Skip to main content

Looking In The Window: Stuck

   


      I carried the blue canvas stadium chair to the beach and planted it in the deep, white sand. A baby lizard lay in the seat. My husband, Rick, flipped it out with his hand and turned around to set up his chair. Tail and all, the tiny creature measured only one to one-and-a-half inches. It writhed in the grained earth.



     Bright sunshine lit up the spring day, but the shore felt chilly to my bare feet. He must be cold. I stared at the lizard. His little arms and legs so thin; his fingers, like short pieces of thread, wiggled frantically. “Now you’ve done it.”

     Rick sat down.

     “He can’t travel on the beach,” I said.

     Rick stood. Using his foot, he scooped up a large amount of sand with the lizard atop it. He took several steps, and the sand filtered to the ground, so he flicked off the lizard and repeated the process. At first the little reptile squirmed as though he tried to escape. But after a while lay very still while Rick moved him. At last Rick reached the fence in front of the dunes, where sea oats and vines grew. But the foot patrol wouldn’t work here.

     “I’ll get a piece of a vine and put it up to the lizard. He can grab hold of it,” I said.

     Rick raised his dark eyebrows. “You can try.”

     I poked a stem at the lizard’s feet. He lay like a stone. I tried again and got the same result. Finally, on the fourth attempt the lizard wrapped those tiny legs and arms around the vine and held on tight. I threw him over the fence into a patch of greenery. As far as I know, he’s enjoying his new home.

     I sometimes feel stuck like that lizard. I’m over-burdened and bogged down, often with problems or unpleasant situations. Like the lizard, I turn this way; then, that way, trying to escape. My mind spins so fast thinking of possible solutions, but I get nowhere. I think if I just work a little harder, I can handle things. Eventually, I’m physically and emotionally exhausted. But I’m still writhing around in the sand. I don’t find relief until I ask for God’s help. He is my lift and my lifeline.

Matthew 7:  7-8, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”

     

Comments

Miss Mae said…
Aw, this was so sweet! Thanks for saving the lizard. I would've too!

And I hadn't thought about it that way before, but that's right. Sometimes when we're stuck all we are able to do is nothing except...just allow the Creator to do His will.

Excellent post!

(P.S.) The subscription worked like a charm. Came right in my inbox!
Gail Pallotta said…
Hi Miss Mae,

Thank you! Yes, you would've saved the lizard too. (:

I'm so glad you subscribed.
James E Lutz said…
It is a pretty good post. This post contains useful information which helps us a lot. I visit your website often and share with my friends.office furniture for sale Jacksonville
Gail Pallotta said…
Hi James,

Thank you for the encouraging words about this blog and for visiting Peering Through Life's Window. Blessings, Gail

Popular posts from this blog

Looking Out the Window: Memories on the Heart

Several weeks ago my husband, Rick, and I ate at a restaurant we frequent fairly regularly. The cute, young waitress who usually waits on us took our orders for burgers and fries. I’ll call her Mandy. As usual Mandy’s smile and bubbly personality brightened our day. We giggled and confessed to her that we shouldn’t eat the fries, but we were going to do it just this once. She joked. “Okay, you’re being bad today.” Not long after we got our food a couple came in and sat in the booth behind us. Mandy walked up to the table with her big grin. “Hi, how are you?” she asked. The man, who had salt and pepper colored hair and a pudgy face, spoke in a harsh tone, “I want the steak.” “Sure, which one would you like?” Mandy asked. “I don’t want you to put it in the microwave. That will make it tough. Do you understand?” Mandy’s lips turned down. “Yes sir, which one do you want to order?” “I want it medium rare. I don’t want blood oozing out of it. I want it cooked right.” “Yes sir, which steak di

Looking out the Window: Karen Malley Talks about Her New Book, Moonlight and Mystery. Giveaway.

  A Warm Welcome to Karen Malley Karen will give away an eBook of Moonlight and Mystery .  To enter to win leave a comment and email address below and enter the Rafflecopter contest. She also gives away a free short story each week for a newsletter sign-up. See below for her Website address. Hi Gail, thanks so much for having me on the blog today. It's my pleasure.  I’m happy to share with you a Bible verse and a recipe, and tell you about my newest book! One of my favorite Bible verses is Romans 10:9.  “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” I love this verse because it distills down the message of Christianity to its simplest elements. So often people add to the gospel, but it really all comes down to our belief in Jesus’ saving work on the cross. This verse tends to make its way into my writing. It’s in my latest novel, Moonlight and Mystery, when the heroine, Beth attends a carnival at a

Looking out the Window: Penny Zeller, Known for Heartfelt Stories of Faith, Talks about Her New Book, Dreams of the Heart. Giveaway.

  A Warm Welcome to Penny Zeller Penny will give away either an e-Book or a print copy (U.S. residents only) of Dreams of the Heart. Winner’s choice.  To enter to win join the Rafflecopter contest below, leave a comment and an email address. Hi Penny, Lots of writers were avid readers as children. How about you? If so, what did you read? I was an avid reader as a child, which I credit to my mom, who read to us and encouraged a love for books. Two of my favorite books were Wacky Wednesday and Harry the Dirty Dog. When I was older, I enjoyed reading Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew, and Little House on the Prairie. Why do you write? Because I can’t not write. It is my ministry and my passion. Tell us about your latest book, Dreams of the Heart   Sometimes the hardest battles take place in the heart. Poverty and abuse at the hands of her drunkard father leaves Hannah Bane trapped and alone. Without hope, she prays for a miracle just on the off-chance God will hear her. Will the handsome new