Horse farms are
abundant in Marion County especially west of Ocala. I am blessed every day
while driving to work watching many of the horses scamper across the fields and
sometimes chasing an ATV full of feed. Just watching them makes me smile as
they get their trot just in tune with the ATV, heads bowed, mouths open, eating
and enjoying every moment of it. I don’t know what would happen if the ATV
stopped suddenly with a jolt. I suppose the horse would be quicker than I would
be in getting out of the way!
I can’t help but
to think of Marlene Evans and her imagination in trying to tell a story of “The
horse who didn’t get out of the way.” I
suppose there’s not another writer and teacher who has influenced my life like
this dear Godly woman, professor, author and friend. She enjoyed life even
while cancer wreaked havoc in her body.
But even during those many years of treatment she enjoyed living the
abundant life our savior spoke about in John 10:10. Because she taught it, many
of us “caught” it!
What are you
teaching so that others can catch it, embrace it, live it and re-produce it?
A favorite saying
of hers was, “Leave your world and enter hers (his).” That is very difficult to
do if you and I think only of ourselves most of the time.
John 10:9-10 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be
saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and
to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it
more abundantly.
I sat in the
Children’s Emergency waiting room while Brother and Mrs. Kirsop’s little girl,
Aliethia was being x-rayed for a possible break after falling from the monkey
bars at school. I needed to work and kept looking at my attache case contemplating
pulling out some work and at least separating the papers to a “to do list” but
was interrupted by some youngsters who spoke no English and was apparently not
taught how to behave in a public place.
I shifted from side to side avoiding the one child who almost slammed into
my legs while pushing a plastic chair! I looked up and his mouth was biting
down on a pacifier and I actually thought, “I hope you bite your tongue, you
little spoiled brat!” The mom was oblivious to their wild behavior and probably
wouldn’t understand me if I tried to tell her she needed to make her four
children sit down and read a book or color or SOMETHING, rather than keep ME
from concentrating on my work.
Finally, I just
folded the papers and tucked them away for later, picked up my cell phone to
check on the progress of Aliethia when the smallest child waddled over to me
and just stood there looking up at me and smiling. Mrs. Evans has been with the Lord for many
years, but I thought I could hear her say, “Sharon, stop. Leave your world and
enter his.” I smiled back into the darkest most beautiful black eyed little
boy, ever. He was there all the time, but all I could see was my own
perturbness ….. my perturb with a ness!
Our little
interruptions in the day may keep us from the abundant life if we are not
careful to take notice of our God in the midst of it all, wouldn’t you agree?
Are you like me and get so caught up in the moment that you miss the bountiful
blessings of the little things…..like a child who just needed a smile?
I thought about
the little one, and was ashamed that I didn’t take advantage of the moments
with those children because as quickly as they were there, they left. I
probably will not see them again. Sad. Selfishness keeps us from enjoying the
abundant life.
Stop and think
about your life. What consumes you? Is there a balance of the spiritual, the
physical, the mental and the eternal? Is it time to make a “to do list” and
change some things? What do you like doing? Do you make time to do those things
that will be an encouragement to you mentally? Do you get outside and challenge
your mind to relax and maybe watch the horses run through the fields chasing
one other or are you stuck in a one sided life where work dominates you. Maybe
sports dominates your life if you are an athlete. I hear women who run every day but it
dominates their life. They have become addicted to it and therefore there is no
balance. A writer can become so involved
in writing that other areas suffer. I see the abundant life as a balanced life
full of God’s provisions and opportunities to enter others' lives.
Jesus warns us of
the enemy, the thief who comes to steal our joy, killing our influence for Him
while others watch and want nothing to do with church, religion or Christ.
Shame on us. Shame on me for not picking up that little boy and smooching all
over his little dirty face!
Abundance…….fullness,
overflowing.
Abundant
life……life to its fullest!
So, I made a new
“to do” list to shore up some of the things I already enjoy. Marlene Evans
would be so proud of me!! These have to do with the following:
Nature, Bible
study, bicycling, visiting, eating with more of Trim Healthy Mama recipes,
music and singing, and last but not least…..writing.
God wants us to
enjoy this life He has given to us. Look about you and think on some ways you
can shore up those things you already enjoy or maybe you have set them aside
for another day. It may be time to write another “to do” list!
Until next time,
Lord willing.
Sharon
No comments:
Post a Comment