The Big Bucket Surprise

We were at the waterpark last summer. You know the kind where the slides are high and steep and way too scary for younger kids, let alone grandmas. We eventually found an area for the kiddos that looked a lot more their speed. There were little climbing obstacles in the shapes of sea life, water sprays and falls everywhere. It was a very hot day so it was a perfect place to be for water fun. I held my little grandson’s hand as we climbed some steps to a higher level so he could safely go down this little, mildly steep, water slide. He was apprehensive so I was pep-talking him that this was going to be “so easy and so fun!”

Then, as we were climbing, all of a sudden, it was like the sky opened up and a torrential flood of water came down on us. You see, at the top of this play place, unnoticed by us, was this huge bucket gradually filling with trickles of water. When it reached its tipping point, whoosh! And we were at the wrong place at the wrong time. It took a while for me to earn his trust again.

At the beginning of this New Year, I have been apprehensive about making any resolutions. Everything I read says that little steps, little daily habits, are the way to go. But I like sweeping changes. Epiphanies. I like, strong shows of power. I hunger for more than slow, steady drips. But could it be that by doing the little things, consistently, faithfully, that sweeping change I desire will happen?

This concept works both ways, dear reader. When the seemingly small, negative habits outnumber the good ones. Those slow steady drips of sin, can fill up a bucket as well, with the meltdown that seems to appear out of nowhere and drenches us in remorse. When this happens to me, I can almost always trace it back to the little things I did, or neglected to do, that would have prevented my lack of self-control.

Another reason that I am hesitant to make resolutions is because I hate relapses. They are bound to happen and God reminds me that this is why there is grace. I could use a big bucket of that today, how about you? (1 John 1:9)

So here is my “little” list of things to do daily:

1. Pray (Fervently, James 5:16)
2. Worship (In Spirit and Truth, John 4:23)
3. Love Others Around Me (1 Corinthians 13, all of it!)

These are not original resolutions. They come from a book I just finished reading and highly recommend. “You Can Trust God to Write Your Story” by Nancy and Robert Wolgemuth. They come from a man who lives in chronic, debilitating pain, all of his own strength has been stripped away and he wants us to know that there are abilities that can never be taken away from us. As long as we have conscious thought, we can do those three things. These three things put God where He deserves and needs to be –FIRST. He is who we pray to, and the Person we worship and His greatest command is to love Him and others.

I want to remember the bucket too. What I am filling it up with daily as I ask God how He wants me to live out my resolutions. Pray for me? I will be praying for you.