Walking, Canals, Storms and HOPE

I don't have anything really deep or scriptural or philosophical to say, just an experience to share. I'll just start typing and see where this leads. I had an interesting experience this morning that for some reason put a specific song in my head...

I go walking each morning before my kids wake up. I always walk along some watering canals that are by my home. Today as I was walking I saw a dog trying to get out of the canal. He was swimming in it up to his neck and the sides of the canal were just too steep and slippery for him to be able to get a good enough foothold to get out. The current of the water was fairly swift so each time he fell back down into the water, the current would pull him further down the canal toward a deeper, more dangerous pool of water.

I tried to reach in the canal as best I could to pull him out but I was never able to reach him. All I could do was walk along the side of the canal encouraging him to not give up trying to get out.

But I was nervous. He was quickly floating closer and closer to the deeper pool of rushing water. By this time two more morning walkers had joined me in my concerns.

Just as the dog approached the pool of water, he began to yelp and howl. He was scared. He knew what was coming.  Because of the way the canal was built, however,  there was no way I was going to be able to help him unless I jumped in and I didn't think that was wise.

The inevitable happened, he left the slower current stream and entered what looked to be a more dangerous pool of quickly flowing currents. But then, to his amazement, and to the amazement of all of us who had gathered to help, what looked like a scary situation, wasn't. The depth of the water in this pool was just barely above his ankles. Something we hadn't been able to see until he was actually there. After just a few failed tries, the dog was finally able to get a good foothold and he got himself out of the canal and ran away.

So whaddya think? Is there something there to inspire you today? I think I've figured out what my lesson is and maybe why this song came to my mind as I walked away. It's a bit of a stretch, but I can see it.

I like this version of this song, not necessarily for the musicality of this rendition but because the audience was so involved. I saw this as a group of our Father's children, our brothers and sisters, all singing a great truth together...

When you walk through a storm, 

keep your head up high 

and don't be afraid of the dark. 

At the end of the storm, 

is a golden sky and the 

sweet silver song of a lark.

Every single person in that little video has faced many storms and most likely has more to pass through before their earth life experience is over. Whether they know it or not, they were not alone during their walk. Someone who walked their path before them was right by their side.

Walk on through the wind, 

Walk on through the rain, 

Tho' your dreams be tossed and blown.

Walk on, walk on With hope in your heart 

And you'll never walk alone, 

You'll never walk alone 

"Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with ^asurety ^bhope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which ^chope cometh of ^dfaith, maketh an ^eanchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in ^fgood works, being led to ^gglorify God." Ether 12:4

HOPE in Jesus Christ will help us keep our heads above water, even when it doesn't seem possible. We can even find joy on our sojourn and spread that joy to others who may also be in need.  

Walk With Me by Greg Olsen

Because His walk was alone, our walk won't be.  

(Even if you feel that you are being swept along a swift moving canal - You are never alone. Be faithful in all things and the end won't be bad at all. In fact, it might be surprisingly wonderful.)