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Squirrel
Power
By
Jo Dias, England
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"Miserable!"
That was the only way to describe how I was feeling on that
bright summer day. My husband had had to travel—again!—and
there I was alone with our four children. Finances were low
and my health was bad. My teenage daughter was going through
a crisis in her life. Having to handle her problems, take care
of the other children, and run the house at the same time was
taking its toll on me.
Although I tried hard, it was
difficult to see anything positive about my situation. I prayed—oh,
how I prayed!—that the Lord would make things a little
easier to bear.
Looking out onto the neighboring
grove, with the beautiful trees swaying in the slight summer
breeze, I thought about other times of discouragement I'd been
through. I remembered that the Lord had always done something
to encourage me. But there's always a first time! I thought
in despair.
That's when I noticed a little
squirrel squeaking away as he climbed up and down the trees.
I watched as he went up one and then down and up again. I envied
the little fellow who looked like he was having such fun, without
a care in the world. Meanwhile, I felt like I was on a downward
spiral with no way to get up again.
My squirrel chose that moment
to change tactics. Instead of running up and down the trees,
he started hopping from one tree directly onto another. He jumped
over to what looked like the last tree in the line, and then
looked up and ahead at a tree that was at the far end of the
grove. He seemed to be deliberating.
I mentally measured the distance
between trees and it seemed to me that the one at the end was
definitely at least two or even three times the distance that
he'd previously been jumping. "You can't be serious, little
fellow!" I whispered. But he was not looking for my advice.
He had dared and won the first few rounds, but here was a massive
challenge. What was he going to do?
He ran up and down the tree a
few times, squealing frantically. Then he stopped and eyed the
distance, crouched |
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down,
and before I knew it, he had leaped! Way out! He was sailing
through the air—and for a minute I wanted to turn my eyes
from what I thought was surely going to end in tragedy. |
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heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,
and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore
do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about
its own things. (Matthew 6:32–34 NKJ) |
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But
no! Not only did he fly across that immense span, but he landed
on the other tree with the grace and glory that only comes from
knowing one is meant to do such things. He chattered in victory
and scampered up to the top, as if to his reward!
I realized that all that time
I had been holding my breath. Quite unnecessarily, I thought
with a smile. The little guy had only been obeying his instincts
with the faith that comes from trusting his Maker.
I knew then what I'd been missing.
I had been so busy looking at my problems—measuring the
distance between the trees—that I was afraid to just let
go and sail across to the other side. For a little while I had
lost my faith in my Maker, my Savior, my Best Friend.
As I looked up at the squirrel,
now merrily running on the branches, I knew that the Lord had
answered my prayer. It was not a great big spectacular miracle,
but just the chattering of a little squirrel that told me that
the same God who took care of him was going to take care of
me as well. |
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