Be like the weed

Went for a walk around the park this morning for the first time in a fair while. I had done my devotions and Bible reading and I just couldn't get anything out of it. While I was walking I asked God to give me something….anything really…I needed to reconnect with Him somehow. Then I noticed a pretty little yellow flower beside the path. It was a weed. I picked it. As I was looking at I started thinking about how the council comes in every so often and mows down all the long grass and weeds. And it saddened me at first to think of this pretty yellow flowers being cut down. That’s how life seems to me sometimes. Like just when I feel like I’m beginning to bloom that something comes and mows me down. But then God reminded that even though these pretty yellow flowers (weeds) get mown down, they don’t die. They come back again. They don’t give up. And he told me that I need to be like the weed. I need to keep coming back no matter how many times I get mown down.

One Word Prompt - Zoo

 

I love animals.I actually went through a stage when I was young when I wanted to be either a marine biologist or a vet. I'm kind of glad that I didn't become either of those. Firstly I don't like the ocean (well going in the ocean to be precise) and I can basically only swim enough to barely save myself in calm conditions. And sharks totally terrify me. Hmmmm actually to be completely honest I have a strong aversion to boats, ships etc. But I love dolphins. I was completely obsessed with them as a kid. I had books on them, posters of them and I even joined the WWF. Even though I don't like the ocean swimming with dolphins is on my "to do before I die list". I figure I'll go to Seaworld one day and pay to do it there.
Well that's why I'm glad I didn't become a marine biologist. As for the vet thing I'm glad I didn't do that either for several reasons.
I was a vet nurse for a while and found it a rewarding but very emotionally draining job. It was hard enough assisting vets when they had to put animals down but to actually have to make those life and death decisions myself would have made me an emotional wreck.
Blood....while I can deal with animal blood much better than human blood, it still makes me queasy.
Poop and other excrements....well I don't think I need to say much more there...gross...and I have a weak stomach
Reptiles...specifically snakes....I am completely and utterly terrified of snakes....phobic...can't even look at pictures of them. Luckily for most of the time when I was a vet nurse I worked for a Cat Specialist so it was not an issue. But at my other job I once turned up to work to find a snake had been admitted the night before. I can tell you I was not cleaning the cages that morning.
And  lastly....is....well I would no doubt end up with a "zoo" of my own with all the animals needing a home and my DH would not be happy living with lots of animals...see while I am an animal lover he is is definitely not. He doesn't hate them just doesn't like them much either.
Okay back to the word Zoo. Some have said that my house was once like a zoo and I have owned lots of animals over time. Lets see....I've bred pedigree guinea pigs...kept chickens, ducks, a rabbit (shhh don't tell anyone coz I wasn't supposed to have it), pet rats, mice, various birds, dogs, cats, an axolotl, gold fish, tropical fish and a turtle. Right now we only have two very old cats, 4 rats (two are on their last legs I think) and my son has tropical fish. I hope one day to have chickens again and I really really want a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

Maybe I’ll get one someday soon…:)

Rainy Daze

Today is a rainy day.

I love rainy days. It’s a time that all I want to do is curl up with a good book or watch a good movie. Not doing either at the moment. But writing on rainy days is good too.

There is something about rain that soothe my soul. Rain reminds me of life, of growth, of renewing, and most of all it reminds me of the awesome power of the God I love. He has power over life. He gives us water which makes every living thing grow.

I remember first finding out that this earth didn’t even know rain until the Great Flood of Noah’s day. I try to imagine just what was going on in the people’s heads when they first saw it rain. I imagine for those that refused to believe Noah when he told them that God was going to flood the world it was shock and fear. Did they realize that Noah’s words were true? Or were they still stubbornly refusing to believe?

What were Noah and their family feeling? Were they afraid too? Imagine that water had never fallen from the sky before and here it was pouring down. What a shock to the system that would be. I imagine it would have been scary but also comforting. If their God could cause water to fall from the sky when it never had before than of  course he could protect those who followed and loved him.

How do I feel when God rains into my life? Do I turn away in fear and run? Or do I see it as a sign his awesome power reigning in my life?

How about you?