Eyes on the Prize

This morning as i was trying to save my lavender plant, i took a good look at the stem.  It was very woody and thick.  On closer inspection i also saw it was only a matter of time before it would have died anyway!  The thick stem was eaten hollow on the inside by termites!  So what the hosepipe started the termites would have finished!  Add to that the red clay soil which hardens into rock and it was a wonder that the plant survived so long as it did!

And that i, guess, is a wonderful summary of life here.

If the termites don't get you, three or four other things take over where they left off!  One thing after the other to get you down.

You buy pasta only to find it smells and tastes like soap!  Or when you place pasta in rapid boiling water you see you have bought an enriched version of it - aka the bug version!  You bake bread and forget to put salt in it.  The sugar is wet.... yes, wet.  You consider to throw it all away but then you remember you don't live close to a shop.  In fact you will only go to a shop in two week's time.  The nice pumpkins and passion fruits are eaten up by the same blasted termites, the lettuce rot with all the rain.  Wounds get infected for no reason, it's just that season.  On and on.  Add loneliness, lack of good friends close by, water problems and you feel what is the use of trying to stick it out?  And these are just to things i am willing to name!

Then i walk out my back door and sit with my neighbour.  And i see real hopelessness.  Of the lasting kind.  I see nothing to make me feel like leaving and everything to make me leave.  Overwhelmed and in despair but living like that constantly.

And i think, why do i look at the waves and become afraid?  Or why do i only see the charging Egyptians and not the opened-up Red Sea?  Why do i chose to hear the enemy's discouragements and not the Lord's encouragement?  Why do i let the termites and soil kill my soul slowly, slowly?

What and who do i chose to believe each day?  All the junk that is thrown at me?  Or do i chose to see God in my day?  And not only a God, but the One who knows me, loves me and deeply cares for me?  I want to lift my head, stick out my chin and look beyond the muck and mire all around and see Him.  I want to.  And i call out to Jesus - Lord, I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief!

I want to lock my eyes on the Prize - not a what but a Who!  Because He is worthy and i want to live my life for Him.  He gave everything for me.  I don't want to be stuck in the mud!  I want to run and be free to live for Him!

Oh to have Joy!  To not just survive - to Thrive and Bloom!

Bella, oh to have Joy!