After church yesterday I ran by Target to pick up a few items I needed/wanted. As the cashier was checking out my purchases I realized that I forgot my debit card, and certainly didn't have enough cash to walk out with my items. I apologized to the cashier and she was ever so gracious. I left feeling like an idiot. Why would I forget my card? After I got home and parked my car in the garage under the building, I went to the elevator to go up to my apartment on the 9th floor. Low and behold, the elevator wasn't working. I punched the button several times, but no amount of punching was going to make that puppy work!! I ended up having to walk up nine floors. Seems like no matter how much I walk around the zoo with my little dog walking up nine floors is rather - well - let me just my chest was hurting, and I felt like I needed a new lung when I finally made it to my apt. So after grabbing a drink of water, then another, I sat on the couch and thought, ouch! Then it hit me - what would I have done if I had had my card and made my purchase? I had a heavy jug of laundry detergent, a bag of dog food for Chewy, plus other food items for myself, including a dozen eggs. Somehow I think I would have been a most unhappy person having to take four bags up nine floors - and my eggs would have been broken... don't ask how I know this. Can you say, Providence? Can you say, The Lord Works in Mysterious Ways??? When the elevator was up and running I finally did go back to the store and get what I went earlier to get.
Later I took Chewy for our walk down by the zoo. It was an extremely windy Sunday in Fort Worth, but poor dog wanted his walk - and so did I. As we walked around the perimeter of the parking lot I looked into the clear sky and noticed a hawk circling above. I watched him circle and just glide ever so effortlessly above. He didn't flap his wings for more height; he just tilted his body to let the wind take him higher. He glided, he soared; he looked like a skater who glides across the glass of ice. It looked so simple, and oh so beautiful.
As I watched him glide in the windy sky, I wondered, what would happen if he started flapping his wings? Ok, I know birds fight blustery wind - they fly! They often have to fight the wind. But I probably wouldn't notice a struggling bird fighting the wind to get from point A to point B. Instead, I noticed a bird who allowed himself to enjoy the benefits of the wind - wings outstretched, and just - gliding! Instead of the wind being his enemy this day, it was his benfactor. Free and easy - enjoying the gift given to him by God, the gift of flight! He just graciously sailed across the blue Texas sky. He never seemed to struggle, he just seemed to be enjoying himself. So while he was just smoothly sailing, the bird seemed to show me - why struggle against the changing winds of life? We don't control our tomorrows - so why worry and struggle against what we may perceive as inevitable. Why not just enjoy the present - the day you do know that you are living and have been guaranteed. Just take the time to grab the wind under my wing, and just soar with it. Seems to me it just makes life a bit easier. Don't you think??
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