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

The image of this chipmunk spoke to me loudly about my current living situation—hanging on and carrying on. My daughter and her family have been living with us for five months. Things are tense, and there is no end in sight. The chipmunk’s situation is precarious, but he trusts in the sturdy branch on which he stands, calmly chewing away on the piece in his paws. I, too, stand on a Sturdy Branch, One that will hold me up in the midst of the chaos of my life. The chipmunk reminds me to “be anxious for nothing “ (Phil. 4:6) and to “rejoice in the Lord.” He knows what all of this is about, even if I don’t. That knowledge builds my trust and lightens my load. My thanks to the chipmunk for the needed reminder.

(c) 2015 Dorothy Castle