By Lois Hewitt

Spaghetti squash.  I was gifted one and it has sat on my kitchen counter for a little over a week.  Today I decided to cook it.

But first I had to look up how. Only made one previously and it was not good.  So I googled a recipe and set off to make it.

A little background on me..I despise loud noises and bright lights.  I like a gentle touch and an overall calm. 

Well this silly little squash did not live within these parameters. I did not realize how difficult it would be to half one.  My normal cave lighting was insufficient for this squash prep.  The sound of my knife trying to cut through what felt like a solid brick was unnerving.  But eventually I did half it.

Deep breath.  Remain calm. The hard part is done…or is it.  I take a tablespoon and start to scoop out the seeds and the stringy stuff.  First try, nothing really happened. Second try, used a little more force and all I was able to accomplish was spraying slimy seeds all over the kitchen.

The third try involved a much bigger spoon, a lot more force and, unintentional, grinding of teeth.  Good grief, that process was not what I expected.

After that 12 minute workout, I dimmed the lights back to cave status, threw the knife into the sink and tried to recapture my calm.

I looked down, all my fingers were intact. I thought maybe in the struggle with that stubborn squash I might cut a digit or two. Grateful I felt for not drawing first blood during the seed extraction.

Whew. Peace covered me again. As I prepped the squash to roast I thought of how this small experience sums up life.

You see, I am very particular about my surroundings. I like things a certain way.  I try to control the atmosphere in my little corner of the world. And I do some of the time.

But other times, I have no control. Sinks plug.  Washers get off balance.  Neighbors dogs bark for hours on end.  And sometimes a squash will test my patience.

It is a good reminder that we need to be flexible. It is not good to be rigid or complacent. When we think we got it all figured out, the good Lord allows for some disharmony.

See if I walk around my apartment thinking that i, and I alone, are controlling this situation, then I don’t need Jesus. I obviously have all the parts in perfect motion.  Why would I need Him?

Well let’s see, because I am flawed. I am a sinner.  The movement of the world, contrary to the voice in my head, does not nor will it ever revolve around me.

When I depend on my own goodness and righteousness, I will be deceived and disappointed. I need Jesus to “drive the bus” as it were.  I need His guidance and His protection.

I also need from time to time to step out of the bubble I live in and experience discomfort and things I don’t like.  Nothing grows in a bubble. As much as I detest not having things a certain way, it causes me to further evolve. Something I could never do on my own.

How can you learn all that from a simple squash?  Once your mind is looking to Jesus, you find that everything is an experience from which to learn. You find that no matter the experience there is a blessing wrapped up somewhere. You find that the experience and blessing caused growth.

I know as I grow closer to Jesus that I am going to have to be more uncomfortable. That’s okay. Compared to His sacrifice, what I endure will be nothing in comparison.

I am weak, He is my strength.  I am afraid, He is my courage.  I am chaotic, He is my peace.  I am sad, He is my joy.  I am lost, He is my guide.

Glory to Jesus in all things!