Turtle’s Pace

I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. 1 Samuel 1:27 (NIV)

I’m home from work today. I might have a touch of swine flu, or it could be food poisoning, or maybe I caught salmonella from the turtle I “rescued” over the weekend. All the symptoms are similar so who knows what is causing my low grade fever, chills, aches and stomach pain. I don’t know. What I do know is it is finally a rainy day, and I am here watching over and over again the video that was played in church yesterday honoring the graduating high school seniors. I cry each year when it is played even when I have no child graduating. It is so touching to see them grow up before your very eyes as first a sweet cuddly baby picture appears, then, the child progresses from independent toddler, to inquisitive preschooler to active elementary school student, to chubby middle scholar and finally to tall, strong, vibrant young adult. It is even more poignant when your own child is on that video. I had my handful of Kleenex knowing I would shed some tears as I quietly alternated between sobbing and laughing. Who knew that now it would seem the time went by so fast? When we were in the midst of it, the world moved so very slowly. It was little like that turtle who appeared in the pasture on Saturday. The dogs found him first and were barking frantically at the eighteen inch intruder. He was wedged up against the fence with one dog on his side and another on the opposite side. He hissed, they growled. It appeared to be a stalemate until a rescuer appeared and swooped him off his feet to safety. I carried him up to the house first for a picture. I have not looked him up on our Florida reptile book so am not sure, but the “experts” around me say he is a snapping turtle. His large hard shell had the remnants of moss upon it. He did not have the ugly face of an alligator turtle and he was not so afraid that he curled up completely into his shell. He stared me down, but was not aggressive. I took him all the way back out to the swamp behind the new pasture to get him away from the dogs. Afterwards, I thought about how far and how long it had taken him to crawl to the fence where I found him trapped. I wondered if he had been heading for the pond across the street instead of the swamp to which I took him. He probably thought, “Hey lady, thanks but no thanks. I wanted to go the other way. Just leave me alone and I will find my way.” How many times have I heard something similar from my own son whose first word was “No” and first sentence was “I can do it myself!” And yet, look how far God has brought him and what marvelous choices he is making about his life. Until I take my dying breath, I will not only be praising God, but encouraging every parent who crosses my path. Hang on! God will be faithful. There is hope. Your child will grow out of this phase. It may seem as slow as a turtle’s pace, but it will last only the blink of an eye.

The song that accompanied the video at church:

http://musicremedy.com/audio/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowAudioPlayer&AudioId=27270&Quality=5

I Just Call You Mine by David Phelps

I pinch myself sometimes
to make sure
I’m not in a dream
That’s how it seems
I close my eyes and breath in the
sweetest moments I’ve ever known
and it feels like home
But who am I not much of anything
And there you are turning winter into spring

Chorus
(And) Everyone that sees you
Always wants to know you
And everyone that knows knows you
always has a smile
You’re a standing ovation
after years of waiting
For a chance to shine
Everyone calls you amazing
But I just call you mine

I fall apart and just a word from you
somehow seems to fix
Whatever’s wrong
You reach into the weakest moments
and remind me that I’m strong
You’ve gotta know
I’d be a fool not to see or even worse
To forget You’re more than I deserved

Chorus

Nothing makes sense when
you’re not here
It’s like my whole world disappears
Without you what’s the point of anything