Rebecca Carpenter

     I could not believe it!  The pesky squirrel had returned again.  Yesterday, my husband and I had purchased a large, metal cone that fitted over the bird feeder pole and was supposed to prevent the squirrels from climbing up to the feeder.  It was supposed to wobble so they would be deterred and give up.  Not our squirrel!  He was an acrobat who sailed through the air after a huge jump and landed right on top of the cone.  A couple of times he slid off but just bounded back.  He even squatted on the cone and then stretched out to eat from the feeder while balancing himself.  Even with all of the obstacles that had been placed in his path, he found ways to get around them. 

     Sometimes God puts obstacles in our way so that we will avoid harmful and destructive situations, but we find inventive means of getting around them.  We avoid family members and friends who try to show us the dangers that we are facing.  We find friends who share our views and poor choices so that we can rationalize our behaviors.  We run from God because we feel convicted and do not want to admit the errors of our ways.  Just as parents put up barriers for young children to protect them, God puts up barriers and obstacles to protect us. 

     What a brilliant sky!  As I looked to the east, the clear, blue sky was painted with puffy pink and white clouds.  The paintbrush had gloriously perfected a trail of clouds from the east across to the west.  However, in the west the beautiful clouds gave way to a rather dark, gloomy picture.  Such a contrast.

     A man was out walking toward the west, and I wondered if he had seen the magnificent masterpiece behind him or if he had only observed the dark gloominess ahead.  The sky contained both beauty and darkness-peace and foreboding–hope and despair.  Everyone in my neighborhood could experience both, but some would only focus on the beauty and some on the darkness.  Each day we can decide to look for the positive or the negative.  We can’t change every situation that we encounter, but our attitude determines how we react to it.  A hopeful attitude allows us to endure the difficult ones easier than a pessimistic one.  What will you choose today? 

     Because of a disagreeable cold, I am writing from my bed today.  My head hurts, I am having trouble breathing, and I just feel blah.  Even though it is sunny and bright outside, my spirits aren’t. 

    From my window, I scan the lake that I am usually so eager to experience.  However, the scene is quite different than the familiar one that I usually see from the porch.  A gardenia bush obstructs my view of the birdfeeder.  Are my favorite cardinals nibbling the seeds?  The angle of my view has also changed so I no longer glimpse the log where the turtles congregate.  Are they sunning themselves?  I can’t see the water’s edge to watch the blue heron and great egret as they quietly meander along the shore.  Are they snatching their breakfast?  I cannot answer any of those questions from my current perspective.

    Nevertheless, I can see across the porch to the other side of the house.  I can see the tops of plants that I had not noticed from my favorite place.  A palm tree protrudes above the top of the porch and is framed by a high window.  The plumes of an ornamental grass sway beyond another window. These are also interesting displays but not the ones to which I am accustomed.

     The lake, trees, house and animals have not changed, but my perspective on all of them has been altered because of my health and location.  This makes me think of how events in my life appear different only because of me.  When I am not feeling well, nothing is quite right.  I must be careful to not make assumptions and decisions on what is happening when I am not healthy.

      A change of perspective helps me to understand how others may see a situation.  I can better understand those who are chronically or terminally ill.  I also appreciate more fully the good health that I usually have.  My small aches and pains are put into a better perspective.  Hopefully, tomorrow I will be back at my favorite retreat, but I trust that I won’t forget my lessons from today.   

     I anticipated another gorgeous sunrise over the ocean as I opened the drapes of our vacation retreat.  However, there were clouds covering the horizon so I was afraid that I would not be able to see one on our last day at the beach.  As I continued gazing toward the water, I was pleasantly surprised to observe a break in the clouds near the breaking waves.  The lowest area of the sky slowly turned pink producing a strip beneath the grayish blue clouds.  Then a small bright yellowish red arc appeared.  Quickly, the sliver became larger and larger as the sky brightened.  I ran to get our new camera so that I culd capture the spectacular beauty.  Since the camera was unfamiliar to me, I fumbled with it and finally was able to take  3 or 4 pictures which only displayed an orange circle in the middle of a very dark background-hardly what I hoped to capture.

     Then I realized that in my feeble attempts to capture the scene forever, I was missing the glorious beauty before me.  I put the camera down and marveled at the magnificence that was in front of me.  The sun soon hid itself behind a lacy curtain of clouds producing lovely colors of pink and silver as the light shone through the cutouts.  In a short time the red orange changed to such yellow brightness that I could no longer look at it without hurting my eyes.   Then the sun again crept behind the clouds for a few seconds illuminating the entire array of clouds over the horizon with white light reflecting its presence even though the sun itself was not visible.  Then its final appearance came above the clouds in such a beautiful brillance.

     That extraordinary sunrise taught me many lessons.  Sometimes I am so busy preparing for an activity and want it to be just right that I miss enjoying the actual event.  Maybe it is a wedding, a birthday celebration, a family reunion, or dinner with friends.  The memories of just being with loved ones is more important than having everything done perfectly.

    When I thought that the sunrise would not be visible because of the clouds, my husband reminded me that the sun is always there even if we do not see it.  Sometimes when we are in the midst of difficult situations, we feel God is not there because we do not seem to see any evidence of Him.  However, He has never left, and we can see glimpses of Him through the clouds which are illuminated.  When He is shining through us, others can see the glow of His light in us.  We can’t produce it ourselves, but we can allow the Light to change us. 

      Whether the sun is high overhead, rising, setting, or shrouded in clouds, it is still there in all of its glory.  As we enjoy each phase, we should remember to thank the Light giver. 

     When I heard on the news about the stabbing death of a local high school student, I thought how terrible it was and how difficult it must be for everyone involved.  Parents do not send a child off to school thinking that it might be the last time that they see him.  It brought back reminders of other deaths in schools and how our schools have changed over the years.  As a teacher, I had never thought that the job would be considered dangerous, but it now is.

     After we returned from a short vacation, I had a message from a teacher friend informing me that the slain student was the son of two employees of my former school.  A sadness came over me as I thought of them and what they were experiencing.  I kept thinking of the cheerful attitudes they had as they diligently went about their jobs at school.  I thought of our talks and how we had encouraged each other- usually about our families.  Since I had retired last year, I had only seen them a few times but was always greeted with a smile or hug when I returned to visit. 

     All evening and into the night, I thought of their pain and the complete senselessness of the killing.  Why did it happen?  Why was it allowed to happen?  Why did it happen to good people?  I received no answers.

     I knew that they were Christians and found out that their church is surrounding them with constant love and support.  I still have no answers but know that they will be lifted up.  The strength that they do not have now will be supplied to them through other Christians as they plod through their difficult journey of grief.  I feel so helpless as my desire is to do something, but I do not know what to do that will really matter.  I can pray, send a card, place a phone call, or make a visit.  Nothing will take away the horrible pain or bring Michael back but love and caring will start the healing process. 

     In addition to thinking of their family’s pain, I also thought of the numerous opportunities that all of us have.  No one knows exactly when life will end for us or for those around us.  Therefore, we should make the most of every opportunity that we have to give a hug, a kiss, precious time, a listening ear, an encouraging word, and an “I love you”.  Look at each person as a gift from God who has been placed in your path for today.

     What a perfect day for flying.  My husband assembled the balsawood airplane for our 2 1/2 year old granddaughter.  She was anxious to start flying it but stood by patiently.  He threw the plane a few times with it going high into the air and even making some loops.  After his demonstration, her turn came so she pulled back her small arm, held the plane behind her head, and released it.  Crash!  It quickly crashed into the ground.  She picked it up and tried again.  Each time the plane left her hand, it crashed, but she did not get discouraged.  He showed her again how to do it as the plane circled the yard.  Each time she tried, the plane went a little further.  After a while, she picked up the plane, walked over to my husband, stood on his feet, and threw the plane.  She thought that if she stood in his steps, she would be able to fly the plane better.  She persevered and finally, her plane was going quite a distance because she had followed her model and not given up when it appeared that she could not do it.

     If we could only follow Jesus the same way.  We should watch His example and try to do what He shows us to do.  When we fail, He demonstrates for us so that we can try again and again.  As we practice, we should not give up when it appears that we are failing, but we should closely observe our patient teacher.  If we stand on His feet, we can more closely follow His example.  Jesus and other Christians rejoice with us during our journey.  We won’t accomplish tasks perfectly, but we can follow the One who does.  We can also be a godly example to others and be there to encourage and praise them in their walk.

    After several weeks of absence, the squirrel reappeared.  He was walking on the roof tiles quite a distance from the bird feeder.  I did not know why he had stayed away, but I was grateful.  He absence had allowed daily visits to the feeder of many types of birds which I enjoyed watching.

   What a sneaky little fellow!  As I was writing, he somehow moved from the roof to the bank and then to the tree by the feeder.  He moved so quickly and then disappeared at the back of the tree.  The morning view was so beautiful and serene, but I felt an unwelcome anticipation-wondering when he would try to jump up onto the feeder again and scare the birds.  I was not enjoying the lovely flowers or refreshing view any longer.  I was now only concerned about the pesky squirrel that had previously caused havoc when he ate from the feeder and disturbed the birds.

     Then I realized that the tranquil scene had not really changed from the one that I had enjoyed only a few minutes earlier.  However, I was no longer enjoying it because my focus had changed.  I was worrying about the squirrel.  Yes, he had been a problem previously and might become one again.  I did not know for sure if that would happen and certainly did not know when it might occur.  I was allowing what might happen rob me of the joy of what was actually happening.  How many times have my worries of the future taken away my joy of the present? 

     After we finished dancing around the room to country music and did some exercises, my granddaughter and I sat down to rest which was mostly for me.  She took her little finger and made an indentation in the carpet which remained and gave me an idea.  Drawing with my finger, I produced a circle which I showed to her.  Then I continued making shapes and letters which she tried to copy with her finger.  We continued drawing and identifying our figures until we had filled a large area of the plush carpet. 

     Suddenly, she jumped up, put her arms out to each side, and exclaimed, “This is what mommy is going to say, ‘My goodness, what did you do to my carpet?’”

     I burst into laughter as she stood there so seriously role playing what she thought her mother’s response would be.  I explained to her that the marks would all disappear when it was vacuumed.  She seemed satisfied so we continued playing with some of her toys.

     When we heard the garage door open, she ran to see her mother and announced, “We made marks all over the carpet!” 

     My poor daughter-in-law was thinking that her carpet had been ruined by crayons or paint.  She quickly came into the living room to see the damage.  What a relief it was to her to discover that the marks were only made by our fingers.  We both laughted when I told her what her daughter thought the response would be. 

     I often wonder how children’s minds perceive the words and actions that we give them.  I know that they do not see things the same way that we do and often completely miss the points that we think we are making.  Perhaps we should look at the world through their less complicated eyes without the masks and hidden meanings that we often posses.

     As much as I am annoyed by the squirrels in our yard, lately I have been fascinated by them even though we lost one bird feeder because of their antics.  My husband attached a special pipe around the pole to “squirrel proof” it after they kept getting into the new feeder.  However, the squirrels did not know about the “squirrel proofing” and were not deterred from skimming up the pole. 

     As I watched from the patio, one of the bushytailed creatures scampered up the pole.  Because of the larger pole attachment, his steps were unsure, but he made it to the top.  He sat there as if surveying the situation and then tried to stretch to reach the feeder with its enticing food.  No luck.  He ran down the pole, did a quick u-turn on the ground, and skimmed back to the top.  He reached out for the feeder again but could not quite make the connection.  He continued this cycle of going up the pole, down the pole, up the tree, down the tree, and back up the pole at least five times.  Finally, he jumped to the top of the feeder, hung upsidedown, and nibbled away.  Even though the feeder swayed and wiggled, he held on tightly and continued eating.

     We could learn some lessons from that little squirrel.  He did not give up even when there were obstacles in his way.  He kept trying over and over.  He tried new approaches to the problem when one did not work.   He took short breaks to regroup and then tried again.  He did not wait for someone to do it for him and did not screech and complain when he did not achieve his goal.  He saw the problem and eventually found a way to solve it.  What profound lessons we can learn from those around us–even animals.

     Brrrrrrr!  After I went onto the porch with my Bible, devotionals, writing materials, and hot tea, I quickly ran back inside to get my fuzzy, warm robe.  Fall announced its entrance to Central Florida with an unexpected nip in the air.   Mist gently hung over the lake and moved like tiny clouds as joyful sounding bird voices surrounded me.  Then the tranquility was interrupted by the loud squawking of two small grayish birds as they darted at each other while flying.   

     A trio of cardinals added sparkle to the scene.  Two bright scarlet males and one less colorful female jumped from branch to branch.  It seemed that the bright males would be easy prey for larger animals, but when they are amid the leaves, they are hardly noticeable.  I could barely keep up with the pairs of birds flying back and forth across the yard, from tree to tree, and to the rooftop. The female cardinal returned to the feeder but kept searching the area as if looking for her mate.  Finally, one of the males returned, and she seemed relieved.

     I thought of how God provides for us just like he does for his feathered creations.  God made male and female and said that it was not good for man to be alone.  Even the birds are usually in pairs or in even larger groups.  Because of various circumstances such as death, divorce, job transfers, or illnesses, we may find that we are alone.  God provides for us and may even put someone into our lives that we would never have expected.  Sometimes, we must be the one to take the first step so look around and appreciate the wonderful people in your life.