NovelSisters

watching, reading, and writing stories

The Bird on the Wire

Have you ever seen a bird on a telephone wire? I’m sure you have, it’s so common that I often don’t notice it. But today I did. It’s windy today and as I watched, the bird swayed with the wind, buffeted back and forth, sometimes I was surprised he still hung on. I found myself thinking, “Just let go, just fly. It’s what you were made to do.”

But still the bird clung to the wire. And suddenly I saw myself as that bird. I cling to what’s comfortable, holding on to my little piece of wire. Then when the winds come, and life gets hard, when I feel like God is giving me more than I can handle, do I let go and trust Him? Or do I hold more stubbornly to what I want, what I think I need, what’s comfortable? Because when I do let go, I find I can fly. I have a faith that can move mountains, a hope that soars, a joy that can laugh at adversity. But I never experience that thrill if I don’t first let go of what I think will make me happy and trust that God really does have what’s best.

This past week my pastor said we don’t see how great faith is, until we’re in the storm. And as I look back on my life, I can see it’s true. When life is rolling along, everything fairly manageable, my faith doesn’t seem as important. Sometimes I forget it’s actually needed. But when those storms come, when the relative gets cancer, or the friend’s marriage is falling apart, or you lose your job, that’s when faith shows it’s strength. There’s a certain peace, or confidence God gives His children in the midst of suffering that you don’t experience until you’re in those moments. And even though it’s still hard, it’s also really good. The closest to God I’ve felt, has happened when I’m going through a hardship.

So that’s what God has been teaching me today; that He designed me to know Him, to trust Him, to love Him and that I’ll be happiest when I let go of all the other stuff, and choose to love and trust Him. Even if it takes a storm for me to do it, it’s worth it. because knowing Him is worth everything.

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“I’m going on an adventure!”

Image Source: http://s49.photobucket.com/user/filterdose/media/BilboAdventure.gif.html

One of my favorite scenes from The Hobbit, is where Bilbo is running after the dwarfs and yelling to his neighbors “I’m going on an adventure!”

There’s something exciting about going to a new place, doing new things and even though it’s a little bit scary, ultimately it’s very thrilling and you want to tell everyone.

I’ve noticed that in many novels, or stories, the main plot involves a protagonist leaving what is comfortable and going to where things are unexpected. Why is “the journey” so important to a story? Does is force the character to grow, to change, to become something other? There are many great stories that don’t involve a journey, but every story has a change that takes place. In The Hobbit, Gandalf clearly tells Bilbo that if he is to return from this “adventure” he will not be the same. Change, whether it’s from journeying to a new environment or current relationships becoming something different, is scary. We like things to stay the same, to be comfortable. Just as Bilbo is very sure that adventures is not what he wants, we often want everything to stay the same.

However, things are always changing, we can’t escape it. And change can be a good thing. Once everyone has left Bilbo to start the adventure, he finds himself alone in his big house, and something occurs to him. Does he really want this? Suddenly the thought of missing out on something great becomes more unbearable than the thought of leaving a comfortable home. And even though going means change, Bilbo decides it’s worth it.

I’m going on my own adventure in a couple days, I’ll be leaving the country for a whole week. And I’m excited, just like Bilbo I want to yell “I’m going on an adventure!” This will mean that I’ll change, but just like Bilbo, I’m embracing it.

However, this means I won’t be posting for awhile…

But I’m sure I’ll have “a tale or two to tell” when I get back.

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