SILLY GOOSE!

We are at Julie's house in Alabama today. We traveled yesterday through pouring rain most of the way, but praise the Lord, arrived safely. The grandkids were thrilled to see us and Julie was, too, of course. In fact, she said she was thankful we were there last night. David had just arrived in Qatar and was supposed to be on his way to Baghdad yesterday or today, although she had not heard from him. She had not been able to sleep much the night before, and when she finally did sleep, she had nightmares. It was good to have company right now, she said.

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We also got to meet Pumpkin the Perfect Pooch and Pampered Pet in Person. What a sweet little dog she is! So well-behaved and good -- just like all my other grandchildren! She sure loves her new grandma, too! (Ok, just kidding -- and I promise this is the last time I will talk about Pumpkin -- at least for a while!)

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I love animals. There is something truly unique about dogs, especially. They really connect with humans on an emotional level, and live simply to please their owners. All of God's creation is so beautiful, though. What an amazing God we have that coukl create a world so interesting and varied and yes, even funny! I often say we see God's sense of humor in the animals He's made. Whether it is just the way some of them look, or their natural instincts, or their creative behavior, animals often amaze or intrigue us, or simply make us laugh. I got a good laugh from one of His creatures just the other day when I was driving down the road.

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I had been to my hairdresser's house which is a good forty-five minute drive from home. Most of that is city driving, but one part is past open fields and a little bit of "country." I noticed several geese swimming in a little pond on my way there. As I was coming back I saw one of those geese standing by the side of the road with her neck stretched up to its fullest length and her head swiveling back and forth as she watched the cars whizzing by in both directions. I noticed the other two geese had already made it to the other side and were waiting for her, but there she was -- stuck by the heavy traffic. I laughed at how funny she looked with her head turning back and forth on that long neck and thought to myself, "Silly goose! Why don't you just fly across?"

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Well, first of all, I had to give her credit -- she did look both ways before crossing. But then I couldn't help thinking what a silly goose she was in ignoring the obvious and not going for what should have come so easily and naturally to her, and what would have been a perfectly safe way for her to cross. Use what God gave you, Silly Goose, and fly!

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My third thought was how like that silly goose we are sometimes! How often has the Lord called us to follow Him or asked us to do a special task for Him and we have hesitated or even refused to obey? We think we do not have what it takes, or we are fearful, or perhaps sometimes we are just too lazy! We do not realize that when God requires anything of us or asks us to do some work for Him, that He has already given us all that we need to accomplish His will. Need strength? It is there -- just enough to see you through. Need courage? He will provide. Need wisdom, talent, ability, skills? He does not ask us to do anything for which He has not equipped us. It is up to us to trust and be obedient to His call and to use what God has given us. Sometimes we do not even know that we have what it takes until we take that first step of faith and try.

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II Timothy 1:9 has been a favorite verse of mine for many years. It says, "Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." It has been a blessing to me to know that before the world even began He had a plan for me based not upon my abilities, but upon His purpose for me and His grace. Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." He created me, His perfect workmanship, to do the work that He ordained for me. And then it is through His great power that He accomplishes that work through me, exceeding far above what I could even dream of. "Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." (Ephesians 3:20)

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All of that should certainly give me all the confidence I need to do whatever God wants me to do! His will for my life and the work He has called me to do is all according to His plan and for His purpose, and done by His creation through His power. All I need to do is trust and then use what God has given me to fly, Silly Goose, fly!