Life Is A Picnic

      Have you ever gone on a picnic? Do you have memories of what those picnics were like? Were they totally enjoyable, no problems, just a fun special time enjoying food and the people you were with, usually family? Well, good for you, if that is how your picnics always turn out! But let's view a different kind!

     You load up the food and the family and head to the picnic area you have chosen, BUT it is crowded with others doing the same thing so you have to take the only place left. . . in the sun and no table. Oh, well, spread the blankets on the ground and lay the food out. As you all start to sit down to enjoy the food a wind comes up and whips your blankets over the food. Ah, well, nothing serious so the family sits in a circle around the food to help hold the blankets down!. But then the wind dies anyway. You are all enjoying your food and visiting until you suddenly notice a line of ants marching along and climbing up on your food. One of your kids starts to cry because a bee just landed on her and stung her leg. You watch as your little boy takes a bit of his sandwich, and before you can stop him, he swallows 2 or 3 ants with it. Wow, could it get any worse. Oops! You shouldn't have thought that because suddenly the sprinklers come on and you all get soaked as you struggle to gather everything up and head to your car. Does that sound more like your picnics?!

     But years down the line when your family is talking about times together, everyone remembers your picnic times and enjoys a good laugh and feels blessed to have had that time together. . . even though it was far from perfect. 

     Could your life also be your picnic? The one with no problems and absolutely perfect? Or the other one with bugs, wind, sun, and sprinklers? And which one will you remember and discuss the most as a family? Life IS a picnic, but not generally the perfect ones we hope for. It's more like the real life picnics that we enjoy together and come through whatever is handed to us as best we can. And then have the opportunity to enjoy the memories we shared and the things we learned from those picnics of life!!!