Turning Difficulty into Opportunity
When I’m out and about, I can always count on lots of content for my daily blogs. I’ll admit that when we were placed into this season of “stay at home”, I wondered if I would get enough subject matter, but, oh not so! It seems every day brings a fresh word and fresh inspiration. I’m so thankful.
But, on this day, I hang out with my furry bestie, 80-pound Australian Shepherd, Buddy. My kids live in a trendy area of town called Frisco Square. Right now, other than the occasional dog-walker, it’s very quiet there. The theater and library and other historical places are closed. Restaurants are open – but only drive-thru or drive-up for your order. Apparently, Fruitealicious, where my granddaughter works (basically specialty teas, fruit and frozen drinks), remains open as an “essential”. My favorite is the fresh peach and strawberry frozen drink. Yum (and she adds extra peach chunks to mine – she knows my loves)!
Buddy and I take a nice stroll through the historical district. Everything is closed but we enjoy the “history” we find there. Buddy falls in love with the bronzed statute of John Milton Turner’s seeing-eye dog. Mr. Turner was born in Frisco. He lost his sight as a teenager yet became very successful in business and was appointed by six Governors to serve more than three decades on the Texas Commission for the Blind. This photo is of John with one of his eight seeing-eye dogs. He outlived them all. I love this quote on the memorial: “Blindness is an inconvenience, not a handicap.”
Wonder if we’re “blind” in this inconvenient time we’re experiencing right now. I learned something from this excursion around Frisco. No matter our situation-in-life (i.e., isolated to our homes, without work, having to be home-schooled, detachment from our friends and family, unable to go to church, etc.), we can turn difficulties into opportunities. That’s the quote of Albert Einstein “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”
We can find the good in every circumstance, AND, like John Turner we can make something out of our inconveniences. This time is not forever but what we make of this time can possibly be a miracle break-through with the idea we received. It can be a closer connection to our family than ever before. It can be a first-time EVER of connecting – REALLY CONNECTING – with God.
Yes, I know it is challenging in so many ways to be cooped up. But, taking a walk to get closer to God in creation can sure be an eye-opener. When we spend time with God, everybody else knows it. We become calmer, we’re easier to get along with, and we don’t lose control of our emotions as quickly. Our patience increases, and our heart soon understands what God likes, and the more time we spend with God, the more like Him we become. He’s the ULTIMATE Creator – being like Him means we have creative abilities inside us. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons He has allowed this crisis – for us to tap into His genius.
I’m on my way to spend that time with Him, right now. God knows….that’s the secret to my inward peace and comfort, and I sure do want everybody to know by what they see in me, that I’ve been hanging out with Him AND my pal, Buddy — regularly.