Sometimes things don't go our way. I don't have to tell you that. You have experienced it for yourself many times. I have too. It can go from being mildly annoying - maybe a rainstorm the day you wear your new shoes. It could be as serious as the death of a friend, sibling, or parent and anywhere in between. After our hardship happens, where do we go from there? It is our choice how we decide to get through a difficult time and to move beyond.
My family has been enjoying our neighborhood pond all summer. We have been particularly interested in the mother duck we named Martha White. She has sat on her nest daily through thick, thin, heat, rain, ants, and hunger. Her self discipline as well as her future hope kept her there. She would sometimes look very tired, bored, and dazed but her resolve never wavered. We were very excited for her and knew that the eggs would hatch in about 28 days. We weren't sure how long she had been nesting before we found her so it was hard to know exactly when they were due. But I do know she started out with eight beautifully perfect eggs. But as days and nights passed her treasures dwindled to five. Sadly, at last count...there were only three. But Martha accepted her losses and chose to continue daily with her routine and guard her eggs no matter what. I watched her. She has become a source of positivity in my life.
The other day when we visited we noticed that she was off her nest. The three eggs left were lying still with days of caked mud smeared across them. No cracks could be found. The 28 day marked had definitely passed. This poor mother had truly sat in a nest for that long in total vain. Nothing had come from her labor. She could have just dumped all eight of her eggs in the water the first day she laid them and gotten on with her life and the outcome would have been exactly the same. No ducklings. She could have fallen into a depression. She could have been in denial and continued to sit on the eggs. There are so many ways she could have handled her situation. I was anxious to find her. I did. I found her taking care of herself, drinking water, taking a bath, and joining her friends. This was a major inspiration to me that she grieved in a healthy way and accepted the fate of her eggs.
Next time you face a hardship, remember Martha White. Think about healthy activities that you can do for yourself as you grieve or worry about an outcome. It is best to take care of yourself physically by eating well, exercising, and getting proper rest. Take care of yourself emotionally and mentally by finding someone that can be there to listen and help you become part of something greater than yourself. Spiritually remember that God is greater than any problem we have, and is always there for us.
In time, I hope Martha will try to become a mother again. I hope her previous experience will make her stronger. Hopefully, she will take what she has learned and apply it to a future situation. I wish the same for us.
We are all sorry for your loss, Martha. You are going to be an amazing mother one day. But, if being a mother doesn't happen to be God's plan for you, He will fill your days in fulfilling ways and show you new avenues. God's ways are not always our ways, but He is perfect and we are made perfect through Him. Remember, if you do get caught in a storm, God will always be there with you, wanting to teach you how to dance in the rain.
“Cast all your anxiety upon Him because He cares for you.” -1 Peter 5:7
