Pocketful of Acorns

When the kids were little, we went up to the local mountains so they could play in the recent snow.  amongst the towering oaks and pines, were little squirrels gathering up as many acorns as they could possibly fit in their little cheeks.  I picked up a pocketful of acorns and stuffed them in my jacket pocket.  I wanted to plant them on the property when we got home.

Out of a pocketful, only one ever grew; now, 10 years later, it is just now looking like a tree that birds can hang out in.  They all got water, soil, and sunshine.  Maybe some did start to grow, but got choked with weeds, or eaten by critters, don't really know.

Bing Crosby used to visit the hotel I worked at decades ago.  Every time I saw him, I was constantly reminded of his song in "Rudolph" where the abominable snowman would start to "Put one foot in front of the other, and soon you'll be walking out the door."

Isn't our Christian life like that?  We're not really expected to run a marathon at age 2,  The giant oaks don't grow to be massive over night.  Each takes time.  The strongest oaks are the ones that have seen fire, and flood, intense wind, times of drought, while for a moment, the times are tough, those roots grow strong.

We all grow at different paces, all experience drought, all have to fight off the storms of life, the weeds that can entangle and choke us of what God intends. I like what Dr Flores says "There aren't good Christians and bad ones, only growing at different paces still with poopy pants...compared to my wife, she's like Mother Teresa...only Hotter!"