The Long Walk to the... Postbox?

The walk to the mailbox has turned into a journey for me. Each day, I gather my courage, and begin the two-tenths of a mile walk to that little tiny box of metal posted with my address on the front of it: 2544. The road on the way there is idyllic in nature, as the green trees sway overhead, and the small stream runs beside the road. The pond is full of crayfish and crawdads and other creepy crawlies which swim peacefully below its surface. The gravel crunches hard underneath my treads, as I step slowly, one foot after another, heading to my destination. I listen to the birds twitter above and the crickets chirping loudly... there's a chainsaw in the background, but even its rhythmic gestures seem to fit the pristine picture of the North Carolina countryside. A cow lows in the distance, responded to by the sharp barking of the ever fearsome hound-dog protecting its turf from the ever dangerous milk-cow. I have reached my destination.

With a sigh, and a feeling of anticipation, I stretch out my hand to grasp the metal door of the mailbox. Squeamishly expecting the contents to empty themselves at my face, I draw back. What will I find, when the door is open? Will there be a sheaf of intention cards, answering my fund-raising fears? Or will the box be empty, as usual, displaying only the cursory benefits of advertising papers and free razor blades? Empty again. I bow my head, and turn back towards the house. Maybe tomorrow... :-)

Surprising, what little things have had to become acts of faith through the fund-raising journey. Each time the mailbox is empty, I am reminded of my need, and my need to trust God for my every means. Every time the mailbox is fruitful, I am reminded to praise God for his provision. Perhaps it is a good thing that there are often days which are empty, specifically so that I realize the blessings when they do come. A life of luxury and fullness is a blessing, but often it makes us callous and hard to the fact that we do have to rely on God for our every need. We expect luxury, and then it loses its wonder. Then, when dryness comes, we wonder, where is God? God is still there. He has never left. He is merely asking us to trust Him more; to lean on him; even, to need him. Do I need God? Absolutely. When do I learn that lesson? Mostly when I see my need of Him.

So today, I thank God for the empty mailbox. I expect His fullness. But I am content to wait and work until that day. Today, I praise God because I am needy. Blessings come in many sizes and shapes. One of the biggest mistakes we can make is to think that blessings come only in the form of fullness and good gifts. Sometimes God's blessings shine through the most in times of emptiness and want. Today, I praise God because he is blessing me with need.