the little things

Life is filled with endless details. We get up and proceed with our day, days filled with endless events. Today I walked the dog. We went early because black dogs absorb heat and the temperatures this summer have been, with rare exception, extremely hot. Of course, inspite of the reaction of the local news, summer is usually extremely hot in Memphis.

By getting out before sunrise we are able to take a more protracted walk, giving the dog ample time to investigate the variety of smells which bombard her senses. Some of the things she is drawn to smell are pretty disgusting. But she spends time with flowers, leaves and other living things as well.

The hour long walk probably covers about two miles. From an exercise view point I think it has little value for me. However, as she bounds back and forth, tongue lolling and panting, I have to figure she is getting something out of it. The walk does afford some prayer time. Nothing deep or mystical. Yet, prayer none the less. In more frenetic periods I would also be rehearsing sermons and outlining class notes in my head. It is an occupational habit. It takes a great deal of time to appear like you are speaking off the cuff.

I pondered, briefly, how much of life is spent in mindless pursuits. Walking the dog, driving to the gymn, exercising, showering.... Then I fed the baby and held him. Several hours of quiet slumber interrupted by two sessions on the bottle. Feeding baby seems more significant. Yet even that is another daily detail. Eat, sleep, breathe....

I was contacted by a friend last night, essentially he asked, "why are things so crazy?" What is God up to in all this? So much time is spent each day in tasks which seem eternally useless. What will God do with the  hours spent walking a dog? Or the hours spent eating, processing, cleaning up and repeating the cycle again? Why is it we spend over a quarter of life asleep? Random thoughts on vacation. An invite to trust even when one does not understand. Mystery.