Okay, I’m finally doing the calorie-counting thing. As age has caught up and metabolism has slowed down, it seems that my days of eating ice cream at will are pretty well gone. My dear mom reminisces about me coming home from school and diving into a bowl of three or four scoops.
Ah, those were the days. And thus, I purchased a kitchen scale, and am using measuring implements consistently for the first time. The calculator sits conspicuously on the kitchen island. Right now, I’m working on just 2000 calories a day. One would think that would not be too difficult…ugh.
By contrast, did you know that if I had the metabolism of a hummingbird, I would need to eat around 155,000 calories a day?! Somebody better alert Baskin-Robbins!
No jealousy here though. I truly just love the little hummers that sound like oversized locusts when they fly by. I’ve put out three feeders for them so far, but if you’ve tried to provide for the hummers, you probably have also had to deal with someone else who also likes sugary water—ants.
I decided to move my feeders from one area that was evidently an ant paradise, refilled the glass jars, and set them out hopefully. However, when I had filled and inverted one particular feeder to hang, I noticed approximately one million ant carcasses floating throughout. (They must have died happy.)
Hmmm…wonder if the hummers won’t mind. (Extra protein??)
Evidently not. Either my residents are picky enough not to need the extra protein, or the deceased insects were clogging the feeder ports so the nutritious nectar was unavailable. Or, it could be it’s just easier to get the nectar from the other feed due to the way it’s shaped.
Either way, the dead parts have to go.
Understandable metaphor, I suppose. The Holy Spirit fills me with the nutritious life of Christ, not just for my own benefit, but for the welfare of others. Unfortunately, it is obvious there are still “dead parts” in me—conflicts and perspectives, ways of thinking and responding, even sinful attitudes and actions—that clog the ports and need some serious purging.
“Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.”
It’s also a challenge to know how best to present Jesus to others, not just in words, but in sacrificial life choices, personality, communication styles. Let’s be real—different people connect in different ways.
“Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.”
While I’m writing this, I saw one little guy try the ant-morgue again. He seems to have succeeded getting something out of it. No matter, it’s getting cleaned out and filled afresh. Who wants ants for breakfast when you’re looking for nectar?
Ephesians 4:21,22; 1 Corinthians 9:22,23 Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
INSPIRATION with an ATTITUDE 