It’s that awful time of year again.
When the coffee comes out, the books get spread all over the house and
sleep becomes an optional extra - if there’s time after cramming hundreds of
pages of “Cardiology.”
Yip. It’s finals time.
Regardless of what September holds for you, I think this time of year is
tough on everyone.
Some people are working hard leading up to exams (whilst us
un-conforming vet students are writing them) and the majority of others are
bogged down with work leading to year ends.
It’s in this space that we tend to forget about the more important
things in life… like earthworms. J
Yes… earthworms.
I don’t spend a lot of time outside anymore (unless you consider the
practicals involving chasing down cows) and I certainly haven’t picked up a
spade and got my hands dirty with gardening in many, many years. But I am
blessed to live in a home that has a beautiful, multi-floral garden that’s
lovingly tended to by my mother.
A garden which, if I’m honest, I take far too little time to appreciate.
But, as I’m sure you may know, procrastination often leads you into long
forsaken places.
So today, in one of my not so productive moments, I decided to forsake
the books and take upon wandering around the house in search of food and
company.
These ventures lead me outside into the fresh spring air, where I
discovered my mother digging up the soil and gardening in anticipation of
summer.
As I watched her, I noticed the soil moving, alive with many little
earthworms, hard at work.
If you consider the biology of earthworms, it may be a little crude to
consider that their entire purpose is to eat rubbish and, well, recycle the
nutrients back into the soil. They effectively poop back what the plants and
insects that habituate the ground so desperately need.
They work tirelessly, unseen, all the while adding to the beautiful,
magnificent creation that shines the glory of our magnificent God.
An ecosystem is dependent on these (and other similar) creatures, and
everything from food, wildlife and pretty gardens are somehow linked back to a
little worm that seems, well, insignificant.
The last time I considered an earthworm, was probably ten years ago, but
since then, these little guys have been continuously hard at work, making my
garden beautiful, whilst I was too oblivious and busy to notice.
It’s amazing and mind boggling to consider how perfectly God created our
planet, and how stupidly I’ve chosen to ignore it in the midst of my stress and
trials.
So here’s to remind you of a few things.
1)
Whatever you’re
currently facing, God hasn’t stopped working around you to make things
beautiful.
2)
Take some time to
appreciate the blessings you have. One minute, to consider an earthworm, has
served to remind me of my ultimate purpose to glorify God that goes way beyond
writing exams or work. And that’s a pretty de-stressing thought.
3)
No job or
situation, no matter how sh%*tty, is ever too insignificant to be used to
glorify God. Just ask the earthworm, whose only purpose is to “poop for God”. J
God’s beauty and your purpose are far bigger than the studying, job and
trials that you may face. You just need to take the time to notice.
Hope this made you smile!
(Image source, with thanks:
http://www.biodiversitygardening.com/earthworms.html)
