Used by permission from a good friend
There's a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant down the street from us that Dave and I like to frequent. It's quiet in the afternoons, with a patio that overlooks a small pond which is often quite entertaining. Any combination of cranes, wild geese, diving kingfishers, turtles, jumping fish and ducks can usually be spotted.
For some reason the ducks disappeared in the winter, all but one lone female. So in the spring the restaurant owner purchased six of the cutest ducklings ever to restock the pond. He sheltered them in a corner off to the side of the patio where they could get used to being around his clients, and everyone fell in love with these little waddling fluff-bombs. As they grew they were well fed, watered and spoiled.
One day we went for lunch and couldn't find them. We were concerned, the owner was concerned. . .but before long we saw six sluggish ducklings dragging their fat bellies over the grassy slopes toward us. They had just gorged themselves on the cicadas swarming in surrounding trees and came back like stupefied drunks with a hangover. We all had a good laugh.
The weeks turned into several and I mentioned to the cook that I'd never seen the ducklings go into the pond. He said they wouldn't go in. . .they were afraid of it. I asked him if we could gather them up and throw them all in, and he laughed. "No, the owner will fire me if I do anything to upset the ducks!" I told him that was absurd and I would do it for him the next time I came if they weren't in the water by then.
So today (on Dave's birthday) we went over to our favorite little hole-in-the-wall restaurant for lunch. And to our great joy all six young ducks were standing at the edge of the water, but in stone-frozen stance were just staring at it. It was hysterical. They had that expression of, "Dude, something inside tells me I was made for this. . .but what am I supposed to do with it?"
At that moment the old lone female duck found her inner mother and she dived into that pond with all-out abandon. With determination to coax those fearful siblings into the water she nearly stood up on the ripples she was making, wildly flapping her wings and quacking. She did everything a duck should do. . .she dived, she soared, she paddled all over the pond making a ruckus. And they just stood there looking as stupid as can be, gawking, doing nothing.
Finally she swam like lightning right up to them, carrying on like I remember doing a few times when my kids weren't getting the point. But finally she gave up, hopped on shore next to them, and rested. She mumbled a few quacks under her breath and I'm just glad I couldn't understand her. I doubt it was complimentary.
That's when one duck jumped in, he couldn't take it, and baby he DIVED! Shocked me completely. My heart was thrilled. . .but the thrill lasted one, maybe two seconds. Because the whole experience scared him so bad I thought he might have a heart attack frantically trying to climb back up the bank to his comfort zone and his five other over-protected brothers and sisters.
And I sat there saying to God, "Of course You did this! Of course you put this scenario right in front of my eyes! You KNOW I hear you speak through your creation. Ok, ok, I get it!" Then I smiled and commented to my husband, "I'm finding my inner duck." He understood. And by that I mean he understood that he didn't understand but he knew God was doing something good in me so. . .all was good. This is the place you come to when you are 60'ish. It is a nice mellowing that occurs. . .sometimes.
Why am I sharing this? Because I want everyone who reads it to find your inner duck too. If there is something you KNOW God made you for but you are standing at the edge refusing to jump, don't waste another minute of your life.
What is the leap of faith all about if it doesn't require a rather frightening JUMP into the glorious unknown call that has your name written all over it?
Hebrews 11:6. “You can never please God without faith. . .HE is the Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." Get your eyes on The Prize and you can do anything He asks of you!
I'm jumping! Can you hear me quacking with a touch of trembling in my squawk?
Here I go. . .SPLASH!!
Jan
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