In good conscience it is hard and uncomfortable to be a law breaker even if it used to be legal to turn right. I look over my shoulder again and again thinking no one would know. Sometimes someone pulls up behind me and is more impatient than I or has a weaker conscience. They proceed to honk and make gestures…

The other morning I was there, at the wrong time, and began to sit through the light. Out of nowhere I sensed, ”Be still and know that I am God.” In typical impatience I may have been missing other times like that so I really stopped. I stopped my murmuring about an inconvenient sign, about some other stress in life and stopped about my plans for the day. My sitting there became more purposeful that day and now I don’t mind that inconvenience so much. There may be more to some other inconveniences in life. Now,that inconvenient sign became a marker and reminder of other things that may cause me to slow down and sense, “What is God doing? and What could He be doing in these circumstances?”

Uh oh, it is writing again. More scribbles and a few more lines of ink. This kept up for more than a week! Finally, I looked to see how full the ink was and there was plenty. So, I kept at it some more. Then it dawned on me; I have more pens, I don’t have to keep being frustrated with one that works sporadically!

That revelation was followed by another related to my spiritual life. Why do I put up with my familiar, sometimes broken way of dealing with life and circumstances? Those thoughts caused me to remember the riches of grace and how my Father owns the cattle on a 1000 hills. He also has provided life in abundance and everything I need for life and godliness. I don’t need to settle or get into same old ruts because God’s mercies are new every morning. What a great reminder. Now where did I put my new pen…

Last summer we we noticed something peculiar about our pool visits and it eerily occurred again this year. Upon arrival we sign in, find a spot to stack our stuff, don goggles and other pool gear then jump in. However, before we can get acclimated to the water the whistle blows and it is time for a life guard break! What is crazy is that the breaks occur at 10 till the top of the hour and like clock work we seem to arrive at 20 till.  This seems to happen 9 out of 10 visits!

Now, I guess we’ll have to plan better or just wait to leave for the pool more strategically. Sometimes that is life; the timing is unexplainable. Things happen and plans change so then you deal with it from that point on. You might try to find God’s sense of timing in it. There several Greek words for time used in the Bible. Two of them are: chronos and kairos. Chronos refers to time in a more general way while kairos refers to a specific period of time. Maybe God has something specific for us/you at a specific time… What is God up to in your life? your family’s life? Do you find yourself in circumstances that seem a little out of the ordinary or with a sense of timing that grabs your attention. Explore it.

I will be thinking differently now before and during my swim.

Next it was a toad. Somehow it had hopped into a backpack that was on the garage floor and was kind of freaking us out  with the rustling sound because we weren’t sure what it was until we could see it. A quick capture and release into the flowerbed and all is right in his world.

Lastly, was a anole or what we call a chameleon lizard. This one was in bad shape. Again he was in the garage (not sure I want to know what may be next) and the heat was incredible. I found him on a shelf and could not tell if he was alive. His skin was a sickly black and gray color instead of its usual vibrant green and its legs were sprawled out unnaturally. I touched him and he barely moved. When I picked him up he squirmed a short little protest. I took him outside and began to run some water from the hose. When it was cool to the touch I dripped a little on him and set him on a branch. He clung to it with all of its strength it seemed. I caught a little more water in my palm and gently poured it on him. He slightly opened his mouth and I guess his body temperature and health came back because he crawled up the crepe myrtle out of sight.

Then, I remember feeling a little hurt. Not one of those animals thanked me! Of course they couldn’t, they don’t talk (maybe the hummingbird winked but I couldn’t see its other eye). Obviously, I thought of our unique relationship with our Creator. We can talk and communicate on such a deep level. Beyond that, He is the ultimate Rescuer and what is my response? Do I just go on with life, whatever/wherever I want or do I respond in a daily, moment by moment life of gratitude? That’s where I want to be and if I’m ever stuck in a spot I can’t get out of, banging my head against the ceiling I want to know God is there and trust that He can rescue me.

I used to think that forgetting where one parked was evidence of a senior moment but what now, I’m not 40 (at least not for a few more months)!

So, mentally I backtracked and came up with a color/number combination that seemed like a good starting place. As soon as I stepped off the elevator I recognized an out of state license plate of a nearby car that stood out like a landmark for some reason and there across the aisle was my vehicle.

I guess I’m still such a kid because I ask “why” a lot. So there in that moment I asked myself “why didn’t I remember what level I parked on.” I didn’t like my answer because it meant that I had been too task focused, get out make the visit and get back to the office. It also made me wonder what else did I/do I miss when I get so focused on just getting done and through something that I forget the things of life.  Life is full of incidentals, spontaneous moments and interruptions that should remind us of the real Life. Often it is not the task but the journey that transforms us.

That answer also means I’ve got a little more life left in me yet, too!