"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:11-13
I was walking the dogs yesterday and only had a limited amount of time, much like today. The days seem to be so full as the end of the school year heightens in demand and summer beckons the cleaning and purging of spring!! The weather was beautiful and the sun was just breaking through the clouds and the air was perfectly cool! With a slight skip in my step and puppy tails wagging, we were off to a glorious start!
The birds are singing loudly, flowers are popping their vibrant colors along the pathways, trees and yards are lush and green, and little bunnies are out playing. All the senses were engaged, seeing, feeling, hearing, touching, embracing it all...until the "poop" hit the floor. Literally, my old girl had to take a potty break, a #2, which means we must wait....and scoop the warm hot mush of a pile. Those who know me, know I am not one for mushie textures much less it being poop! I am a MOM, so I can handle just about anything through the art of distraction. However, it's just gross and there's nothing pretty or cool 'bout it. Okay, so, deep breath, it's part of the process when you walk with dogs. Poop, scoop, keep on!!
Well, now, we have 2 pups walking, and after I was just starting to hearing the birds singing again and the smell of fresh air was surrounding me once again, puppy #2, went #2. Ugh...my shoulders slouched, my breathing was deep breaths and my attitude dropped to the ground. Why couldn't they do their duty at home? Before the walk or after the walk? Why didn't they do it at the same time at least, a one stop drop?! Needless to say, it changed my demeanor and my once cheerful skipping had now become a disappointed stompping. It wasn't their fault, they were just doing was was normal for them. The birds were still singing, the flowers were still swaying, grass was still lush and green (now fertilized`lol!!!) and the day was still glorious, but there I was scooping poop. Yuck and Bahumbug.
It was then I felt the stirring in my spirit of Ecclesiastes 3, there is a season for everything. People like me who are peace-makers, don't like the "bad parts" of life- disappointments, confrontations, betrayals, unrealistic expectations, harsh demands, etc. We try our best to stay focused on the rainbows of life (glass half full) and not the poop (glass half empty). But it is just a part of life. In a world full of sinners, just as I am one of them, there will be heartaches and "poop" that we have to deal with. But, that doesn't mean that everything else changes.
I could spend my "walk" watching out for poop piles, sticklers, snakes, spiders, vultures, ant beds (which I should be aware of but not hyper focused on) or...I could spend my "walk" looking for the beauty and goodness around me, careful of anything that may hinder my walk, but not consume it.
God come to give us abundant and joyful life, "plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. " We have the choice to live life consumed and distracted by all the "poop" or to "walk" faithfully and cheerfully knowing that there will be moments when we will have to scoop it up and toss it off the "path" we are "walking." Scoop, keep on!
Keep your eyes on the Amazing, Beautiful, Creative Creator, Life Giving God! Just be sure to watch your steps along the way.
