3 minute read
Squirrely Birthday
from January 2022
by Monica Gambrell
Things rarely go exactly as we had planned them, do they? For a recovering control freak, this can be very disconcerting—ha ha. Partly because I had such a broken and unconventional childhood experience, I worked very hard at creating traditions, memories, and experiences that would bring happiness into the lives of my children. Happiness though is not the same thing as joy. Happiness is rooted in our circumstances. If all is well, we can be happy. But joy is deeper still. Joy is fruit of the Holy Spirit. When
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He indwells us, we no longer have to rely on outward stimulus; we possess it inwardly!
As our family found our individual ways to enjoy life we discovered hiking—not rigorous professional hiking, but leisurely hikes through the mountains. I tried to remain continually aware of possible teaching moments as we hiked. I hoped that any knowledge passed between us would open a discussion about the Creator. On one excursion to Fort Mountain, we had an odd experience. We decided to celebrate Rebekah’s 3rd birthday with a picnic replete with cake. Her birthday is in April, so the park near the playground was completely devoid of people. After having our picnic, we decided to hike for a bit. It was chilly but not cold and the sun was bright and beautiful. When most of us were weary, we decided to return to our picnic table. We had packed away all of the leftover food (so as not to attract critters) but had left Rebekah’s plastic-covered strawberry cake on the table. As we drew near to the table, we all questioned ourselves as to what we were witnessing. Then it became hilariously clear. A very bold little squirrel had reached across the top of the cake, dug his little paws past the plastic wrap and into the center of the cake, and was stuffing his mouth with as much cake as his now engorged cheeks could hold! We all burst into hearty and uncontrolled laughter. I’m afraid little Rebekah was a bit confused, but the sight of a squirrel with pink icing covering his face was just too much. We told
Bekah that the squirrel might have thought it was his birthday too, and she was satisfied. It makes me so happy that our Heavenly Father gifts us with sweet moments like this for us to enjoy… but is happiness enough? I think not. Not every human has equal amounts of pain and challenge in his or her life. We need something that transcends the horrific things that sometimes enter our lives. We need a deep, refreshing, healing, constant river of joy flowing through our souls. And that joy comes only through a relationship with the one true God. If you have tried external ways to fill the empty ache we have all experienced, try filling that God-shaped hole with the only thing that was made to fill it—God.
Gal. 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, selfcontrol; against such things there is no law.”
Psalm 51:8, “Let me hear joy and gladness, Let the bones You have broken rejoice.”
Romans 14:17, “For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
Father God, may we never cease to give praise to You for giving us the source of joy—Your Holy Spirit!
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