Hi, all! Just a thought.

Spring time at our house brings with it lots of sounds, lots of critters, and lots of adventure. Four of those critters, in particular, have graced me with their presence over the past few days, and I’d like to share with you about those encounters.

I’ll begin up top, with the turtle. As I drove out of the driveway one recent morning, this fellow was attempting to cross. I assume the noise of my truck startled it, and it stopped right there. I got out, and since I wasn’t sure how aggressive it would be, I didn’t attempt to pick it up. I gently pushed it from behind, hoping to nudge it across the gravel driveway, and out of danger’s reach. I was not successful. The turtle completely refused to move. It refused to accept my offer of help or my gentle push from behind.

The frog, one of what sounds like many hundreds hollering outside each evening, sat stuck to the outside of the bathroom window. I tapped at it. I held the phone camera right against the glass so that the camera flashed when I snapped the photo. I made noise at it. The frog stretched its legs a little, then drew them back up close. It had started to be attentive to the noise, the distraction, the possible danger, but then it went back to its own little world, curled back up, and sat.

The lizard had affixed itself to a door at church the other morning. I saw it from down the hall, quickly grabbed my phone for a picture, and carefully headed straight toward it. It remained still for what seemed like only about five seconds while I snapped two or three clear pictures. Then, very much aware of the potential for danger, it ran, very quickly, down the facing, and scurried out of sight before I could even open the door.

And then there’s the cat. She had her breakfast and promptly took her perch atop the back of my truck, ready to pounce on anything, dangerous or not, that might accidentally come within her reach.

Can you identify with any of the four? The Lord is speaking to you. Are you stubborn like the turtle, refusing to listen, refusing to be gently nudged toward a safer place in life? Are you the frog, perhaps acknowledging His presence, but not willing to move enough to change your position or learn anything new? Are you the lizard, so scared of even the tiniest thing, that you run before He can get close? Or are you the aged cat, having learned from experience and wisdom, that the safest place is high up above whatever may crawl below, ready, by the grace of God, to face anything down there?

It’s a busy spring. Be a busy creature for God. Look, listen, learn, and leap when necessary!

Just a thought.

’Til later.

Brad Campbell can be reached at mastah.pastah@yahoo.com.