Between stimulus and response is our greatest power - the freedom to choose.
- Stephen Covey -
At the time of this posting it will be exactly two weeks since our 10-year-old grandson was rushed into emergency brain surgery. A CT scan showed that what they had been treating as a migraine was actually a 3 X 5 cm abscess in his brain caused by severe sinusitis.
Needless to say, it's been a shocking and traumatic time for our family, not to mention the courage it has required from our grandson.
During his recovery, he and his mom have been talking about the difference between cows and bison. When a storm is coming, cows will turn away from the storm and run. The storm will eventually overtake them, and they'll be in the storm for longer because they're running with it. Bison, however, will turn towards an oncoming storm and run into it. They still go through the storm, but their time within it is much shorter.
This is such a great picture of courage, and I've been thinking about it a lot as I go through these days. It's a good anecdote to remember for all aspects of life, whenever we are facing difficult circumstances.
I wonder if you might be facing a writing challenge, or even something God has been nudging you to write that you'd prefer to run away from. It's too hard, possibly it's a controversial or unpopular topic, or something else that requires a lot of courage.
Take a moment to consider your response. Do you want to be a cow or a bison? I encourage you to turn towards this challenge, and even to run into it. If God brought it to you, He'll give you the courage of a bison.
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Feature photo by Unsplash
In this photo our grandson, Deklan, is holding a stuffed bison his mom found in the hospital gift shop. He named it Courage. If you think of it, please pray for his recovery. Through many prayers and the grace of God, he's come a long way, but he still has a long way to go.
