The camera bag looked great until I got it all together (go ahead, laugh right there). Actually, it was lining up perfectly- it was just too big. It was as big as my huge, over-the-shoulder bag. Hmm. Kind of defeated the purpose there. What I really wanted was one I could stick in my purse when I go out. I wanted something small. My large bag has pockets for everything- SD cards, extra batteries, etc. I thought if I left out some of the pockets I could make a simple, small camera bag. Wrong. It turned out huge- and then I put the zipper on. It looked like a monkey hot-glued it with a blindfold on. In my defense, it was the first time I had ever put on a zipper- not to mention I was going around a square (not the easiest task). So I took it apart. I cried. I poked myself with the seam ripper and bled on my huge, crooked, monkeyesque burst'd bubble. Why is this so hard?!?!
I put the kids to bed and went back to the kitchen table, ignoring the dinner dishes sitting next to my sewing machine. I was too focused and frustrated after dinner to work on dishes, anyway. I had a task in front of me: tearing that thing apart. I started wondering what else I could do with the pieces I'd cut. Then I remembered a picture I took last week and a blog topic I wanted to write about but just hadn't had the inspiration (until now): Overcoming Obstacles.
Check out this picture:
This is a tree growing through the fence from my front yard into the back. It caught my attention a week ago and I've been watching it ever since. I suppose I often feel like that tree, squeezing through the obstacles in my life, wondering who will win. Will I be triumphant and break the fence down with my mighty boughs? Or will the fence cut off my circulation and kill that part of me that tried to break through? Or, as evidenced by this picture, will I simply grow through and adapt to the obstacles in my life? I'm not sure if you can see it, but the tree is actually growing differently because of this fence. Here is another pic to show you what I mean:
And it's actually flourishing on the other side! I've noticed also that the fence is slowly being pushed out of the way... so I have concluded that this tree will do two things: 1.Overcome the obstacle (though it may take time) and 2.Grow and adapt as it pushes through the obstacle.
Now, my little problem with the camera bag is nothing compared to some of the things I have faced in the past or that some of my friends are going through right now. But I believe there is hope for the big and the little troubles we are up against. We'll grow. We'll change (hopefully for the better, depending on our attitudes). We'll overcome. I will conquer this camera bag problem. I will learn to calculate my projects more carefully before shelling out the cash. In time I will realize that this problem really wasn't worth getting red faced and crazy over. (Ok, maybe I'm realizing that as I type). Point is, if you're facing an obstacle and it seems like the fence is winning, remember that if Christ lives in your heart there is Life in you. Just like there is life in that tree that will cause it to continue growing to the point that it eventually overcomes the fence. That Life in you has the power to conquer death. That means that we don't have to throw hissy fits and give in to temptation. And so, as I return to the table with a new attitude (thanks for letting me vent!) I leave you with a bit of God's Word:
"The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.
Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do."
~Romans 8:11-12
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