Plodding on (aka update on Dirty feet for Heaven)

Note: scroll down to the next post for this week's Prayer Places.

Distances can be deceiving. Take a look at this picture here. I was trying to find a 'distance' picture with mesas in it. However this one is quite effective, even though I didn't live in Monument Valley, (I lived near it enough to have the similar visual effect.) When I lived in the Southwest, on the Indian reservation, driving was very often on roads like that pictured. Things would seem very close, yet it would take you a while to get there.

I liken that deception of distance to our spiritual lives. So often we are plodding along and given some kind of hint or hope that a particular battle or struggle is almost over, yet in reality God still has quite a distance for us to go. This may sound discouraging at first, but I'm learning that on the way there are still insights for us to learn.

When I was driving those 'long' distances in the Southwest, and still haven't arrived at my destination, I learned to appreciate the drive. Because with every turn of the wheel brought a different aspect of the view, a different angle so to speak. It might be a creek, (I can't think of the Southwest term for creek~ it's on the tip of my tongue but I can't get it. LOL ). It might be a prickly pear cactus, or a sudden spread of desert flowers. Or more often, a particular way that the sun was striking the mesas and causing beautiful almost indescribable color effects.

Today, I had one of those occurences. I have been doing the "Dirty feet for Heaven in 2007" for over a month now. Although I have been faithful to the Lord, I haven't had any really terribly exciting events lately to report. Just daily, small outreaches; a wave here, a hello there, a prayer for someone here, helping an elderly person here, etc. All these small things I know do matter.

For the past couple of weeks I have been watching for a particular elderly woman and her dog when I take my morning walks. I saw her right before Christmas, and then once just after the holidays. I hadn't seen the pair for several days and was getting concerned. I knew that she still lived with her husband. But I hadn't seen lights on her house, or her and the dog out walking for quite a while. It was getting to be a little concerning for me. It was like I was plodding down that desert road, with little to show for it, but still plodding. Finally today, the Lord allowed a hope. A flower in the desert. Today, it was a bitter cold walk, about 18 degrees, with a 9 degree wind chill. I know call me crazy. But I had to walk, had to stretch my legs. The past few days the weather was worse. Anyways, I had just turned the corner and was heading home when I saw a person and a dog up ahead crossing the street to my side. I hoped it was this woman, and her dog, and it was! This woman is a little curt, not easy to talk to but I feel led to be kind to her and keep interceeding for her in prayer. Her dog is never on a leash. As soon as she crossed the street, and the dog looked up and recognized me, she with all four paws barely hitting the snowy sidewalk came bounding toward me with her tail going a mile a minute. BOY! What a way to be greeted after a long cold walk. I stopped and petted her for awhile while her owner caught up to us. The lady barely stopped to talk, but I wasn't too surprised. I did ask her how she was doing and I missed seeing her. Too soon she was gone. However, this bright spot remains with me. My courage to keep praying for her is renewed. My plodding on the road is refreshed. I have seen some desert flowers and the Lord has strengthened me.

How is He strengthening you in your walk today?