I honestly can't tell you how many times I have read that book and I never paid any attention to the color of the bears, because it didn't seem like an important part of the story. And yet it was very important to Gideon. He not only noticed their original color, but he noticed when the color was lacking.
Perhaps this 'minor' detail would've remained just that to me if only I hadn't fallen...
Over the weekend, Gideon and I went to the park (as we often do) and while there, a young girl of about 4 fell from the top of a slide, about 10-12 feet off the ground. I saw her getting way to close to the edge and looked around for her parents. Not seeing them, I began walking toward her and telling her to back up. But alas, she stepped over the side into nothingness and was dangling within seconds. I sprinted the rest of the way to her and managed to get under her just as she let go and fell. I caught her and set her on the ground, relieved that she was unharmed, but ANGRY that her parents were nowhere to be found! Adrenaline coursing through my veins, I looked around again for her parents. She ran off to play again, totally unaware of the danger that she had just been in.
As well as I understand that no one can be everywhere at once, I was angry that her parents were no where to be found! I mean - COME ON! Anyway, Gideon and I stayed a little longer and then we headed out.
Yesterday, I found myself recounting this story to a friend as we were talking about raising toddlers. Her daughter is very adventurous and requires a higher level of alert than Gideon. So, standing in my kitchen, I demonstrate how I caught this little girl. The only difference was that this time, I stepped on a baking sheet that Gideon had been playing drums on. My right leg shot out, my left leg flew up and I did the most commplete split of my entire life. And then I fell over onto my butt. It felt like it was happening is slow motion and according to my friend, it was very graceful.
But it hurt. A lot. Right away. And I have a pretty high pain threshold, but ouch! I knew that it wasn't good. I laid down when Gideon took his nap about an hour later, hoping that if I rested a little I would be good as new. Not so much. I tried stretching and yoga and even some pain medicine, but it just seemed to get worse as time passed.
When my alarm went off this morning, I knew I wasn't going to be able to move. Oh it was BAD. I forced myself up and got in the shower, still hoping that my sore, stiff muscles would relax and I would be ok. But I almost threw up trying to dry off and getting dressed nearly sent me over the edge.
I called my chiropractor as soon as his office opened and made an appointment. It was pretty bad he said. Rest, ice and anti-inflammatories. And come back on Wednesday. So home I went. I walked in the house - which looked like it had been hit by a tornado, because I hadn't straightened up after our playdate yesterday. The dishes weren't done from the night before, laundry needed to be folded, the bed wasn't made....*sigh*
I thought about doing a quick clean and then I moved. And remembered. I HURT. So, I grabbed 2 ibuprofen, some water, and an ice pack and made my way to the couch. I got situated and turned on the TV. It was 10:00 on the dot. I flipped through a few channels and found an episode of Joyce Meyer. Today her show was her Annual Report. I almost changed the channel. But then she sid something that spoke straight to my heart. She was talking about how her ministry had expanded in the face of incredible adversity. She had been ready to quit pushing ahead and God reminded her to "not grow weary in well-doing, for IN DUE TIME, you will reap".
Oh, God, You always find a way to get Your message across! I have been going through some stuff - haven't we all?? And I am guilty of growing weary. Sometimes it seems like you're the only person doing the right thing and that it isn't getting you anywhere. Wouldn't it just be easier to throw in the towel and quit? Stop doing the right thing? Stop pressing on and pressing in?
Aren't we all a little guilty of striving? Fixing? We trust God to get us where we're going, but we try to help Him out. We try to take shortcuts or figure it out on our own. We ask for signs and then interpret everything to mean what we want it to mean. We grow weary...but are we resting? I mean properly, resting? Do we sit still enough to know what God's will is for us? Or are we so full steam ahead that we miss the small still Voice? Do we set off on a path that we determine and then expect God to follow us??? WHOA
Am I glad that I fell and hurt my back? Not at all. It still hurts like the dickens. I would love nothing more than to get up off the couch and be free from pain. But what I know is God allowed me to slow down long enough to get my attention. To remind me that He is in everything and that He will never leave me or forsake me. That He has (notice the past tense here!!!) the victory and we are ONLY required to remain focused and steadfast on our journey. He never asks us to accomplish it in a certain amount of time, He only asks us to not grow weary.
He wants us to see the color in our stories. Sometimes we simply scan our environment and overlook the details that make up part of our story. And no one's story is the same. I can't tell yours and you can't tell mine. I need your story. You might need mine. But need to stay rested and focused so that we don't miss the 'red, blue' and all the many other colors and details.
And when we do get a little weary, that is ok. He wants to give us rest. He will re-invigorate us and set us back on the right path. But first we must be willing to rest and follow.
Exodus 33:14 (NIV)
The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
Galatians 6:9
New King James Version (NKJV)
9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
Thank you Lord, for just enough light for this step...
No comments:
Post a Comment