Listen to this post
It is amazing how much God will show you if you simply slow down long enough to look out the window. One afternoon at our home in Germantown, I was standing in the living room looking out toward the ravine under our balcony. An old cement block was propped against the bank, and my eyes caught a sudden flash of movement.
A blue jay had landed near the block, and as I watched, a tiny chipmunk came scurrying down the hill. Often, blue jays can be quite aggressive, and I held my breath, worried the bird might hurt the little creature. But what I witnessed wasn’t a fight; it was a game of hide-and-seek. The blue jay would hop behind the block and then pop out to startle the chipmunk. The bird was almost talking to him!
For ten minutes, I stood mesmerized as they played together. The chipmunk would stand on its hind feet, run behind the block, and wait for his friend. It was a rare glimpse of peace that stayed with me long after they moved on. I found myself thinking: if a bird and a chipmunk can find a way to play together, why can’t we as humans? If they can find a sense of humor in one another, why can’t we look for the lighter side of life instead of moving straight toward judgment?
Finding Joy in the Unscripted
Nature has a beautiful way of surprising us when we least expect it. I remember another time when my husband and I stopped at a roadside picnic table for a snack of crackers and pepper jack cheese. A brave squirrel scurried right up onto the table, looking at us expectantly. My husband placed a cube of the spicy cheese down, and I whispered, "He won’t like that!"
But that squirrel couldn't get enough of the jalapeño kick! He actually crawled right up my husband’s arm, begging for more. We sat there in the pure joy of the moment, laughing at the sheer wonder of it all. As an inspirational composer, I find that these unscripted moments of connection are the notes that make up the most beautiful melodies of life.
Today, I encourage you to look for your own Platforms of Praise in the world around you. When we choose to see the humor and the harmony in God’s creation, we find the truest Steps To Joy.
Reflection: Is there a situation today where you can offer a sense of humor or grace instead of criticism? Sometimes peace is as simple as joining in the game.
