One of the first real jokes I can recall memorizing is one
that continues to provide me deeper inspiration today. Here goes…
It started to rain pretty heavily
in a small town. Seeing that the waters were rising, a man climbed onto his
roof to wait out the storm. A man in a rowboat came by and asked the man if he
wanted to come along with him. The man on the roof shook his head and said,
“The Lord will provide.” The man on the rowboat shook his head and rowed away.
An hour or so later as the floodwaters had continued to rise up the side of the
house, a man in a motorboat came along. He asked the man on the roof if he
wanted to come along with him. The man on the roof shook his head and said,
“The Lord will provide.” A few hours later the water was lapping at the man’s feet
on the roof. A man in a helicopter came by and asked if he wanted to come along
with him. The man on the roof shook his head and said, “The Lord will provide.”
Within the hour, the floodwaters took over the house; the man on the roof was
swept away, drowned and died. He found himself in Heaven face to face with the
Lord. He said to God, “Dear Lord, why am I here. Why did you not save me?” And
the Lord said, “What else did you want me to do? I sent you a row boat, a motor
boat and a helicopter.”
What a difficult battle we fight. We’ve been given these
amazing brains, hearts and bodies; these amazing abilities; these amazing
gifts. How incredible and fulfilling it is when we use them. We dare to
believe…to believe in ourselves and to boldly make a difference in the world
around us.
But, somehow, there always seems to be a but…something that
nags at us.
But is this what I was called to do? Am I living fully?
Could I be doing more for others? Could I be happier? Could this be easier?
Sometimes the light shines so brightly we can’t help but
bask in God’s glory knowing that all is right in the world. We give great
thanks. Other times, we wonder…are we on the right path? It sort of feels like
it, but sometimes things seem quiet…too quiet.
And so, let me introduce to you the blessing of God shouting.
Maybe it’s not really shouting, but it seems like that because if you’ve
finally gotten yourself centered, thoughtful and quiet enough or into a tizzy
of white noise, you might begin to hear or to notice hints being thrown your
way. It might start to feel like shouting.
In the last week, God has been shouting at me.
The radio show asked, “What are you waiting for? When are
you going to start writing?”
A daily meditation I read reflected, “Are you living into
your calling? Are you writing?”
A church friend (or two) asked me, “When are you going to
write your book?”
A young person preached my own words back to me without
knowing I had shared them in the first place, and several friends and readers texted
or emailed me to let me know.
My beloved mother-in-law questioned me, “Have you been
blogging, writing down your thoughts?”
So what is it about living life that still leaves me
wanting? What have I been waiting for…that rowboat, that speed boat, that
helicopter? Is God sitting there stumped wondering what it will take to inspire
my gifts to use?
How many life rafts will I need before I drown? Drown in my
own self pity because I won’t listen. Drown in my own unhappiness because I’m
avoiding something that brings me joy and fulfillment but is hard and takes
time. Drown in my dissatisfaction because I feel like I’m not being the full me
I was meant to be.
These suggestions do not mean total change, but there is
always room for adjustment and improvement. I’ll take it. I’m blogging today.
How is God shouting at you?
With love and light,
LT
