Soar Like An Eagle...

 

Calm Me ...

 

Chickens and Eagles

A man found an eagle’s egg and put it in a nest of a barnyard hen. The eaglet hatched with the brood of chicks and grew up with them.

All his life the eagle did what the barnyard chicks did, thinking he was a barnyard chicken. He scratched the earth for worms and insects. He clucked and cackled. And he would thrash his wings and fly a few feet into the air.

Years passed and the eagle grew very old. One day he saw a magnificent bird above him in the cloudless sky. It glided in graceful majesty among the powerful wind currents, with scarcely a beat of its strong golden wings.

The old eagle looked up in awe. "Who’s that?" he asked.

"That’s the eagle, the king of the birds," said his neighbour. "He belongs to the sky. We belong to the earth — we’re chickens."

So the eagle lived and died a chicken, for that’s what he thought he was.

I've been reminded of this story whilst mulling over these thoughts about flying.

Both of these creatures are birds; both have a beak, feathers, wings. The chicken spends much of its time on the ground with other chickens, scratching around for food and keeping busy. They can only fly a little. When a storm comes, they run around, making lots of noise, scrambling for cover (I know this; my dad used to keep chickens when I was small!).

All of us (despite our background) will face the same sorts of storms in life; it is how we deal with them that makes the difference. Adversity can either kill us or help us to grow. It's how we respond that makes the difference.

God wants us to grow and be all that we can be. Do you see yourself with the potential to be an eagle? Soaring above your problems; using the strong currents of the storm to soar ever higher.

Or does everyone you meet keep telling you to stop trying? "After all, you are just a chicken..."

Sturm und Drang

"Shing-a-ling, What a creepy thing to be happening!
(Look out, look out, look out, look out!)
Shang-a-lang, Feel the sturm und drang in the air.
(Yeah, yeah, yeah.)
Sha-la-la, Stop right where you are, don't you move a thing."
(lyrics, "Little Shop of Horrors")

Can you feel it? That strange, uneasy sense that you get when you know that you're on the cusp of some major changes - some of them will upset the apple cart big time... I know it's coming. It's just around the corner now. Just got to hold on tight to something firm. Hang on!

"I love you, Lord, You are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my Saviour. My God is my rock in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me and my place of safety. I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and He saved me from my enemies." Psalm 18:1-3 (NLT)

("Sturm und Drang" is a German phrase, sometimes translated as "Storm and Stress". It refers to extremes of emotional turmoil, upheaval and unrest described in literary works.)

Dancing In The Rain

It's been a particularly busy couple of weeks. In addition to doing my bit for 'The Big Collection', I've also been out and about to a whole variety of different places with my job. I've met up with so many different people; made new friends; re-established contact with others. At one of the venues I came across the little phrase in the attached picture. I thought it was excellent. I didn't realise at the time how apt this phrase would be for today's blog...

Unfortunately, I guess I got swallowed up a little by 'the storm' yesterday. Despite being in a busy Salvation Army venue (and just where I felt I needed to be) I started to feel just a little 'jaded'. Yep, I was tired, and something happened (I won't go into details) that started to discourage me. The negative thoughts kept gnawing at me for a while. Pulling me down.

Anyway, the day's work was over - so I started to pack up my stuff and to head back to my hotel. And then... someone was kind enough to come over to me to invite me to stay to the final Army meeting. I didn't need to be there, I had done my bit. It was a chance to 'take in' after a few hours of 'giving out', and it was a special meeting after all - the Territorial Commander would be preaching. It was a kind gesture and very much appreciated - so I was suitably grateful and I stayed.

I'm really glad I did.

The TC spoke about the incident when Peter walked on water. Here's the passage in the New International Version...

Matthew 14:22-33 (NIV)
Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. ‘It’s a ghost,’ they said, and cried out in fear.
But Jesus immediately said to them: ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’
‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’
‘Come,’ he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came towards Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you doubt?’
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’

Interesting - because the TC pointed out that Jesus did not calm the storm before Peter started to get out of the boat. In fact, He encouraged Peter to step out in faith while the storm was raging. Sure, He had the power to calm the storm. But He wants us to have that faith to trust Him even through the storm. And even though the storm may still be raging around us, He just needs us to keep on walking.

It was just what I needed to hear. Yep, things may get stormy in our lives once in a while. But, despite the things that happen, the things that discourage us, we need to keep our eyes fixed on the Lord, get out of the boat and walk.

Actually, all I really want to get out there and dance. To strut my stuff. But, I need to take my time. One step at a time... no dancing in the rain. Yet.

Keep On Going

(Here's a thought that someone shared with me today. I post this on my blog as I feel its message is particularly relevant for somebody today. If it is for you, receive it with love!)

A lady was driving along with her father. They came upon a storm, and the young lady asked her father, "What should I do?" He told her to keep driving.

Cars began to pull over to the side, the storm was getting worse. "What should I do." The young lady asked? "Keep driving," her father replied.

Just a few feet in front of her, she noticed that eighteen wheelers were also pulling over. She told her dad, "I must pull over, I can barely see ahead. It is terrible, and everyone is pulling over!"

Her father told her, "Don't give up, just keep driving!"

Now the storm was terrible, but she never stopped driving, and soon she could see a little more clearly. After a couple of miles she was again on dry land, and the sun came out.

Her father said, "Now you can pull over and get out."

She said "But why now?"

He said "When you get out, look back at all the people that gave up and are still in the storm, because you never gave up your storm is now over.

This is a testimony for anyone who is going through "hard times". Just because everyone else, even the strongest, gives up,  you don't have to...if you keep going, soon your storm will be over and the sun will shine upon your face again.

Philippians 4:13 (New King James Version)

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Storm in a teacup

"One drop of rain on your window pane
Doesn't mean to say there's a thunderstorm comin'
The rain may pour for an hour or more
But it doesn't matter
You know it doesn't matter...
It's a storm in a teacup
Brewin' up double, almost any little trouble
It's a storm in a teacup
It really doesn't matter
If it pitter pitter patters all the day..."

(lyrics from 'Storm in a Teacup', a top ten song by The Fortunes, written by Lynsey de Paul and Ron Roker)

I have been looking back on the year so far, intrigued a little about the different things that have happened so far in 2010. (More about this on the 29th April!) There are some major events, and a whole host of minor ones. Frequently, our minds are occupied by things which we consider at the time to be a big deal... but as time passes, most of these peter out, proving to be no great concern at all. A storm in a teacup, as we Brits have it.

It's important therefore to keep a good sense of perspective. This is something I struggle with, but I am working on it!

Matthew 6:34 (New International Version)
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.