Royal Blue Quad; One Small Pebble; and Draft Horse Blinders

Pausing to take in the sweet lasting rays of the afternoon Winter sun, I hear them inviting me to come and partake of the last bits of goodness they are spilling onto this earth as the door to this day gently slides closed.  

Handfuls of pink, cotton candy blooms frolic across the pavement and add the extra layer of oxygen I need.   The daffodils are exploding and color seems to be etched everywhere I look.

Mounting my royal blue quad, I find myself deeply inhaling the deliciously fragrant air. I've developed a deep appreciation for my healthy body, as well as what is inflating to my heart, so I will savor this small outing. My chaperone for this adventure has agreed to one stroll around our loop.  Slowly, like a slug moving to a newly opened tender green,

I make my way down the driveway and onto the roadway.  We chat of the day's events. We converse about the diverse challenges our current situations present.  And, we talk of our upcoming summer plans.  With each swing of my one "good" foot, I make my way forward.  I am relaxed.  Like a child anticipating the first big

drop on a rollercoaster, I am greatly looking forward to a miniscule downhill glide that awaits me on the other side of the block.

 In a world filled with uncontrolled variables, I am lulled to complacency by the sights and sounds of these moment.  Allowing my eyes to wander from site to site, I am bathed in a slow moving river of contentment on this micro adventure.   

With the suddenness, of a hungry lion pouncing

on its unsuspecting prey, I find myself catapulted from my quad and heading towards the pavement.   Feeling the impact on my encased foot, I wait for the pain to come.  My chaperone is stunned.  We are both left speechless by the quickness of this incident.  Questions pepper my mind...."How did this happen?  Why did this happen?"   Gathering myself together, the realization comes that I can not get up on my own.  Not only am I incapable under my own power, but my quad's wheel is twisted.  Gratefulness for my chaperone floods my core as he reaches under my armpits, lifts me upright, and straightens the wheel.  

Turning from me, I follow his gaze as he bends over and picks up a tiny pebble, the culprit of my accident.  Handing it to me, he says nothing. Accepting it, I drop it into my basket and proceed to paddle home.

Questions pepper my mind.  Could this really be what caused my epic fall?  Was I so busy looking around at all the BIG, beautiful stuff, that I did not see the tiny culprit right in front of me?  How could something so small, incapacitate me so suddenly and so completely? I thought I was doing good.  I thought I was going to be able to do more laps on my own.  I thought......

Evidently, I thought all wrong.  This one small pebble took me completely to the ground.  I was so taken with where I was going; what I was accomplishing; and the things I was seeing, that I forgot about paying attention to what was directly in front of me.  Man! How many times do I do this in my spiritual life.  I get focused on the big stuff and forget that what really matters is just doing the next small step that He puts in front of me.  Anyone else need blinders like a draft horse?  

Lord, Help us to focus on what you have asked us to do today. Please help us to  not take things into our own hands and "help" you. Jesus, we know you have an untangled view of our lives.  We know we can trust your impeccable timing.  

Until We Chat Again,

The Plank-Eyed Girl