Lesson Learned

Imagine for a minute, if you will. A grown woman is standing in the driveway of her home, at the entrance of the garage. The garage is open, and it is COLD and windy out. She is dressed, but does not have a coat on and is still wearing slippers. She is not moving, not in any direction, she is not mad, no tears, or joy, void of any emotions on her face just standing there. . .peering into the huge space that is the garage…For a few minutes… She feels shivers down her back but refuses to move, she is psyching herself up to deal with a problem.

That was me, yesterday. Why? You may ask. Well, because I nonchalantly walked into my garage to get some seeds to begin planting for the new season. I love planning my garden, (even if I overdo it every year) and I couldn’t wait to get my hands in the dirt, plant some seeds and begin to see the miraculous gift of life take form in bountiful plants. Yes, I was excited! So, I walked over to the shelving where I keep all of my gardening things, and reached into my bucket where I keep the packets of seeds. But quickly withdrew my hand when a MOUSE scurried out. (I have shivers now as I type this). I took a step, (ok 3 or 4) back and saw the little scoundrel perch himself on the shelf above our previous encounter. I stood there staring into his beady little eyes and he was watching back. I was stunned, I literally couldn’t move. How could I be so TERRIFIED of such a puny thing? This was not something I was expecting to find! I stood there looking at this tiny, frail thing, that I am sure was much more afraid then I. (and for good reason, here I had come to potentially kill it, or at least disturb its home). And yet, I will modestly admit, I was mentally freaking out.

Now, I am not a super girly girl. I love to be outdoors, and ‘roughing it’ while camping with my family is good fun to me. But this? This is more than I can handle on my own. As I stiffly stood there, all of these thoughts begin running through my mind. How do I deal with it? Will it stay or leave for good? Is the material that is in the bucket its nest? What if there are babies in there? Should I leave the garage door open for it to vacate the premises? Am I willing to brave the bucket again? I really want those seeds! What if I stir things up sufficiently it may get frightened enough to leave and if so I am getting out of its way!

And then my demeanor changed, and my mind began to think differently. How frightened would I be standing at the gates of heaven facing my Creator, in what would end up being my most significant encounter of my being? Would I have this almost sick feeling in my stomach that seems to weight me down, not allowing me to have control of my body? And how frightened and hesitant was Jesus when he was faced with the cross? Was he so afraid that he couldn’t move? Did he want to retreat to a place of comfort?

I needed a break. So I headed inside to regroup, and ponder on these things a little. Ok, really I just wanted to get out of the garage. Inside brought me some strength, and the will power to create a solution. I desired a stick, preferably one longer than the entire length of me. The outcome you are probably wondering? Well, I have the seeds in my possession, and I do not know anything more about my furry ‘friend’. But the courage that I had to muster up to deal with this is a little embarrassing. It took me awhile to even get back outside. Pacing the floors of my living room, I was reluctant to even endure another meeting. Silly? I think not! And now I will not be so casual when it comes to rummaging through the garage.

My prayer earlier in the day, when faced with the need for something to inspire my next post, had been “Lord please allow me to have an experience worth writing about”. Man did He deliver! My prayer now? “Lord, I know that you always are with me, and hear my needs. Thank you for answering my prayer, but could you please not respond with hairy rodents of ANY size!”

I would have never had the insight and thoughts to reflect on that I did from this experience if I hadn’t been going through this Lenten Journey. My mind, and life has been made new during these past 30 days because my God works in wonderful ways. BIG and small.

Luke 11:9 “So I say to you: ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”