Ants and Me

Storms are moving through our area today, bringing much-needed rain to our garden and pumpkin patch. Every now and then the sun comes out. I'm thankful for the rain so we can depend on the growth in the garden, and I'm glad the sun is peeking out once in awhile so it's not quite so dreary looking out there. 

That pretty much describes my life these past few months! Maybe it describes yours. Isn't life just one big metaphor anyway? I love metaphors. 

I was out sweeping the patio and noticed I was suddenly getting bites on my feet. I looked down and saw thousands of ants going in thousands of different directions. Some of them over my shoes! I wasn't sure what to do, so I poured a little vinegar on them. Immediately hundreds of gross white eggs started floating on the patio surface and ants were scurrying everywhere. I stopped for a moment as I watched them. Is this actually guilt I'm feeling? Really? They were desperately trying to save their colony, the one I was trying to destroy in my patio! They were trying to persevere against the giant green shoes, and I was trying to persevere too! It was then that I realized it. I watch too many Disney movies. 

These ants have been wrecking my yard and my plants and patio for years, but if I could take one thing from them it's this: they don't quit trying. They really do have "high hopes" as the song goes! 

I didn't react that well when the vinegar treatment got poured on me these past few months. I was a little bit like the ants who immediately scurried to carry the eggs off. I wanted to take care of everyone else first, and I didn't have the energy to do it. I went in all different directions too, not certain of which way to go. I sure didn't have high hopes at first. 

As humans we get compared to ants as far as our size perspective to God or from space. I sometimes wonder how He sees  us scrambling in our trials and vinegar. How hard it must be for Him to see us struggling, not leaning on Him for help as we should. I do feel guilty for that. As more vinegar gets poured on me, I hope I will learn to see it as an opportunity to get closer to Him and stop seeing it as punishment. I know I'm not being punished, but I feel that way. So hard to explain. Bet you didn't know all the uses of  vinegar, did you? 

And maybe you just might want to watch that Disney movie, Antz again? 

I really am trying to find the humor. Really.