it's too 'jelly'

By the time my grandson was three or four, he had developed quite a discriminating palate for both the taste and texture of the food he ate.

For example, he liked chicken nuggets very much, but he was very particular when it came to the dipping sauce of choice. He liked ranch-style dressing the best, but he tried other things too.  I particularly remember when he tried dipping the tasty chicken bits in cream gravy.  He rejected it immediately and declared, "It's too jelly."  I finally determined that "too jelly" had more to do with the viscosity than the taste!  I still smile whenever I think of that time.

For some reason that incident has remained clear in my mind.  Recently, I remembered it again.  And this time, it got me to thinking...

Sometimes, life gets 'too jelly.'  Somehow the foundation fails and we find ourselves on shifting sand...unstable.  I have discovered that this theory is particularly accurate when it comes to our spiritual lives.  When the circumstances of the day reduce us to tired and anxious, stressed-out individuals, the foundation we are standing on has shifted, it's become 'jelly.'

I am learning that as long as I keep my eyes on Him, the Lord is always there to bring peace and apply a healing balm over the situation, no matter what or who it involves.  When I focus on Him and His will for my life, the storms of life fail to alter my foundation...it's firm.  

Therefore, it behooves me to stay so near Him that I can hear His heart beating, and know that it is beating for me, His beloved.  At the first sign of a shift in any direction, except His will for me, the foundation suddenly becomes 'too jelly.'  I don't like the way it feels!

At that point, I take a giant step backward, free-falling on His mercy and grace.  When I let go of self and fall into Him, I always land on stable ground again.  It's hard to walk on jelly!  It's much easier to find your footing when someone else is leading you.

The next time you find yourself feeling alone or anxious or afraid, or just plain tired and stressed-out, stop and check your footing...you may be trying to walk a path that is just 'too jelly!'