Make Way for Ducklings

The other day I was thinking about all the "little things" that I've taken as small gifts from God...just little things that for whatever reason really made my day. I am not one to journal. I've tried it and probably have at least 6 different "journals" stashed in various places throughout the house where I've journaled things I've learned or read, prayer requests, etc. I wish I were more disciplined about it, but I really never have been. So, the other day when the list was rolling through my mind, it occurred to me since blogging is my only way of journaling, I should blog about some of these things. So, here's one of my favorites.

Once on my way to work when we were living in Lubbock, the Lord made my day by having a mother duck and her duckling babies cross the road right in front of the morning traffic on 19th Street - one of the busiest streets in Lubbock. Lubbock traffic is like Traffic Heaven compared to Houston traffic; but there are lots of people on the main roads and on the loop at 7:30 a.m. trying to get to the main places of employment in Lubbock: the university, the hospital, and all the schools.

I know it is a little thing, which is the beauty of it. I love little things. I really do. One of my favorite books to read to my kindergartners was Make Way for Ducklings, by Robert McClosky. I love that book. I love the story and the illustrations. It was as if the Lord said, "Here's a little something JeanAnn will appreciate." And I did! To this day, I smile when I think back on that.

And you know why? It's because a mother duck and her babies stopped cars and cars of traffic...important people (much more important than a duck!) getting to their important places (much more important than a pond!). This mother duck had decided she needed to cross the road, and by golly, we all stopped and let her! We always think of major things stopping us in our tracks. But, little things can stop us in our tracks, too. And if we let ourselves, we can look at it as a little break sent to us from God.

On my way to work that day I was in a hurry. My mind was probably on the copies I needed to make as soon as I hit the door. I may have been wondering what manner of problems my own little ducklings were going to give me that day. I may have been unhappy about an after school staff meeting I didn't feel like staying for. Whatever my preoccupation, a little thing came along and took an eraser to the chalkboard of my mind. And for a few moments, I was able to change my thinking in several ways.

For one, I was able to give God the glory and thanks for letting me see a real-life Make Way for Ducklings on my way to work. To this day, that has never happened to me again; so to me it was a pretty unique experience.

Also, I was able to think about that mama duck. You know, if I were a mama duck and it were up to me to take all my ducklings across 19th St, this mama duck would probably stay in our same old pond and never cross 19th St. How many of my decisions are fear-based decisions? Even worse, how many blessings do I miss out on because of a lack of faith and ultimately my own submission to fear. That mama duck had no fear. You might argue she had faith - faith that God cared about her babies more than she did and that traffic would stop; that one of His angels would scoot that last baby safely across.

Last, we're not as important as we think we are! A mama duck stopped every single one of us, for crying outloud! And yet, we all still got to our destinations. Lubbock life did not come to a screeching halt due to the people who got caught in the Duckling Traffic Jam on 19th. On my way to work before the ducklings, I was in a hurry; my mind and my car were racing. After the ducklings, I remember slowing down on purpose. Our responsibilities are important...but we need to remember to use our time and talents to bring glory to God, not as a stroke to our own egos.

I love that mama duck; I really do! You go, girl!

And I love the way the Lord sends me the little things.