Ellen Chauvin | Soaked & Sprouting

Soaked in God's Word, Sprouting Seeds of Faith

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch

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For the last seventeen years of my career, I worked on beautiful, private property, with a meandering bayou and wildlife galore. Birds, ducks, turtles, snakes. Too many snakes! And gators. Can’t forget the gators.

We had the opportunity to see behind the scenes of trapping a gator. There was bait – usually chicken –  hung from a branch that stretched low over the bayou. Once the alligator grabbed his chicken dinner, the wire attached to the chicken was tripped, and a snare held him to the ground to keep him from slithering off. Because gators can slither, y’all. I’ve seen it!

We got a call in the office one day asking if we wanted to see the gator that was trapped. Well, yeah, of course we did! This was before the days of “Choot ‘em!” from Swamp People, so we had no idea what was coming.

When we got to the bayou, we stood quiet a distance away. The property manager was getting close to the gator that was caught. Next thing I know, he “choots ‘em” between the eyes. I saw something fly high into the sky, then ever so slowly begin falling in my direction. It was part of the alligator! The blob fell a scant one half inch from the tip of my cute black pumps. Because those were the days when we wore suits, with skirts, panty hose and high heels. Yep, it was that long ago!

Gator brains. It was a big blob of gator brains.

Praise God for HIS strength. I did not run screaming and tearing my hair out yelling “Gator brains! I almost got touched by gator brains!”

Then, there was the nice lunch with the bosses. We picked up salads from a local restaurant and sat at the antique conference table. There were placemats, cloth napkins and beautiful flatware. Me? I’m good with paper plates and paper napkins. Less clean up! I was a tad bit out of my element and just a touch nervous.

And then I saw it. A bit fat green caterpillar feasting on the lettuce of MY salad. Again, praise God I didn’t scream at the top of my lungs. Because you know, proper etiquette and all.

I managed to move lettuce around on my plate, looking like I was eating. Then my co-worker caught my eye, and raised her eyebrows as if to ask “What’s wrong? Not hungry?”

With my eyes, I directed her to the THING on my plate. She promptly burst into laughter. So much for a calm, working lunch! My boss’s wife was mortified, the bosses laughed and joked about it, and in the meantime, I’m starving!

Then there was the time a rat was in the toilet…

No…No…I don’t think I can go there right now.

So, what’s the point of these stories? Because you know, I can’t just write without having some sort of Biblical application.

A couple of things:

1. You can count on slimy things coming your way. That’s just life. But God! He brings us up out of the muck and mire…

He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. Psalm 40:2 NIV

2. The Lord God strengthens us when we need it most.

God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. Psalm 46:1 NLT

3. Remember to laugh. 

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22 ESV

Lord God, I thank You and praise You that You are ever faithful. When we are stuck in a hard place, You lift us up. You strengthen us. And, You bring joy to life! Thank you, Lord God. In the precious name of Jesus, Amen.

Grace be with you,

Drugs & Subs: Prescription Vs Subscription

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This whole retirement thing has got me pondering on the beginnings of my career.   I ended up right where I dreamed of being when I was a young college graduate: working for a prestigious company, in a prestigious job, with wonderful people that I love. It’s been a long run, and I’m glad it’s over, but I have so many great memories!

For instance, there was that time at my first job after college, that I learned the fine legalities of classified advertising. It went like this:

“Good morning, Simpson County News!”

“Yessum, I wanna know if I cud put a ad in the paper that sez this: ‘Who ever’s horse that wandered on my propity at 123 Horse Wandering Lane, if you don’t come git it by next week, I’ll consider it mine.’ Can I do that?”

“Hold on one minute, sir, I’ll check with our legal department.” Who also happened to be the Editor, Publisher, Chief News Correspondent, et al.

When asked, the legal department said “NO, of course he can’t do that!”

“Um, sir? Our legal department advises against this, as you have no legal right to keep someone else’s horse, even if it is on your property.”

Then, there was the lesson on the nuances of prescription versus subscription:   

“Yeah, I’d like ta refill my perscription.”

“Sir, this is the newspaper, not Mcguffey Drugs.”

“Yup, I know. My perscription’s perspired.”

“Oh. Um, ok. What’s the name on the account?” 

I can’t tell you how many times I laughed and said “Hey, can I refill my perscription? It’s sweating!! Oh, wait, let’s refill it after I get back from the drug store. I have a subscription that needs to be renewed!”

Until one day, as a new bride, in a new, large, metropolitan city, in a new state, at a new pharmacy, trying to get medication I NEEDED, I blurted this (In my best highfalutin “I’m a grown up now, I may be new here, but I know what I’m doing” voice):

“I’d like to renew my subscription…”

Yep, I had made fun of good, down to earth folks, and it came back to bite me on the behind. Course, I guess I had been a horses patooty.

Some people would call that karma. Me? I’d call it a much needed lesson in humility, directly from God Himself. He’s good like that, you know?

“Therefore, God’s chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience” Colossians 3:12 (HCSB)

“Always be humble and gentle…” Ephesians 4:2a (NLT)

Father, forgive me when I am puffed up and full of myself. Open my eyes to see others as You see them: loved, valued and created in Your image. In Jesus name, Amen

Grace be with you,