Wednesday, July 11, 2012

How A Deer Taught Me Thankfulness

I work at my regular job daily; and when I am not at my regular job I try to stay profitably busy doing constructive things for people, church, or community. It is easy to get into a rut where everything is always predictable and the routines of the week click like clockwork.

Our community is full of wonderful bike paths and many are shady with trees and forest like growth, so you would not know that only a few yards beyond are homes and streets. Bicycling down these paths is my preferred route to and from work. It was on one of these paths that the deer was standing today, it was a huge buck with a handsome set of antlers.  It was beautiful and a wonder to see in these suburbs.

Going slowly I was able to get unnaturally close. It stood across the path head held up watching me as if I were a trespasser who should turn and go back where humans belonged. I could sense the strength of the creature; it was massive and seemed powerfully built. If the buck had chosen to charge me with the four points of its antlers I would have been in grave trouble. Leisurely, and with defiant dignity, the buck stepped off the path into the bushes before it disappeared beyond the leafy wall of trees.

Though deer are known to be about, it is surprising to see an antlered buck on the path; it was like a gesture from God that he can do the unexpected at any time. I am thankful for this marvel of God's creation.

As I bicycled on my way I wondered that we are thankful when something exceptional and surprising happens, something thrilling or adventurous like seeing a beautiful animal, beautiful sunset or a baby smiling at us. Why are we not thankful all the time, when things are dull and routine? The same God is over the adventurous moment as much as rules over the mundane time.  It is then that thankful becomes more than thankful, for it is when we are just as thankful in the times of common duty that thankful becomes worship to the benevolent God of us all.

This kind of thankfulness will set us apart from others.