Weeds, Sticks and Rotting Fruit

I was on a walk with our dogs in the peach orchard the other morning. It was a beautiful morning. The air had a pre-Autumn fragrance and was crisp and delightful. I love signs of the seasons changing. At this time of year on the ranch, harvesting is finished, and the orchards are at rest. The ground is furrowed and watered, the weeds stand proud and tall like Sentries barring the path ahead. There are rotting peach culls scattered throughout the ground, and on occasion there are broken branches in the path. Late summertime in the orchard can feel a little bit like a jungle.

So as we were walking, I’ve got my two pups Molly and Mickey on either side of me. Buster usually trails behind as he is the senior citizen dog, and likes to take his time. Usually we have to stop a few times during our walk to let him catch up. I’ll say to the pups, “Where’s Buster?” and they will stop and turn to look for him. (It’s quite cute.) But on this particular day Buster decided he was going to lead the pack, as he came from behind in a nice trot to move past us. To the front he went. He was jogging at a good pace and I was happy to let him lead. I enjoy watching his big paws trot along.

After a few minutes we came upon a patch of weeds. They were wet with dew and dense. This patch of weeds wasn’t pleasant, but Buster plowed through them, not fazed at all by their texture, wetness, height or the fact that he temporarily couldn’t see to the other side. He knew where He was going. He knew the weeds were temporal. And so, he kept his pace. Then he came upon a rotting peach.. his paws brushed against it, not missing a step or letting it interrupt his stride, it was a minor nuisance. Along with the weeds and the peaches, came an occasional broken branch. Buster kept moving forward hopping over every twig. He kept his stride, no matter what was in his path. I thought to myself, boy the Buster dog has had a lot of obstacles in his journey this morning, and he keeps going. He was unfazed by what was surrounding him.

I think our lives are a lot like Buster’s walk through the peach orchard. We’ve got plans as we go along in our journey, and we’re pretty sure we know how to get through the terrain, but we really don’t know everything that lay ahead of us. The terrain isn’t always easy, clear or pleasant. There are hills and valleys, and most assuredly we face obstacles, and sometimes one obstacle after another.

In living my life, I try my best to know God’s will and fulfill what I think His plans are for me. My desire is to be where He wants me to be and to be accomplishing His will, but there are times in that journey when I feel like I’m in the weeds. It’s uncomfortable, and I’m unable to see past where I am; but doing my best to step over ugly fears that lay in the path, and at the same time, hopping over new challenges that make moving forward difficult. The beauty of my journey, is I am not alone, God is with me. No matter what I feel, or what obstacles surround me, I know He is walking behind me watching my feet, and I can hear Him speak in my ear, keep moving forward, don’t lose your stride, you’re almost through this patch!

As we walk with God, we don’t have to, nor will we always see past the weed patch we may find ourselves in, and we won’t be able to avoid the pain of obstacles. The key is, to trust that He is with us in our journey, and He knows how to get us to where He’s called us to be. As we trust Him, we’ll surely learn to push past the fear of the unknown, and the trials that come. As we trust Him, we’ll get better and better at hopping over the obstacles that lay before us, and like Buster the dog, push them aside and trot right past them. Through the experience and knowledge we gain, as we walk with God, we’ll be able to keep our stride no matter what the terrain may bring.

May you keep your stride and be blessed on your walk.