It's Alive!!!

  "Wait for the LORD;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the LORD!"   - Psalm 27:14

  That verse...oh how I sat and pondered on it one day when I felt that life was just not what it should be and God was not answering. Okay, just wait on the Lord, that's what I'll do. Then I set about my day waffling between impatient "waiting" and whining.

  Late in the day, about the time my husband arrives home from working, I ventured outside because it was nice weather. Walking out back, I noticed that two of my chickens were missing so I decided to try to wrangle them up just to be sure all was well. A family of hawks had been very active the last few days. 

  Wrangling chickens is easy. A canister of dried meal worms is the secret. Just shake it a few times and you will get a re-enactment of Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" in chicken form (it is a lot less frightening). Two shakes...seven birds. Two more shakes...still seven birds only now they are in much more of a frenzy. By the third set of shakes, seven chickens are practically performing the Nutcracker Suite trying to get me to toss out some worms. Two chickens were still AWOL. Finally, I toss out some worms and head towards the creek where occasionally a few brave chickens will wander close to hoping to score a new variety of bug. 

  After calling a few minutes, all I spy is a hawk that flies off from a nearby tree. This worked wonders in curing me of my earlier woes because now my mind is imagining that Poe and Nilla have become hawk feed. Then I hear chicken sounds further in the woods but I cannot see a thing so not sparing a moment, I run to get my dog that sometimes helps me chase chickens back to the fenced area. 

  Nacho could possibly be an amazing duck hunting dog if he weren't afflicted with a dog form of attention deficit disorder. He stalks around outside following wherever I go and running off to investigate anything that distracts him. We find nothing. An hour later, I'm trying to juggle cooking dinner and finding chickens. Outside 5 minutes. Inside to stir pots for 5 minutes. Back outside searching for 5 minutes. 

  One last trip outside, I resolve that I have definitely lost two chickens. As Nacho and I make our way back to the house, something jumps under the rose bush by the house. An exhausted, distressed Poe has somehow from somewhere returned confused. Trying to herd the chicken to the fence, I can tell that she is too tired to flap enough to fly over so I will have to get her to go through the gate. Sounds easy but I can attest to the fact that chickens have an aversion to open gates. Thinking that Nacho can help me, I call him over and we set about coaxing her near the open gate but she runs past it. Nacho thinks this is great and he continues to chase her around the fence. After two passes of the open gate, I am beyond frustrated and dinner is possibly burning...blackened green beans, anyone? Finally, because this is always a good option, I yell. "Ugh! Why can't you just learn to stop and wait when I need you to Nacho!" 

  SLAP!

  That was the sound of God's Word showing itself to be living right in my face. Oh yes, I got it. It was loud and clear. 

  Why can't I wait upon the Lord? Why do I just run back and forth in a tizzy like a chicken with an open gate phobia? The whole time God just wants me to wait. Then the rest of the verse made sense. I am not being strong or taking courage. I am scared and weak, which ultimately boils down to not trusting the Lord. A little object lesson is all it takes for me sometimes to see my huge need for repentance. 

  Sometimes when you are praying and praying for something, you need to batten down the hatches, throw out the anchor, pull down the sails, and just sit and wait. Waiting is not the absence of action. It takes a lot of effort to get out the anchor and toss it into the water. It takes a lot of work to strengthen your heart. You are going to have to get deep in the Word and fight against your desire to "do something" and your thoughts that want to drag you to despair and frustration. Wait on the Lord. He is doing something but it just does not involve you yet. Wait on the Lord. He is answering but it is not the solution your brain has concocted. Just wait on the Lord. 

  By the way, Poe did run through the gate after my yelling episode but I am sure it was in spite, not because, of my effort. And, right as the sun was almost set, Nilla also returned home from somewhere. Hawks, 0. Me, humbled. God, all the glory.