1 Sept. 2003

Vol. 1, No. 12

Stars, Slugs and Happiness

It is an interesting position to find oneself in – happiness.  But I’ve come to realize lately that I am there!  Money?  Position?  Power?  Nope.  Just a deep, abiding sense of contentment, happiness and surety that I am 100% in the center of God’s will for my life at this moment.  In the eyes of some, I am wasting myself – not using my talents or abilities to their fullest potential.  But in the eyes of my Father, I am right where He wants me - and that is a tremendous release from stress and pressure.

As I swam yesterday, I think I discovered an object lesson for this contentment.  First I saw a tiny little starfish.  Some are a grayish blue color and really easy to see on the sandy floor of the sea and this little guy was about 2 inches from tip to tip - literally the only star visible.  As I watched him, he moved slowly for a short time and then he seemed to bury himself in the sand.  Only the outline of a star was visible – it really looks like the sand dollars that sometimes are found on the beach.  There was nothing coming after him – not even a little ugly fish – so I was a bit puzzled as to why he was digging in so deeply.

I swam a few feet away and something else on the bottom caught my eye.  At first I thought it was just a blade of sea grass.  But as I looked more closely, I saw LEGS!  This was some kind of centipede creature – with dozens and dozens of tiny little legs.  It was colorful in a brownish-beige sort of way and about 6 inches long.  As I hung above this little critter, I watched it struggle mightily against the current of the sea.  It would take a few “steps” and then get blown all over the place – upside down, sideways – it must have been a frightening experience.  Then the sea would settle a bit and the critter would start its slow crawl all over again.  There could not have been much of an agenda for this “trip” because the critter started each step in a different direction after it landed.

Of course, then the lesson came.  The Bible says for us to be rooted and grounded – like the little star.  It might not have been trying to protect itself but it surely did not blow around haphazardly from place to place.  The little guy with all the legs didn’t have sense enough to burrow into the sand and so he was carried every which way by the flow of things.  Do you get it?

Contentment (aka happiness) comes when we are buried in Him – the One Who gave us life and has all authority to govern what we do with it.  Fighting His will for our lives only results in our being blown about unprotected.  The little star was snuggled up in the sand, waiting out the storm.  The critter with all the legs had certainly more qualifications for success – lots of legs, EYES, much more movement – but he just did not quite get the plot.  He was still trying to “get there” on his own steam – and that was quickly stopped by the winds that blew across his environment.

So, my friends and loved ones, I find myself quite content.  I still stretch my legs and try to plot my own course a bit – but the next time I find myself blowing about in the wind, I’m going to remember that little star and snuggle up to the One who knows the plans He has for me – plans for a future and a hope!   Psalm 1

Shalom