My dad phoned on Saturday asking if we could help him with a rental unit. The renter moved out, and Dad needed help cleaning and hauling some trash and tree branches. But more than anything, Dad needed someone to examine the crawlspace. A year or two ago, Dad actually tried to squeeze under there. Dad is an 81-year-old man and several pounds over his ideal weight.He got stuck.I can’t help but imagine Winnie the Pooh stuck in the hole, calling for help.Anyway, this time, Dad asked the Belgian Wonder, a 40-something-year-old man, if he’d squeeze under there. 
The Belgian Wonder, slender and fit enough to slip through the hole, agreed to investigate. 
I’ve often felt that we should all try to be in the best shape possible, because you never know what God will call you to do.
So we try to be ready, willing, and able to go where He sends us.
“Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.” (Joshua 1:16)
© 2006-2022 Ann Kroeker All Rights Reserved
Landing page graphic and other design elements by Sophie Kroeker.
What a great analogy Ann!! I love it!! The Belgian wonder did a good job!
I think it is very wise to be always ready to serve. I just hope it doesn’t involve squeezing through holes into dark spaces. I’m just a bit claustrophobic:-)
Linda, I’m relieved the Belgian Wonder was willing to go…I guess I could have done it, but I might have gone in and fainted!
I can think of so many ways I need to “get fit” to be ready to go where he asks. I would never have imagined that God might call someone to a crawl space, though! The Belgian Wonder must not be claustrophobic! I once stuck my head down and peeked into my crawl space; that was far enough for me!
He made it in and back *twice*, actually. Dad sent him back down to check on something else.
And I think that I’ve often thought of BIG callings, and maybe God will call us to something BIG someday. But sometimes I wonder if it’s simply serving people who need us, and if that means we’re crawling around where someone else can’t go, and we’re able, then maybe that’s a Kingdom “call” as well. You think?
Makes my heart race just looking at those photos – especially the 3rd one. Now that I shared that, I bet God will call me to some version of a tiny crawlspace sometime soon. It’ll be hard, but of course I’ll do my best to squeeze through the tight spaces. Guess that 5K training I signed up for will be for more that just my physical stamina….
Enjoyed this post – even though I held my breath the whole time I read it!
I’m always afraid to say “I’ll NEVER do that!” Like you said, it seems that inevitably that’s where I’ll be headed next.
I must admit I’m glad that the Belgian Wonder was willing to head down there. I would have done it. I think. But I’m glad I didn’t have to (this time).
Yikes, those pictures had me squirming in my seat! I could NEVER do that. Even if I was not a few pounds above my ideal weight 🙂
Well, Natalie, maybe you need to ring us and the Belgian Wonder can head over and serve you by donning his hard hat & checking out your house’s crawlspace? We know he’s able!! 🙂
humorous, peculiar analogy… I think I won’t soon forget it.
I can’t remember the last time something I wrote was called “peculiar,” but I kind of like it. Reminds me of that line attributed to Flannery O’Connor, paraphrasing John 8, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you odd.”
Oh. My. Word.
I’m getting claustrophobic just looking at these photos. Yikes!
I *try* to follow God’s leading. But methinks I might question whether I had heard him correctly in the same situation. 🙂
Okay, so here’s true confession: that same day, God called me to scrub the former tenant’s bathroom. I spent most of the groaning and moaning about it. I wasn’t such a quiet servant as the Belgian Wonder.
Well, I agree with Scripture that says I will go wherever you go, but never quite thought of it in those terms!! Quite humorous–and claustrophobic. Another good reason for me to get exercising.
Blessings,
Janis
How many of us are called to serve in such tight spaces? I hope not many of us!
One of my three words for 2010 is “Temple,” as in get my butt in shape because it’s the Lord’s temple. Well, that’s the loose paraphrase. It’s been an interesting journey. I’m pretty sure God’s still got so much more that He wants to do in/with my life. In addition to exercise and eating well, which seemed to be obvious, I also decided FINALLY to have a much needed bladder surgery. Not life threatening, just life limiting without it.
Wherever He sends.
Oooo…I like that you’ve got that word, “Temple” among your three for 2010. What are the other two?
man! what a tiny crawl space! yay to your belgian wonder (at first i misread that, and i just couldn’t figure out what your dad would want with a belgian waffle in the crawl space)!
we have a crawl space like that. i’ve never been in it. and if i dare to write in this comment section that i don’t plan to go in there, i’m sure something will happen that leaves me no choice but to go in there. so i’m not going to write that here.
but i do love the analogy of being fit so that we can go wherever – because if there’s one thing i do know, it’s that God is the God of tight spaces!
I love that: the God of tight spaces! He’s with us, to the depths of the earth, prison cells, and crawl spaces.
Oh, and I’m still laughing at the waffle confusion!!
this is a fun-read. i love how you photoblogged it. thanks so much for stopping by my blog ann, and leaving a comment! it was a delight to read, lol! yes that was a journal smushed between my bible. journaling is my favorite!!! >> http://howdeeplyineedyou.blogspot.com/2010/05/journaling.html
i want to do some real photo-blogging! [that was my sis’ camera!]. cannot wait until i get a camera like you have here.
best,
whit
You know, Whitney, when my husband was slipping under there, I asked my daughter to grab her cell phone to snap some pictures, and then my mom said, “I have a camera!” So she ran to the car and got it–I sat on two pieces of concrete and watched him disappear. We waited…and waited…and then he came sliding back out on his back and I snapped those as he emerged. So it wasn’t my nice camera–it was my mom’s fairly nice point-and-shoot. I hope you can get something nice, but it doesn’t take fancy equipment to tell stories with snapshots.
Your sister’s camera took some really clear, beautiful beach shots! Maybe you just need to be with your sister at all times, asking, “Can you take a picture of that for my blog? How about that?” 🙂
Your husband is a brave man. I’m going to think happy pillow thoughts to avoid nightmares tonight thinking about this blog!
He *is* brave! 🙂
It’s good to see your name, Trish! I hope your trip is going well. Love to you and yours!
Okay, I admit it … that made me squeamish! Your dad is lucky to have such an agreeable and skinny SIL. 😉
Shirley