美文阅览：完美的过错

A Perfect Mistake 完美的过错

 
美文阅览：完美的过错
　　My　Grandpa　Nybakken　loved　life—especially　when　he　could　play　a　trick　on　somebody.　At　those　times，　his　large　Norwegian　frame　shook　with　laughter　while　he　feigned　innocent　surprise，　exclaiming，　“Oh，　forevermore！”But　on　a　cold　Saturday　in　downtown　Chicago，　Grandpa　felt　that　God　played　a　trick　on　him，　and　Grandpa　wasn’t　laughing.
　　Mother’s　father　worked　as　a　carpenter.　On　this　particular　day，　he　was　building　some　crates　for　the　clothes　his　church　was　sending　to　an　orphanage　in　China.　On　his　way　home，　he　reached　into　his　shirt　pocket　to　find　his　glasses，　but　they　were　gone.　He　remembered　putting　them　there　that　morning，　so　he　drove　back　to　the　church.　His　search　proved　fruitless.
　　When　he　mentally　replayed　his　earlier　actions，　he　realized　what　happened.　The　glasses　had　slipped　out　of　his　pocket　unnoticed　and　fallen　into　one　of　the　crates，　which　he　had　nailed　shut.　His　brand　new　glasses　were　heading　for　China！
　　The　Great　Depression　was　at　its　height，　and　Grandpa　had　six　children.　He　had　spent　twenty　dollars　for　those　glasses　that　very　morning.
　　“It’s　not　fair，”　he　told　God　as　he　drove　home　in　frustration.　“I’ve　been　very　faithful　in　giving　off　my　time　and　money　to　the　poor，　and　now　this.”　Several　months　later，　the　director　of　the　orphanage　was　on　vacation　in　the　United　States.　He　wanted　to　visit　all　the　churches　that　supported　him　in　China，　so　he　came　to　speak　on　Sunday　night　at　my　grandfather’s　small　church　in　Chicago.　Grandpa　and　his　family　sat　in　their　customary　seats　among　the　sparse　congregation.
　　“But　most　of　all，”　he　said，　“I　must　thank　you　for　the　glasses　you　sent　last　year.　You　see，　they　had　just　swept　through　the　orphanage，　destroying　everything，　including　my　glasses.　I　was　desperate.”　“Even　if　I　had　the　money，　there　was　simply　no　way　of　replacing　those　glasses.　Along　with　not　being　able　to　see　well，　I　experienced　headaches　every　day，　so　my　coworkers　and　I　were　much　in　prayer　about　this.　Then　your　crates　arrived.　When　my　staff　removed　the　covers，　they　found　a　pair　of　glasses　lying　on　top.”
　　The　orphanage　director　paused　long　enough　to　let　his　words　sink　in.　Then，　still　gripped　with　the　wonder　of　it　all，　he　continued：　“Folks，　when　I　tried　on　the　glasses，　it　was　as　though　they　had　been　custom-made　just　for　me！　I　want　to　thank　you　for　being　a　part　of　that！”
　　The　people　listened，　happy　for　the　miraculous　glasses.　But　the　director　surely　must　have　confused　their　church　with　another，　they　thought.　There　were　no　glasses　on　their　list　of　items　to　be　sent　overseas.　But　sitting　quietly　in　the　back，　with　tears　streaming　down　his　face，　my　grandfather，　an　ordinary　carpenter，　realized　that　God　had　used　him　in　an　extra-ordinary　way　to　help　someone　whose　need　was　bigger　than　his！
　　外公尼拜肯豁达、诙谐，尤其是在他与人恶作剧的时分，常伪装一脸茫然无辜的惊奇状，那魁伟的挪威人的体魄，跟着他的笑声抖动着，“哦，便是这样的！”但是，在芝加哥商业区那一个冰冷的星期六的冬日，外公感到天主跟他开了一个打趣，让他怎么样也笑不起来。

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