due to the fact that God often uses her to give others a "nudge" and help them bend towards what God has created them to do or has asked them to step toward.
Just like our physical elbows are essential, I have come to believe and even appreciate the members of my spiritual family that are "elbows" in my life. Truth be told, they usually make me mad to start with. I just hate to be . In the end though, if it wasn't for the "elbows" in my life, I probably would be useless, stiff and miserable.
I LOVE God’s sense of humor! He thought up “elbows”. I believe "elbows" bring an endless smile to my Father's face. Next time you are having a dull day, just look at your elbows in the mirror and know that God takes great pleasure in "elbows".
Until We Chat Again,
Crystal Olp
The Plank-Eyed Girl
