THE WEAVER

A couple of blog friends have posted something about spider webs lately.

Maybe it’s Halloween sneaking up? Hmmm…

So, I’ve got a spider web story to share, too.

One morning years ago, as “The Boys” and I we were rushing off into our day, we noticed a HUGE spider web – all perfect and symmetrical – hanging right in front of their bedroom window. I suppose we noticed it because the light had captured the early morning dew glistening off of it.

We all agreed that it was “rad!” (Translation: nifty, cool, gnarly, awesome – pick your decade!)

When we all returned back home, early in the afternoon, the web was gone! Huh…

Well, knowing how flimsy webs are, I thought of half a dozen reasons why the web had vanished. We felt a little sad, because it truly had been a thing of beauty.

The next morning, rushing off into our day again, my youngest ran over to check out the window.

“Mom, look!” he cried.

Sure enough, there was the web again – all perfect and symmetrical – hanging in the same place in front of their window.

Huh…

That afternoon – you guessed it – no web – it was gone again. OK, not being an arachnid (fancy English major word for spider) fan in general, I couldn’t explain this weird behavior. However, “The Boys” evidently stole my intelligence when they were born, and they started thinking this through.

“I think he comes out at night,” the oldest said. (Evidently, stolen intelligence also lets you figure out the gender of a spider. So, Charlotte was not in our window…)

“Yeah,” chimed in the youngest. “Let’s spy on him.”

So, like two miniature detectives, “The Boys” opened their window blinds JUST ENOUGH to see, but not so much that they would scare Mr. Spider (the name they picked – OK, intelligent, yes – creative, not so much). Around 5:00, just as dusk was approaching, I heard:

“MOM! HURRY! You gotta see this!”

Well, I hurried – and looked out the window – and there was Mr. Spider painstakingly weaving his web.

I think we watched for close to two hours. We were mesmerized by his little body as he crawled back and forth, following a pattern that only he knew.

We watched Mr. Spider every night for over two months, as he carefully re-constructed a web that he tore down every day. It was lesson in patience and perseverance. It was a thing of beauty.

Mr. Spider taught me a great lesson about the value of slowing down.

He was never in a hurry. His DayPlanner wasn’t overbooked. He wasn’t frantic. He never “cut corners” making any part of his web. Every silk string was perfectly placed. He never gave up. He worked with PURPOSE.

How often do I lose my purpose – which is to glorify God – by frantically getting caught up in a “rat race” of activity? How often do I run around putting out the “immediate” fires while neglecting to tend to the forest? How often am I a slave to the “urgent” – while sacrificing the “important?”

Do I equate “busyness” with “meaning?”

Can anyone relate?

I’m asking God to teach me Mr. Spider’s lesson – slow down, work with purpose, start afresh each day, and concentrate on the important things in life.

“Be still, and know that I am God!” (Psalm 46:10)

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