Attitude & Altitude

Attitude & Altitude

INTRODUCTION

The story is told of a Kansas farmer who found a baby eagle in one of his fields. The poor young eagle was not in good condition and the farmer took it back to his home to nurse it back to health. Over the next few weeks, the eagle was doing well and the farmer put it in with the young chicks in his chicken coop. Although the eagle did well during the first weeks, it began to grow listless and seemed to be losing its strength. The farmer feared the young eagle was going to die after all, until --- one day the farmer had an inspiration. He packed the eagle in his pickup truck and headed west for the Colorado Mountains. When he arrived at the eastern edge of the Rockies, the farmer took the young bird deep into the foothills. Finally, he held the eagle in his arms and pointed its head to the mountaintops where the wind was blowing and an eagle cried out as it traced the currents of the mountain winds. A shudder coursed through the eagle's body and it spread its wings, as a new strength seemed to surge through the bird. It stood and leaped into the air, caught a strong breeze and soared into the sky. The farmer watched the eagle with a tear in his eye as the bird cried out what seemed to be a farewell. A verse from the Bible came to the lonely figure of a Kansas farmer as he watched the eagle soar:

"...Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles..." (Isaiah 40:31a)

When I first heard this story, I thought it should have been a turkey pen so we could say if you want to soar with the eagles don’t hang out with turkeys. And also a bit of trivia; while the sight of a Bald Eagle soaring through the skies has thrilled man for ages; the sight of a “Bald Man” does absolutely nothing for an Eagle!

But, I believe that we human beings were designed to be much more than most people imagine. The problem is that we accept the limits of the chicken coop and don't even know about the mountains and the winds. We wind up hopping and pecking through life instead of soaring. BUT... the kind of life we're talking about doesn't come as an instant miracle cure. And that's not an easy thing to hear in a culture where "fast" is "good." From the nine minute oil change to the "instant" lottery millionaire, we are bombarded with the idea that life can change for the good with a "quick fix". The problem with the quick fix is that when it breaks down, the "chicken coop" syndrome simply gains more strength. You've seen people who have tried a multitude of fad diets only to find they experience one failure after another and winding up heavier than ever. There is an incredible source of spiritual energy available to all of us. That unlimited energy source can make an incredible difference in our lives. Your part and my part in all of this are to decide that we will cooperate with this energy source by having a willingness to change… Change from the chicken yard to the mountain tops is not easy but it is sure. It is not quick, but it is lasting. You must dare to trust that you have been designed for much more than you have ever imagined.

So WHAT KIND OF BEINGS ARE WE? I saw a bumper sticker the other day that I keep seeing from time to time. It said, "Pets are People Too." That bumper sticker is one of my pet peeves. (Pun intended!) Pets are wonderful creatures. I have two great pets and I am very attached to them. In fact, I had an English Mastiff once that was my favorite pet of all time. When I was feeling lonely and blue, he gave me great comfort, 200 lbs. of lap dog. Psychiatrists testify to the fact that a pet can be a comforting, positive thing for people. The old saying is that "a dog is man's best friend." A dog, named Lassie, had a longer run on TV than most human actors. There have been times when I preferred the company of my dogs to that of some people I know. HOWEVER... as wonderful as a pet may be, pets are not people. Remember the old game "twenty questions?" It began with the question, "Is it animal, vegetable or mineral?" Even if the other person was thinking of George Washington, you would ask, "Is it animal, vegetable or mineral?" So poor George Washington would be classified as an animal.