May 5th, 2021
Two little white paws repeatedly nudged my side, birds chirped exceptionally loud outside my window, and the sun was barely making an appearance… The pup in question trembled violently as she sat on my chest looking outside at a squirrel foraging in the garden. Her sole duty in life, or so she thinks, is to spot and trap wildlife meandering around the property. I sat up groggily and she shot down the stairs like a rocket - ready for action. It was just a little too much before coffee. Andrei muttered, “Is it 6 or 7?”
To which I replied, “Neither. It’s barely past 5.”
We are no longer the morning people of our youth…
Heading off to the woods earlier than normal for our morning walk had its benefits… We got back for a second round of coffee earlier, allowing me some extra time to work outside in the garden before the rain started in earnest.
Today’s goal was to try to finish up running and connecting the drip irrigation systems. Last year, I installed a really primitive system which worked fabulously. After a year of watching a zillion youtube videos during quarantine - I am ready to hit the ground running!
My left wrist has been giving me some pain when I turn it a certain way, so twisting the drip tape onto the tee connectors became a bit problematic… Eventually when the rain began to fall pretty steadily - I hauled all the supplies into the living room to try to make sense of last year’s muddled mess. Apparently, I was over-eager to close up the garden last year - because the massive pile in the center of the room just looked like a tangled web.
I listened to the blessed 10th and 11th graders finish up Physics Exam #15 of 16 at the kitchen table. One is super smart and works steadily… The other is also very smart, yet flies by the seat of their pants. Such an odd couple chuckling and arguing their way throughout the exam.
It’s almost over, this school year… All three kids have their last college finals tomorrow and then they’re finished for the year. At 1pm tomorrow, Katerina, our oldest, will close the door on this last season of studying and graduate this coming Saturday from college. How? How could time have passed so quickly!
It’s why I’ve cherished this past year when everyone has been home and close… yes, we’ve all worn ourselves thin, at times, being in such close proximity - but we forged a way through and have had experiences and moments I’ll cherish forever.
That being said, the blissful euphoria of pondering “perfect people” in my kitchen was short-lived… Raining, or not… today’s goal of connecting drip line still held.
Clad in tall rain boots and a semi-waterproof jacket, I headed off with my gear. It was so frustrating to feel the twitching pain in my wrist, while the rain poured down on my head. I gritted my teeth and forgot I shouldn’t have - because apparently my jaw is also “falling apart…”
I twisted and shoved, manipulated and pushed the drip tape over the connectors as best I could. I actually wanted to just give up. I had to chuckle half-way through because there I was setting up an irrigation system while the rain more than adequately fell. I considered scratching the last zone, but I knew I would regret it come the hot summer heat.
For one soaking wet moment, that verse, “... in this world, you will have trouble - but don’t fear for I have overcome the world…” (John 16:33) passed through my heart.
It’s not maybe you will have trouble, or perhaps, or probably, or most likely… It’s a definitive concrete - you WILL have trouble. Just like we WILL have ridiculous summer heat in July and August here in Pennsylvania.
No matter that all may be calm and well today, trouble will come. It’s inevitable… No matter that it's warm and rainy today, scorching hot days will come.
It was a quick and much needed reminder for me to just continue on… not just with the irrigation system - but in life. To keep plowing, planting, nurturing, and feeding Truth steadily into my soul. To keep tilling the soil of my heart, keeping it fresh and ready for the new things God has prepared in advance for me. To remember that the good work He started long ago in me - He WILL see it through to completion.
That is why He can offer that assurance that I don’t have to fear… He’s written the ending of every storyline with good. He can take anything I hand Him - any trouble, fear, worry… any tangled web of last year’s muddled mess and He can write, “good…”
How… ?
The resurrection.
2000 years ago, He already faced my mess on a Cross… He took my failures and trouble, my sin and every wrong ever committed to the grave. To death…
And THAT is why He can say, “I have overcome the world…” Because He has.
That resurrection power infuses something within me that makes every trouble different… It changes the rules. It makes me ALIVE…
