Wallowing
Ginger
has been our constant companion for the last eleven years. She’s grown up with us and we’ve grown old
with her. She has more gray hair than I
do (OK….I cheat). She eats, sleeps and
well, that’s about it. She eats and
sleeps. I’ve noticed that when she
starts to get up from her naps it’s a slow rise. Her old hips are the last to get the message
that it’s time to move but finally, she’s up and moving. It’s when we go outside that her
transformation begins. She picks up her
pace across the patio and moves into a trot, gets to the sunny grass area and
literally plops down. And wallows. And wallows.
And wallows. Twisting and
turning. Her legs will be straight up in
the air at times. Then it’s another
quick flop and back over to just lie in the grass. I tell Ray she getting her suntan because she
will lie there a while just relishing in the outdoors. It must feel so good to her.
I
want to wallow. Webster is unkind to
this word and defines it as floundering.
I think of it as more of a relaxed, stirring around. I’m pretty sure I wallow in my bed at night
until I’m just perfectly comfortable.
Does that make sense to you? So……
I want to move my aging, midlife body into a wallow. I want to flip and flop and relish in the
world around me this Thanksgiving. We
know all of our gifts are from God so wallow with me in the next few days…
The
clanging of pots and pans, the oven timer, the cackle of laughter, the scream
of joy when the surprise visitor pops in, the love in the eyes of those around
you, the one who is lonely and brightens at your attention, the bounty of the
food, grandma’s hands, the busy servant in the kitchen, the smell of baked
pies, the discussion around the table, the words of love given to you and the
words you give to others.
All
of these beautiful experiences are a just a glimpse of what awaits us. Rejoice, relish, wallow in this bounty God
has given. Who are we that He should so
bless us? Why has He allowed such
blessing on my family and yours? I don’t
know. I cannot fathom how Good He is to me.
But I can wallow in His love today.
I can sing praise back to Him. I
can bask in His holiness and in the light of His bounty to me. I can offer my praise and thanksgiving back
to Him. It’s my offering.
I’m single-minded in pursuit of you; don’t let me miss the road signs you’ve posted. I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart so I won’t sin myself bankrupt. Be blessed, GOD; train me in your ways of wise living. I’ll transfer to my lips all the counsel that comes from your mouth; I delight far more in what you tell me about living than in gathering a pile of riches. I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you, I attentively watch how you’ve done it. I relish everything you’ve told me of life, I won’t forget a word of it. Psalm 119:8-10 The Message
