Ankle Biters: Opportunities of Hope!

We all know about them, don't we?  Ankle biters come in all shapes and sizes at times.  From ants at a picnic to a flat tire that keeps us from making an appointment on time.  Sometimes days come full of them.  My day yesterday was full of ankle biters.  Here are a few of them.  I discovered that I have a couple of nagging vitamin deficiencies going on that need addressed, my painful knee is probably arthritic, a financial issue we've wanted to wrap up for 6 weeks still can't make any headway,  a child spent the day at home with vomiting and stomach cramps,  one child can't seem to tell time when asked to perform a task, I've lost all my notes for the upcoming school year, I can't find the scrapbook album that I need for this weekends crop and on and on the day went.  Whew!  What a day of ankle biters, things that need handled.

I'd wanted to have a day of Bible Study and school preparations for next year.  I even pulled out a new book in the middle of the day in attempt to get started on something to take my mind of the hard day of ankle biters and wound up reading the same page 5 times before I just had to give up and admit defeat for the day.

Then this morning, as I was shining my sink the verse in Peter  came to my mind.  I have a Living Hope!  A smile came to my lips instantly and my heart began to overflow with the mercies of a new day ahead and tackling my to-do list with gusto!

1Peter 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

So, my day started, lists made, children set to work, I headed out for my run.  I began to pray, thank Him for being my Living Hope and lifted up yesterday's struggles to Him.  They are the small things in life, yet they are important to the Savior as they are used for refinement in us.  I began to pray about how to write  about ankle biters and could my post sound like anything except whining about a rough day.

Then it happened, that cursed snake!  From the beginning of time a liar and a thief and cursed by God the one who, for a little while, has power and seeks to kill and destroy.  Yep, he was mouth open and ready to strike at my ankle on the side of the busy road I was running on.

I lept.

Protected by my Living Hope, I vowed that I would come home and write about His perfect protection from the ankle biters in life.  The big and the small, the circumstances and living things, all are used for our refinement.  Nothing is wasted.

Now it's time to ice down this sore knee, consider joining a gym that has bikes to ride, and maybe take up juicing for my vitamin needs.

Blessings upon you!