Catch it!

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

—2 Corinthians 10:5

I woke up this morning with “to do” lists etched on my mind. Today’s list, which included laundry, vacuuming, and grocery shopping, grew into an endless list of things to do before my out-of-town guest arrives in a few weeks. Added to that were thoughts of the new school year and its own “to do” list. So much to do and no one here to help!

That thought thrust me headlong into a downward spiral of self-pity. Lord, I need a husband. Why haven’t You seen fit to send me one? What is wrong with me? Am I not worthy? Am I not attractive enough?

Then my eyes caught glimpse of the purple soap on the night stand. “Why on earth would you keep soap on your night stand?” you might ask.

One weekend I was keeping my two-year-old granddaughter, Layla, and it was time for her bath. I realized I had no bath toys to occupy her and distract her from the task at hand—she was not particularly a fan of hair-washing. I scanned the shelf in the bathroom and discovered the wedding favor ornamental soap. I quickly removed the tulle wrapping and offered Layla the diminutive soap, which fit perfectly in the palm of her hand. Within seconds, she dropped it into the water. Created without the buoyancy of Ivory soap, the tiny soap plunged to the bottom. Layla reached for it, but the wake she generated with her hand pushed the soap farther away. She reached again, and the soap floated upward ever so slightly, but still she couldn’t grasp it.

“Catch it, Layla!” I heard myself say. “Catch it,” I repeated, dragging out my words, which echoed something I had read earlier in the week.

A Different Course

A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD directs his steps.

—Proverbs 16:9 HNV

My cousin told me she couldn’t go on our usual walk on the farm this morning. Although disappointed, I decided to go alone. I needed the exercise, and it would give me some time to pray. I had a lot on mind lately. With school starting soon, I fretted over the new course I’d been assigned to teach. The subject is not familiar to me. I will have to crack the books and watch slews of videos to be prepared, which means giving up a few of my precious remaining days of summer break to devote to it. That, I resented.

I donned my sneakers and set out for my usual course along the Chaptico Bay. Gravel crunched beneath my feet as I passed my cousin’s house and made my way through the barnyard. Then I stopped dead in my tracks. What! My passage through the pasture was cut off by an electrified fence.

Clear as Black and White

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

—Micah 6:8 ESV

“It’s hot out there, huh?” the young clerk chatted with me while checking out my groceries at Chaptico Market, the local “Mom & Pop” I’ve frequented since childhood.

“How hot is it supposed to be today?” I asked the clerk whose name, I later learned, is Brittney.

“Well, 87 when I wrote the board,” Brittney’s brown eyes bounced toward the blackboard near the door, which listed a week’s worth of forecasted temperatures, tidal information, and an inspirational quote, “but...”

“You write the board?” I interrupted, surprised that the new owner didn’t do that, for it wasn’t long after the store changed hands, from one generation to the next, that the chalkboard showed up.

Moooove Like A Cow

Are you frustrated with your life? Are things not moving in the right direction for you? Perhaps this might help…

My granddaughter is fascinated with cows. Every time she comes to visit, a trip to the pasture is in order. Yesterday I drove two-year-old Layla in my Jeep to see her favorited bovines and stopped at a spot where I was sure she could see them from her car seat. I lowered the window. “See the cows, Layla?” I pointed toward the small herd.

Her eyes widened. “What cows doin,’ Grandma?"

“They’re eating grass. See them?”

“Cows walking.”

“Yes, they are walking,” I said, surprised that she had noticed something I hadn’t.

Huddled together, the cows chomped at the blades and then simultaneously moved forward toward the next nourishing mouthful. Chomp, step, chomp, step, chomp, step.

I thought about this curious rhythm and wondered, Is this the way God wants us to move?

“Move like a cow?” you may ask, “That doesn’t sound like something I wish to emulate.”

Bear with me. We need to eat, too.