Don't be numbed by the "ordinary"

Yesterday, Mr. Bingley and I had a little adventure.  Not a big one, mind you, but well, it was pretty memorable if you ask me. 

 It was just a regular old Thursday morning.   And we followed our regular old routine...regular old breakfast for the boys....followed by regular old breakfast for Bingley...followed by getting out my regular old golf cap, Bingleys regular old leash, and my regular old ipod to listen to some regular old podcasts (which, truth be told, I love, love, love!  Thank God for technology so you can listen to so many amazing podcasts!  But that's for another day).  Finally, we headed out the regular old door for our regular old walk on our regular old route along the regular old greenway.

You get the picture.  We're talking ROUTINE.  Which, by the way, Bingley loves.  Everyday, it's as if he's never before seen us walk through the door or refill his water bowl or get his dry dog food or grab his leash.  It's all joyfully, wonderfully exciting and thrilling to him, and its all cause for a mini celebration every step of the way.   

Hmm, that'll teach right there, don't you think?  There's so much boundless wonder in our regular old days and routines, but we allow that very routine to numb us to the wonders and the joy.  Where have you become numb and unappreciative to the remarkable, even miraculous, gifts of the people, places, routines, and activities in your life because they've become part of the "regular old" landscape of your life?  

Don't do it!  Right now, pause to look around and be astounded at the comforts you enjoy, the beauty of the world outside, the joy of the people you love, the happiness of a loyal pet.  See them.  Savor them.  And thank God for them!  But I digress, sort of. 

So Mr. B and I headed out to the greenway, and almost as soon as we arrived, Bingley noticed a deer standing in the woods right beside the path.  Nothing too unusual there as we see deer pretty frequently (but I always admire their beauty...Bingley admires the fact that he wants to RACE after them.  Sigh).  This deer stood stock still and simply stared at us.  And in return, Mr. B rudely tried to run after him.  

The usual happened: the deer streaked off into the woods....

And then the very, very unusual occurred...

The deer raced right back towards us and began following us.  He/she (I have no idea but am assuming she was a girl since there were no antlers) ran along in the woods right beside us, sometimes cutting across the path in front of us.  I reversed directions to lose her...and a moment later, here she came again running right beside us.  We reversed directions repeatedly, and every time she charged right back and raced and leaped beside us.  

Now, maybe she was trying to be friendly and make contact with us, and I'm just a wimpy city girl, but this began to somewhat alarm me.  Even Mr. B seemed anxious.  He no longer tried to run after her but kept nervously looking her way and most definitely not making a move in her direction.  

So I decided to cut up through the woods that are the back way to our cul de sac.  

Guess what?   She followed right along.  Here she is (if this is boy, I apologize to all deer)--

        Yes, she was this close and often got closer, but this is the best I could do under the circumstances given the somewhat agitated state of mind of Mr. B and myself. 
         By the time we reached our street, Bingley and I broke out in a run to our house and raced inside.  (In hindsight, this sounds totally pathetic to be scared of a deer, but there you have it.)  Low and behold, our deer friend ran back and forth in our front yard a number of times before she finally gave up and headed back to the woods.
         Now, let me be honest: I have no idea what to make of all this.  I've got no deep spiritual lessons about deer panting after streams of water or hind's feet in high places.  But here's what I do know: as part of an ordinary routine on an ordinary day, something pretty unusual--even astonishing--occurred and broke through my lethargy. 
         And it made me suddenly sit up and take notice.  Notice the beauty of the woods.  Notice the amazing plethora of birds and flora and fauna that were all around us.  Notice the nice people walking by.  Notice the happy feeling of a warm summer morning--sunny, not too hot or cold.  Notice the wonderful scents of cut grass and honeysuckle.  Notice the joy of being able to walk and breathe and listen and see and smell. 
          I was reminded anew what a remarkable, joyous, miraculous gift this thing--this fragile thing--called life is.  Yes, to be sure, life has myriad sorrows and challenges and tragedies.  Not a day goes by that we don't miss terribly those we love who've gone on to heaven.  (We miss you, Jo Anna and Ray and Lynda and Sam and...)  Even today, we mourn another suicide of a well known TV personality and chef.  It makes me incredibly sad to think of such a depth of hopelessness and sadness that could lead to that.  We live in a world filled to overflowing with hurt and hardship. 
         But oh my, even in the midst of all that, there's still wonder all around us.  There are people to be noticed and appreciate and loved.  There are dogs to enjoy and shower with affection.  There are babies to be snuggled.  There is beauty to be seen and savored.  There is music to listen to, food to be tasted, walks to be taken, sun to be felt, books to be read, scents to be smelled. 
        Oh might we "taste and see that the Lord is good." (Ps.34:8) 
        Might we notice...appreciate...savor...thank...serve...encourage...and love those God has placed in our lives.  Today.  We have today to do it, so don't allow the routine or the ordinary to blind you to the unfathomable gifts of the people, places, and activities of your daily life.  There's shimmering, sparkling gold in those barely disguised treasures.  And they are, to be sure, priceless, irreplaceable treasures.   
        I love how The Message puts it in Rom.12:1 "So here's what I want you to do, God helping you.  Take your everyday, ordinary life--your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life--and place it before God as an offering.  Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him." 
        Help us, Father, to truly see and to savor.  To serve and to share.  To love and to hug.  To appreciate and to rejoice.  To encourage and to thank.  And in it all and through it all, to look to You and give You all the trust, all the thanks, and all the glory.  For You are infinitely worthy.
        To God be the glory.