Yesterday I dropped an egg.
I realized that I had not collected the chicken eggs in a few days. So I pushed myself out the door and over to the coop. I opened the latch and found ten eggs lying in wait. Of course, the chickens started approaching immediately, curious as to what I was doing. I quickly gathered the eggs in my shirt and was almost done when I dropped the last one. Of course.
And of course the five chickens, very curious creatures, tried immediately to swarm the broken egg. With one hand I kept them at bay while the other hand held tight to the eggs in my shirt and we all stared at the egg yolk soaking into the ground. I finally figured out how to balance the eggs and clean up the broken one while keeping the chickens at bay.
Though of course the one chicken (who still escapes the pen even after her wings have been clipped) jumped the fence and chased after me still curious about what I had done. Perhaps she is still upset that I yelled at her last week.
This morning, the image of me holding nine eggs in delicate balance with five chickens pecking to bypass my hand while all of us stare at the broken egg on the floor keeps coming to mind. Maybe it’s a good image for how many feel about 2020 right now.
I know some who read this are holding a bunch of delicate eggs in their hands trying so hard to figure out how to keep them all together and safe. I know there is genuine fear in you that you might just drop one. And it probably doesn’t help if you feel like there are a bunch of curious “chickens” watching and waiting for you to do just that. The pressure must be enormous.
So my prayer today is for you, if you need it. I pray that you may feel God with you, helping you to balance all those delicate eggs. And if you do drop one in the process, may you be given the grace to know that God is still there helping you pick it all up and start again. And don’t worry about the “chickens” – they are always gonna be curious and try and make the broken egg a bigger mess. May God give you all the grace you need to concentrate on the eggs and may you feel today and every day the boundless mercy and love God always has for you.
