I opened my eyes, and there he was.
Quiet, still.
Staring at me.
My saucer-wide eyes were astonished to see such an animal appear in our residential area.
Thankfully I was able to snap a photo before he sauntered away.
My encounter with the Ethereal Elk was brief; but the seconds that passed seemed expansive – and powerful.
During my daily prayer time since he appeared, I continue to remember that moment.
What struck me most was the tangle of ropes that hung from his rack.
Did I imagine that he looked helpless and forlorn, unable to discard them?
I so wish there had been a away for me to take them away.
My thoughts have churned about the jumbled mess that elk had to carry around.
And what God has shown me is that I have my own entanglements that need to be discarded.
Some of my doubts, fears and mistaken thinking have been part of my carry-on baggage for so long that they are in danger of becoming permanent accessories.
It’s time for some serious shedding.
Brené Brown, in her book, Rising Strong, talks about the stories we make up.
We can actually become trapped in those stories – so deeply that our brains begin to compose a story (however untrue) that we expect to hear. (parentheses mine)
It would be so nice if there were a special “mind conditioner” that we could use to comb through our knotted thinking.
Alas, undoing our wayward thoughts isn’t so easy.
Here’s where we need God’s help.
Courage and determination may start the process, but He is the one who can unravel the twisted ropes in our minds.
And allow us to shed them for once and for all.
Imagine how would it look if all of us walked around with our gnarled strands of “stuff” hanging outside of our heads.
Quite an image, wouldn’t you say?
Indeed, we are all lugging something around that we would love to dump.
Unfortunately, the Ethereal Elk had no choice. He was stuck with his ropes.
But, thankfully, we are not.
I pray that, with God’s guidance, we can all be brave enough to determine what we can dispose of.
And in doing so, enjoy the peace and serenity that result.
beWARM 