We heard this story at church today. I found it especially appropriate since I've been feeling very much in despair lately. I asked Tim last night how I can feel hope and despair at the same time? But that's exactly what I've been feeling. Sometimes, at the end of the day, the hope comes out on top, but sometimes the despair consumes me.
This sister told about a time when she moved from the city up to the mountains. When they moved, they found they had a very friendly squirrel in their back yard. The squirrel would come right up to them and take nuts right out of their hands. When they ate outside on their porch they would set a plate out, and their little friend would join them. Winter was on its way, and they found where their squirrel was storing its food. They decided to help it along, and added nuts and seeds to its stash.
One day, this sister went outside and heard what she could only describe as a squirrel crying. She went to the nest and found that some raccoons had tipped over and stolen the whole winter's supply of food. This little squirrel was simply beside itself. It cried and cried. How would it survive the winter? How was it going to feed its babies that were coming in the spring? It had done everything squirrel-y possible to prepare, but it had no control over what those wicked raccoons had done. This sister felt such empathy for the squirrel that she stood and cried with it.
The squirrel continued to cry, and when the sister tried to call to it to let it know she was still there to help it, it would not hear her because it was so distraught. The squirrel did not know that something bigger than itself had added to its stash before the raccoons had come. The squirrel did not know that something bigger than itself was watching out for it and could take care of it through the long winter. And the squirrel was too caught up in its own dismay and worry that it would not listen when the sister tried to console it.
The humans took care of the squirrel through the winter. The winter ended and they took care of her babies in the spring. It didn't matter that the squirrels original plan was destroyed by something outside its control. It was still taken care of.
Maybe I'm too distraught and worried about Tim being unemployed to listen to the Maker. To hear him calling to me to tell me that everything will be alright. That He will take care of me and my babies through this long winter. Maybe I need to stop crying and start listening and start looking for the small blessings that he's sending my way.
6 comments:
Amen!! Thanks Katie... I was going through this same thing a few weeks ago.. I still do not see the light.. But, I really have learned to be quieter.
Thanks for sharing that story, Katie. It's a good one -- with a good lesson. You know, over the last year or so, I have found myself firmly rooting deep in my testimony that things -- even the crummy things -- happen for a reason -- a reason which will ultimately make us happier. Keep plugging away, Katie. There's a light at the end of this dark tunnel -- and it'll be brighter than you can right now imagine.
i read this last night and i have been thinking about it and thinking about it. oh the things we go through. i read a sign this morning that read THIS TOO SHALL PASS....thought of this, thought of you.
oh dearie. he's holding you in his hands. it's all for a purpose. i LOVE that story! i was distraught over my situation for more than a year before i finally stopped kicking against the pricks and shut my mouth for a moment. do you know what i heard? *you're a good mom, jenica* the answers will come katie. just hang in there.
we need to play sometime! forget about our worries and eat lunch in the park. wanna come over?
go and read your favorite scripture again and again.
timmy and i have been reading the new testament for one of his online classes and we have been reading about so many miracles that he performed and i keep thinking of you.
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