Making a Bear Out of a Toadstool…er, Toad
Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Philippians 4:6 (NLT)
I don’t know about you, but I tend to play the ‘what-if’ game a lot. We live in bear country! Along with those big mammals abide coyotes, fox, and all kinds of critters. Walking from the car to the house—even with a sensory light can unnerve me. I also tend to do that with life’s challenges. What is a small bump in the road, I can quickly turn into Mt. Everest. But just like Cathy Mayfield (All God’s Creatures) I am learning to use my words and say, “I trust You!”
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Taking our dog, Kenai, outside to do his business in the dark usually falls to my husband, Kevin. Our motion-sensor light is persnickety, and I’m, shall we say, uncomfortable in the dark. This night, however, Kevin had gone to bed early, so it was up to me to either take Kenai our or hope he could hold his bladder until morning.
Choosing not to chance that, I tiptoed across the porch and into the yard, praying the light would work. Nope. The yard remained dark except for a tiny area lit by the porch light. I urged Kenai to hurry while I watched the edge of the lit area for dangers.
Suddenly, Kenai became rigid, ears perked up, nose aloft. I heard something near the house, like footsteps crinkling in the fall leaves. I peered into the dark, my imagination stirring. A deer? We see them often. Or it could be a cat or an opossum—both harmless critters. Maybe it was a rabid raccoon. And what if it was something bigger, like a coyote? Or even a bear?
Not waiting to find out, I urged Kenai, who emitted low growls at this point, back toward the porch. As we got to the steps the porch light shone onto the culprit as it hopped into view from under the bushes—a plump toad!
Back inside, I giggled at my silliness and thought of how often I make mountains out of molehills or, in this case, bears out of toads. Maybe remembering the toad in the dark and the wisdom of God’s Word would help me worry less and trust God more with my fears—be they bears or toads.
Before the toad becomes a bear, I’ll drop to my knees in prayer.
Heavenly Father, thank You for the creative minds You’ve given us. Please help us not to overindulge and turn tiny issues into tsunamis. AMEN.