Deep Pools Hold More Water

This spring we found that a single, lone wild duck had built her nest along our creek in the ravine, where we have a pond. The pond is wide, but shallow, and has no fish in it. From the pond, the creek rushes on down the mountain. We wondered what the duck would feed her young, as the creek rushes too fast for any greens to grow in the pond. The nest had thirteen eggs in it, by the time she had flown up and visited our male ducks many times, sharing their food and affection!

Then, one day the nest was empty, except for two eggs. Near the nest, were all the eggshells which had been whole, in the nest the day before. No duck was to be seen, nor ducklings either. We pondered over this. Perhaps some predator had found her in the night, eaten her babies, and perhaps eaten her also.

The day after, however, the two eggs which had still been in the nest, were broken and empty, and there still was no sign of any ducks.

My daughter Katie's curiosity became too great. She followed the creek down the mountain a ways, and discovered a large pool in the forest, which was fairly stagnant, and had lots of greens growing. Perhaps fish too, as it was fed by another, larger creek as well. And here, swimming around happily, was the mother duck, and yes - thirteen ducklings!

The mother had taken her children to a deeper pond, with more water, and more food for them. A happy land to raise her young ones in. A place where the water was deep enough to provide rich nourishment for her offspring.

I have personally known a few people who lived such quiet lives, taking no risks, doing nothing new, that they never suffered any anguish in their entire lives. But neither were they particularly happy people. It seemed to me that they simply existed, though in apparent contentment.

My own life, on the other hand, has been punctuated by deep, ragged pits filled with the dust of despair. They had been gouged from my soul by abuse, desertion, my own grievous mistakes, and other great emotional pain. As a very young woman, during my first marriage, I endured several years, when I thought I had become nothing but a desert full of dusty craters. I was sad almost all the time, and felt very alone, lost, and of no more use to God at all.

But since those years, though I have suffered much more, through the earthly losing of children, I have come to understand something I did not know before. There is great joy in my life now. I feel joy at some time, every day of my life. Now I envision those holes in my spirit, hollowed out as deeply as caves. And then I picture God's joy pouring into all of them, like a sweet, thundering waterfall. Those very deep craters, hold an abundance of joy! If I had never experienced great grief, I do not believe that I would have turned to God, holding out my faltering, helpless hands, and asking Him to help me. In turn, He would not have had any caverns to use as vessels into which to pour His enormous gifts of peace and happiness.

A shallow, quickly moving creek cannot sustain life. A shallow, indifferent, undiscerning person who simply floats along life each day, cannot absorb great joy from God. The deeper the pain that cut into one's spirit, the greater the peace, and inexplicable joy that God pours in, to soothe, and comfort. The peace that passeth understanding. Now I can sing with a new understanding, this song from my childhood Sunday School:

I have the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart!
Down in my heart! Down in my heart!
I have the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart!
Down in my heart to stay!

I have the peace that passeth understanding down in my heart,
Down in my heart! Down in my heart!
I have the peace that passeth understanding down in my heart,
Down in my heart to stay!

I have the wonderful love of my blessed Redeemer way down in the depths of my heart! ...

(It is such a challenge to keep up with the increasing tempo of this song!
That is what makes it a song a child cannot forget, because it's so much fun.
In later years, the deepest meaning strikes home!)

Thank You, my wonderful Heavenly Father, for outfitting me, and preparing me, for Your outpouring of joy! Thank You for forming me, to be able to hold and keep this gift of comfort and hope, so it won't just slip away like the water that passes by in our creek, sliding on down the mountain. Thank You for everything, for I know that Your plan for me is perfect. Your plan for each of my children is perfect. Your plan for all of of your beloved children is perfect. I did nothing to ever deserve Your time and care, in preparing a plan for me. But You have, and You show me this all the time. Thank You for your overwhelming love. Thank You also, for allowing me to get as old as I am, and giving me more time now, so that I could spend it with You, getting to know You better, and getting the chance to make You happy in new ways.