Star mapping from the dung heaps of life ~ by Michelle Strutzenberger

As a frequent flyer in the dung heaps of life, I have found that the older I get, the more I can relate to such verses as: Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward. (Job 5:7, NIV)

It wasn’t always so for me. When I was younger, I cradled a deeply hidden belief that someday all would be better in my life on this Earth. Yes, I looked forward to heaven, but I secretly felt (though I likely would never have said this aloud) that if one just did all the right things, eventually this life could become quite heavenly, that is, problem-free, too.

 

Well, here I am, testing that wide-eyed, youthful, hopeful belief – and sometimes I laugh to myself.

 

And then I sigh.

 

If anything, the more I have advanced in years, the more the troubles have multiplied.

 

Furthermore, the word on the street is, the problems only rain faster and thicker the longer one lives.

 

So, what is one to do?

I remember learning about the dung beetle that navigates by the stars years ago. At the time, I was entranced. Awww, what a fascinating and potentially deeply symbolic picture – the wee, little bug, ploughing his way through that stinky mess, yet with his radar tuned to the heavens.

 

I just knew there had to be a lesson for me in that decidedly fun aspect of nature.

 

For years, the lesson never came to me. But just this past week, I thought again of that little poop-tourist and the question jabbed me - why in all of tarnation is the beetle still climbing through the dung heap? He’s got the stars to guide him, for Pete’s sake! Why doesn’t he use those stars to walk his way right out of the squelch and putrid odours onto lovely, cool, sweet-smelling grass?

 

I had to find out, so I dug up the facts.

 

Well, I found some good news – and yes, a life lesson. The good news is – most dung beetles do in fact use the stars to navigate away from the dung pile. Although there are a few lazy ones, most of them don’t retire in that filth.

 

And the life lesson? Before leaving the pile, the beetles make themselves a little ball made of that same dung to take with them. Then, while they are on their travels, led by the Milky Way, they munch away on their little dung truffles and so stay alive.

 

As I prayed about what I can learn from the dung beetle and his strange little habit, it came to me that maybe it’s this – as I look to the Lord to guide me through my troubles, maybe I need to be more intentional about making my own little “dung truffles.”

Let me explain. How many of us fall into a hard time, ask God for help, eagerly receive His rescue and counsel, and then happily bounce away, soon forgetting all that He’s done and able to do – until we step into the next pile of stinky trouble.

 

Maybe, each time we go through trouble and receive the Lord’s help, we need to take with us a little reminder of exactly how He answered. We need to make ourselves a dung truffle, or, I like this term better, a memory nugget.

 

We need to carry with us a memory nugget of how specifically God showed us His grace and mercy and help. We need to munch on that nugget as we traverse from dung heap to dung heap, all the while gazing upwards for His guidance.

 

I’ve somewhat done this over the years. I keep a very messy and decidedly non-publishable journal of my prayers. Every so often I’ll go back and read them. As I’m reminded of my former troubles, I will also recall how the Lord helped and answered in those times. I try to make a point of scribbling in what exactly He did to answer.

 

Our family is currently going through some heavy times as a brother-in-law passed away suddenly from cancer and now my sister, who has been dealing with cancer for years, just was told by her doctor to “prepare for end of life.”

As the burden of new sorrows drags on my spirit, I remember going through sadness more than two decades ago after the death of my twin. I recall some years after her death that I looked back and felt I surely had been carried through the worst of my suffering – carried by people’s prayers and the Lord’s mysterious, deeply personalized, and real comfort.

 

Now, I slowly savour that memory nugget of God’s help in that time of deep heartache as I face this new season of sorrow. Although I know hard times are still ahead, I am nourished with a little more peace and strength than I had before.

 

What about you? How do you keep the memories of God’s past help alive? How do those memories sustain you now?

 

In our church service this past Sunday, part of the following passage was shared. I thought it fit so well with the topic of my post, that I had to add it:

Psalm 34:17-19 (NIV):

17The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
    he delivers them from all their troubles.
¹⁸ The Lord is close to the broken-hearted
    and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
¹⁹ The righteous person may have many troubles,
    but the Lord delivers him from them all.

Michelle Strutzenberger and her family enjoy hiking mountains and trails together. She is currently writing a series under her maiden Mennonite name, Michelle Teigrob. The series is called, What Growing Up in a Mennonite Family of 10 Taught Me About Survival. To receive the tips, visit this link and subscribe.