Look who paid me a visit on this sultry Southern-fried Friday? Such a cute fella and fine example of the Eastern box turtle. Where was he going? Most likely home, and the journey took him a long time because he moved at the rate of cold honey drizzled over a frozen biscuit. Very slow. Two neat facts about box turtles are they never wander far from their birthplace and shouldn’t be relocated outside their home area. So I just watched as my hard shell visitor traveled along at a leisurely pace, stopping only when I snapped his picture. Since he was strolling down my walkway surrounded by plants taller than him, he couldn’t see in the distance. But lack of view didn’t keep the persistent little guy from continuing toward his destination. When he came to a step, the determined dude slid over the edge head first.
The Apostle Paul encouraged the Corinthians to have the same persistence in 2 Corinthians 5:6-7. “That’s why we live with such good cheer. You won’t see us drooping our heads or dragging our feet! Cramped conditions here don’t get us down. They only remind us of the spacious living conditions ahead. It’s what we trust in but don’t yet see that keeps us going. Do you suppose a few ruts in the road or rocks in the path are going to stop us?” I hope not. Just like my turtle friend headed for home, I hope we live by faith in God for what’s to come in the future and not by what we see around us now.
Whether at home or on vacation this summer, I bet you had a wonderful time enjoying the sun and fun. What were some of your favorite activities?