It is spring and I am so thankful. I love spring. And my thoughts often go back to when Alvin and I lived on the acreage in Anola and we farmed for a good portion of the years that we were out there. What began as 1 calf (for our eventual beef consumption) grew to a cow/calf operation with (at our max) about 80 head of cows and calves. (there should be a post about that believe me, as the spring of 96 was a BRUTAL spring for us, but I will save that one for another day, truth be told, it was the year we decided we had grown too big for a "side" job in farming!!)
Anyhow, back to SPRING. I love it. I love seeing the snow melt. I love the puddles (for the most part). I love the sound and return of geese (which I saw the other day). I love seeing snowbanks turn into ditches full of water, and relish the day when I see a green tinge in the trees as the buds come on the branches that have been a dismal grey since fall winds shook them free of their leaves.
When we lived in Anola, the thing I loved was watching the baby calves run and kick up their heels in the beautiful spring weather. Many of them were born mid February and knew the extreme cold, so they loved the sunshine. Usually you could look out into the pasture and see little sleeping mounds beside their mama's. Even animals love spring!
The reason I was taken back to our farming days is because I have laughed out loud - literally - during this past almost week of grand puppy sitting "Burly".
Let me introduce you to my one and only "grand puppy". I think he is about 7 months old (maybe 8) and he is an Australian Shepherd. In many ways he reminds us of the dog we had in Anola. Oreo was our good faithful companion. He was a border collie and so helpful with the cattle.
Burly is cute. He wears a blue bandana which these days is getting tattered and usually wet from his adventures. Yes. He loves the adventure. Since he has been here before for visits, and now he has been here for already 6 sleeps, I am giving him a little more freedom. AND he loves to lay on the porch. I let him run on his own for a while. Other times I take him for a walk around the loop and our road. In the beginning I wanted to make sure I was with him especially for the first and last outings of the day - just to make sure that I KNEW that he had pooped before night. We would hate for there to be accidents in the house!
On Thursday I took him out for a little walk. Well - he was doing his spring thing. He was off leash and let me tell you he was running and jumping like those little calves. It was so fun to watch him just loving the freedom of the yard, and the good spring air, and snow and puddles. (We have begun to wipe paws when he comes into the house, and he has been a good sport with this) This Thursday afternoon we were both enjoying the warm sunshine. It was the first day of spring! The ditch that Alvin opened up along our side road had water in it. Burly went up to his favourite spot to - well you know what - and I stood there waiting. NOW, if at all possible I try to you know, "scoop the poop" at the time (can not figure out people who just always plan on doing all the scooping at one time in spring? seriously "and why would you wait?" ANYHOW I had a bag in my hand and I began to analyze the situation and wonder a) can I walk through the snow and scoop that b)it doesn't look too deep c) should I wait till more snow melts so it is easier
I decided that it was a mere 15 or less steps, and yes, it wouldn't be too deep. So off I went.
Well, I had forgotten that it does take a little bit of a dip before the ground goes upward. (Just the way we landscaped after bringing in fill). I figured I could do it. I had my boots on.
So off I went - step step step step and it happened. I went up to my thighs in sticky snow, with what felt like lots of water underneath! My pants quickly felt wet and cold. And I realized I could not get my legs out!! I know, I know - that sounds dramatic! I knew I was NOT going to drown lol but oh man between icy water and sticky snow I was at a miss as to how to actually get my legs out without totally getting soaked! It had NOT looked like it would be such a problem! It had looked very easy. Very innocent. Very well, "I will just go in, scoop and get back to my walk" ... WRONG. This scoop attempt was a big fail! And I was wet up to my crotch to boot! I was so thankful no one was there to see me floundering like a turtle on its back so to speak! I did get out - wet, and intact but none the less out. And since then I have been thinking of that little escapade, or my "conventure" as my littlest grandchild calls his adventures with Poppa and I.
I have come to realize that this little mishap of an escapade was really a teachable moment for me. And it seemed like God has taken that TM and has shown me that there are many things in my life that are much similar to the failed attempt of scooping the poop.
If I am honest, and I look into this laughable story a little deeper, I think I see how it is a picture of some aspects of my life with the LORD. Let me try to flesh that out a little - these are my thoughts:
In life, I have described myself as "someone who loves to fly by the seat of my pants, enjoying the spontaneous freedom but also likes to have some ducks in a row at times, which can be a confusing mix for a person". I think some of the most fun things come out of spontaneity don't you? There is something freeing about a quick assessment and decision to just do something. I often make those decisions on a daily basis. Should I do this. Should I go there. Should I buy this. Should I plan that. We all make those. Depending on our personalities - or what type we are on the enneagram (which I know plays into all this) means that some of us (me) may make these more often, or easier.
Most of the time, I likely make and carry out more decisions than I even take a mental note of. We are literally making one decision after another from sun up till sun down. I know that most of the decisions seem common sense vs having to pray or discern them. Although even saying that, I want HIM to be part of all my thoughts/processes in my day.
I think what I also learned is that sometimes (like on Thursday) we may enter into something not even thinking much about it. It looks innocent enough and then we get caught off guard. If I think of my life, I realize that there have been many times God saved me from a really bad outcome.
Oh boy - writing that immediately took me back to a night in grade 10 when we had come home from cheer leading at an out of town game. It gives me chills to recall this, and I will not go into any details, but I made a spur of the moment decision. It was NOT made with any thought of bringing God into the process of the decision making. In retrospect there was likely a couple reasons for that lack of inviting God into the decision 1) my immaturity in my faith 2) knowing that most likely God wouldn't want me to make the decision to do/go somewhere 3) I was a teen with teen thoughts which meant that I was old enough to have thoughts of my own, and young enough to still be naive about things that could happen. ANYHOW that cold night I made a decision which I know without a shadow of a doubt God intervened in, and protected me from what could have been life changing.
It looked like just another normal teen evening. It was not a stop and think, hard decision. It seemed easy and innocent but was anything but. Although I only saw that in hindsight.
note: I am writing this and trying to pull all my thoughts together. I feel like I am doing a verbal vomit on paper - not necessarily knowing what I am trying to say - but feeling like something has to be said. Nor do I really get why Thursdays laughable incident brings me back all these years ago - to a grade 10 almost life changing/God protected incident and then back to today - where I am this almost 61 year old trying to make sense of what I want to say.
I think the bottom line is that we so easily make decisions day in day out - many many decisions without inviting God into them and maybe we just forget, or don't think it is important enough to warrant him getting involved - or whatever BUT if we really do believe that God is our Heavenly Father - our Papa/Abba- then as a child comes to his/her mom/dad to just talk, or ask questions then why wouldn't we?
I think the bottom line is that we so easily make decisions day in day out - many many decisions without inviting God into them and maybe we just forget, or don't think it is important enough to warrant him getting involved - or whatever BUT if we really do believe that God is our Heavenly Father - our Papa/Abba- then as a child comes to his/her mom/dad to just talk, or ask questions then why wouldn't we?
Lately, I have been asking Him to be more involved in my life - fully - and so I should likely have more times when I am inviting him into my details of my day. I should also have my eyes open to the things that look easy and innocent but are things that the enemy can use to distract or discourage or just to get one into trouble.
I don't think I needed to ask God about walking to scoop it up. That is not what I am saying. But I am saying that out of all this - the laughable but cold teachable moment on Thursday - I think I am saying - I need to involve HIM more and more in my life, and to ask Him to give me his eyes to see the things that I need to do or not do. Places to go or not go. People to see or not see. I need his eyes more and more in life - to make good decisions, so that in all things I can be salt, and light. In all things I can be extensions of HIM for his honor and glory. In all things that, even if I am up to my thighs in hard stuff, I can still be "Jesus with skin on".
I hope somewhere in all these thoughts, there is something that makes sense. In this 60 year old heart - it does. But sometimes thoughts and words on paper are two different things.
You can take it with a grain of salt if you wish!!
Grateful for teachable moments and dry clothes!! Let me know some of your thoughts - I'm listening!
Yours,
J
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