BUMPING UP THE GRATITUDE

Those “old people falling down” videos on ABC’s AFV television series get me giggling every time. Granny misses a step, and whoosh—there she slides, bump, bump, bumping down on her ample rear, dress flying up over her head. Bewildered and maybe slightly embarrassed, she is helped up, none the worse for wear. Always worth a little laugh, that.

Until I’m the granny and it’s my garage step that gets missed and my, um, ample rear that gets bumped. And bruised (perfectly lovely colors of bright blue and purple—just take my word on it!). And—I am worse for wear! And nobody’s laughing, least of all me.

But I am giving thanks, even though I must confess that I have long had a bit of trouble complying with I Thessalonians 5:18  - “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in all circumstances.” What, be thankful that I wrenched my bad knee, strained a thigh muscle and bothered my already chronically sore back when I stumbled (bumbled?) out the back steps onto the garage floor? When I could barely shuffle along without wincing and moaning and groaning?

Well, yes. The day this latest incident occurred (oh, and there have been many!) my husband and I were scheduled to fly, changing planes in Minneapolis. A long trek was required to go from one gate to the next, but I ended up being able to negotiate it quite easily. Most of the resultant stiffness and soreness didn’t show up until the next day, which I was able to manage since I was home. My “injury” did not prevent me from getting to where I needed to go, the bruises faded, the muscles healed and the knee returned to its usual, cranky sort of state. I was thankful!

Author Gretchen Rubin says: “Far too often, it takes a catastrophe to make us appreciate what we had. For that reason, one of the central aims of my happiness project is to appreciate what I have, now, while I still have it. I've long been haunted by the words of the French writer Colette: "What a wonderful life I've had! I only wish I'd realized it sooner." That quote is why I've been working hard at finding happiness in the small, ordinary details in life and appreciating the adventure of everyday existence.“

No, I am not classifying my step miss-step as a “catastrophe.” But it did remind me that the ability to walk around my house or stroll around the block—pain-free—is a joy, a privilege and a blessing and should never be taken for granted. It should be relished with gratitude.  Like Ms. Rubin, I’m “working hard at...appreciating the adventure of everyday existence,”  like taking a walk, and maybe even laughing at Granny’s AFV-worthy  moments.

Psalm 100:4 “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.”

 

 

 

 

FAKE SWANS

I remember the first day I saw them. They were so regal and proud. I ran home (well, not literally—I walked really fast, for me!). I grabbed my camera and headed back down the street to the ponds, hoping those never-before-seen swans would still be swimming around.

They were. I furiously snapped away, until realization dawned. They weren’t swimming. Funny how still the big birds seemed to be, not even making a ripple. They were in the exact same position as when I had first seen them, too. “Oh, brother,” I thought as I mentally gave myself a slap to the noggin. “Those are fake swans!” (Less you find me the most gullible soul you know, I did have occasion to burst another swan-lover’s bubble after she rhapsodized out loud to me about the swans’ glorious presence in our ponds!)

Yup, they were fake. Hard, floating  white swan decoys, positioned in the subdivision’s two retention ponds in order to deter the unwanted, messy hordes of Canada geese from making the ponds and surrounding grassy areas their personal restrooms. Says tjb-inc.com, which sells the decoys, “Mute swans aggressively protect their young from Canada Geese, making this swan an effective deterrent as part of an overall repellent strategy. Head and neck can be adjusted for a realistic look. This plastic decoy may be free floated, or secured in the water with string or decoy weights. It may also be secured on shore with two steel anchoring stakes (included). Decoy should be moved periodically to increase effectiveness and used with other deterrent methods.” 

And they worked, for a while.  A great number of the geese have now figured out that those fakers are no threat to them. Those swans are no longer protecting anything from anything. They haven’t been moved, their heads and necks left unadjusted. And the one whose elegant neck now points to the pond’s muddy bottom while he shows his perfectly empty, legless bottom to the sky? A useless laughingstock  to any Canadian avian. 

Sometimes I think we Christians can be like those swans in the ponds. We start out “on fire” for the Lord. We read our Bibles, We attend church. We pray. We treat one another with love and respect. We make Jesus a real priority in our lives. We are busy trying to deter the unwanted, messy horde of sin that turns our lives into restrooms. Then we get lazy. We let things slide. We could be the folks mentioned in Revelation 2:4: “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.” 

Let’s secure ourselves with the steel anchoring stake of Christ and float free, striving to be effective as real, true believers. Let’s remember “the love (we) had at first.” I don’t want to be an upside down, useless faker. Do you?