The Parable of the Blue Rock

About a month or so ago, while hiking with a friend, I discovered the most AMAZING rock of all time! What made it so AMAZING? It was different from all the rocks around it. In fact, it was so different that it was obvious that it didn't belong on that particular mountain side. That meant it had a story. Something mysterious in its past. Something about it that I would never know for sure. It was blue-ish in color, marble-like, and smooth on one edge but rough on another. I picked it up and immediately wanted it for my own. I wouldn't have any guilt for taking it from its home because clearly that had already been done. This was NOT home for my rock friend. However, being about the size of a watermelon...I had second thoughts. What do I need a silly rock for? Where would I put the HUGE thing ? My second thoughts eventually won. I regretfully left the rock next to the path and went home without it. Justifications for leaving it behind flooded through my head like crazy the entire hike back; hoping that I could convince myself that I had made a good choice. But I never completely forgot about the rock.

So you might be wondering what is so cool about this silly, but ABSOLUTELY true and sincere, experience...well here are my thoughts...

Like the rock, sometimes we might feel like we don't really belong where we have been put. We hope and pray to go back to the place where we wanted to be. The place where we feel loved-the place where we have friends and people who know and understand us. But then one day along comes a person. You realize that you might never have met this incredible being had you not been in the EXACT spot you THOUGHT you didn't want to be in. This person needs the gifts and talents that you have been blessed with. You have the potential to bring them joy and possibly make a HUGE impact in their life. It is then that you realize WHY you are there.

Sometimes I think God doesn't answer our prayers in the way that we WANT him to so that he can answer someone else's prayer in the way that they NEED him to.

***Just yesterday we traveled back to the same beautiful mountain side. I practically begged to stop and look for MY rock. This time I would bring it back for sure! No second thoughts. But really, who was I kidding? The rock was no longer there. Another lucky traveler must have picked it up.

From a different perspective, sometimes we are going to miss out on opportunities. Why? Maybe because something inside tells us that it is a silly idea or not necessary. While this is true, I don't believe that our loving Heavenly Father wants us to sit and fill our lives with guilt and regret over missed opportunities. He wants us to sometimes remember the past but mostly look forward to the future.

I just hope I won't miss picking up any more beautiful rocks when the opportunity comes...
Just my thoughts:)