I looked out the front room window and instead of the normal songbirds flitting in for birdseed there were at least four squirrels diligently searching for and collecting seed under the birdfeeders. The squirrels, usually one or two, scamper from tree to tree near the road and run from the slightest movement. Today was different. They were on task. They examined what looked like every blade of grass in a wide area of the yard. They would stop, process their treasure, then hunt again. They were oblivious to everything in their surroundings. One guy climbed the thin metal hook the birdfeeder hung on and wrapped his back feet on the post and swung out to the feeder which he clung to with his front feet giving the appearance of a trapeze artist in mid air. All this for one or two seeds. I thought of the the Word of God. Do I search,examine, and go after God's Word, the way they are the seed this morning? Then I spied a tiny, brown, ordinary bird in my lantern-made-birdfeeder. It was just as intent in it's own world surrounded by seed. It was probably missed at first because it blended so well with it's surroundings. He, too, was on task. As I pondered the correlation between their processing their morning seed to the Word of God, the regulars showed up. The pretty ones flew in for their usual seed or two and then flew off. Then another seed and off again. Wow, what do I look like to God? Do I diligently and actively seek every possible morsel I can without being distracted or do I find a quiet corner alone surrounded by the Truth of God's Word and take my time getting every possible tidbit available? The biggest question is am I like the beautiful songbirds who fly in for just enough and then off again. If I were a bird it would be enough to look good and be busy but I am not a bird. I sat down and opened my devotional and read these words, "(Your)words were found, and I did eat them; and (your) word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by (your) name, O Lord God of hosts." Jeremiah 15:16
My children, some which are adults, recently accused me of not cooking when their dad is out-of-town. My response, of course, was to prove them wrong. I cooked a meal, of some kind, every night he was gone on his most recent absence until the last night. It was mentally exhausting to think of and execute even a simple meal every evening. Over the years, I have taken my own kind of vacation. When Paul is gone I do have to handle all the home stuff but when the washing machine isn't shocking me, the dog is not sick on the porch, or I am attempting to kill a giant snake (harmless black snake to some) I lead a life of leisure. So, meal and bedtimes are according to feeling. Does momma feel like cooking? Sure, you can watch that late movie...I mean, who needs to get up in the morning? I am admitting that our meals may be a little more relaxed when Dad is gone. There is probably research if not at least witnesses (some in my home) that people can survive on cereal for a week several times a year and not show any great deficiencies. Since most of my kids could make their own sandwich by the age of 3 (more than a little scary) no one has gone hungry or been neglected. I was thinking...Paul travels as part of God's calling on his life and cares for us in that way but God says, "I am with you always..." Matthew 28:20 I have the security of knowing that He is with me in the easy times and the hard. He is with me when the washer messes up and the dog is missing. He is with us whether dinner is Crawfish Casserole or Raisin Bran. He is with Paul, wherever he may be, whether he has phone service and hot water or not. So, this week as we serve God apart, the kids will eat, Mom will probably not be very scheduled, and Dad, Sara, and Jed will serve in the mountains and we will all experience God moments.
