⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.⁵ Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-6

Ahhhh.  The beauty of Lectio Divina.  When I first saw this photo I was turned off.  I’m not a fan of rodents, even “cute” little ones like this chipmunk.  But as I sat with it, I began to notice and think about other things.  Like the leafless twig-like structures permeating the landscape.  And the seeming impossibility of one of them being able to hold the weight of the chipmunk on its tip.  And the lone wildflower blossom decorating the scene.  I thought about the weight of my own burdens and how sometimes I think they’re impossible to carry.  And then I remember I don’t have to.  I remember the quiet strength of the indwelling spirit and how it is always there to shore me up, no matter how fragile I feel.  I think of the “blossoms” along my path, whether they’re dear friends there to brighten my day, a healthy body  still able to do anything I ask it to do, or the joy of impending grandmotherhood.   And I think of how much I and that little chipmunk share in the grand scheme of things, of how we and all of creation are connected at the most basic level.  And for today, that’s enough.

(c) 2015 Debra Cook