Snake Hunting

Recently, we escaped to the lake for a much-needed change of pace and scenery. The house we were staying at was a way back from the lake, and up a steep hill surrounded by thick woods and beautiful tall trees, you could hardly see it from anywhere but the water directly in front of the dock. There's a winding path from the house to the dock. Because there was such a slope, there wasn't any grass, just ferns, and other plants. A true paradise for spiders, bugs, frogs, and in my mind - snakes! If you're like me, all snakes are bad; even baby ones can swallow me whole, one bite! I'm certain of this (listen, God warned us about snakes at the beginning of the Bible!).

Early in the morning, I began to walk down to the dock, peering very carefully every step into the thicket looking for a snake. In my head, I was being brave and was going to clear them out for everyone else; in reality, I was a little nervous (okay, a lot). Well, I made it down to the ramp and saw movement in the corner of my eye. There it was! A little water snake slithering along the water in some brush and tree limbs. Good, run away, I thought. I found one and scared it away! Just finding one made me feel better as it wasn't nearly as scary as the thought of finding one. And it was the only one I saw all weekend, and after that, I just stopped looking. I accepted the reality, and my anxiety disappeared. 

My wife Susan has a saying, "If you look hard enough for anything, you'll find it." If you are looking for faults in another person, you'll find them; If you look for what's wrong in a situation, you'll eventually find it; If you look for snakes in the woods - you'll find one. 

The opposite is also true, if you focus on what's good in others, you'll see it; if you look for what's positive in a situation, you'll find it and be encouraged; if you stop looking for snakes in the woods, you won't be scared. 

Sure, things will surprise you every now and then and even disappoint you, but the negativity and fear won't consume you. Maintaining a healthy focus on what's good, honest, just, pure, and lovely (Philippians 4:8) will allow richer relationships and a more joyful life. As Mike Hardwick reminds me often: we all got issues! So accept others and move on. 

The same is true with God. In the Bible, it says, if you seek, you will find me, if you knock it will be opened to you. If you seek, you will find. That's so comforting to me as He also says that He knows the plans for us, plans for good, and plans to prosper. So in all things, it's a choice of focus. A choice to seek the one who provides all things and the one who reconciles all things for good for those who love him. Just keep knocking. Just keep seeking. 

Life has a strange way of offering seasons, good and bad. Throughout these times, remember to focus on the doughnut, not on the hole. Things that are good and sweet, not empty and scary. 

If you search hard enough for something, you will find it. Search for good.