Non-Fair Days

The annual State Fair of Alaska concluded yesterday.  The amusement rides, which not all find amusing, will be put away.  The farm animals will return to more familiar homes or take the long slow walk that leads to deep freezers and dinner tables.  Bacon, anyone?

Speaking of bacon, I'm not sure and am curious what happens to all the leftover corndogs, foot-long hotdogs, enormous turkey legs, fried whatever, and the like.

Vendors will count money.  Farmers and painters will hang their well-deserved ribbons - yellow, red, and first-place blue, alike.  And then what?

Ordinary.

Fair patrons, vendors, and entertainers return to Ordinary.  For some, that will mean traveling to the next fair.  For others (I assume, most), that will mean preparing their fields for winter, cooking in kitchens rather than trailers, making sales calls rather than hosting booths, and various other transitions back to non-fair Ordinary days.

In your life today, are you in the midst of thrilling fair-like days?  Or are you living a more predictable schedule?  Are you amused or simply pleased?  Are you harvesting the fruit of your labors or are you awaiting your bumper crop?  

I often wonder about the disciples' days with Jesus.  I don't ponder much their days when they saw Jesus give sight to the blind or feed thousands with one boy's lunch.  Rather, I wonder about the no-walking-on-water days, those days when their Master taught them and ate with them but did not perform signs and wonders.  How did they respond on those less amusing days that held no amazing miracles or stunning feats?  Did they listen patiently to the great Teacher without asking for some more really cool acts?  Did Simon the Zealot say, "Um, Master, could you give another man sight?  Bartholomew wasn't here to see that, and he would REALLY like to." 

There is no way for my curiosity to be fed; however, I can do some self-reflection.  Is my faith as robust on the days when I don't experience mountain-top events as it is on the days when God blesses me with amazing evidence of His presence?

How about you?

Just as every day can't be an amusement park day, not every day will be packed with amazing evidence.  In fact, in my experience at least, most days, while special, are not spectacular.

On fair day, enjoy the funnel cakes and bumper cars but always remember that you can always taste and see that the Lord is good, even on days with fruit cake and bumper-to-bumper traffic.

#ordinarylives

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