Moses is gifted with the ability to do many things at once, even as he appears to be doing nothing at all. He lies quietly in the shade of a tree near the edge of the pond. A picture of relaxation, he may not move from the spot for an hour or more. Meanwhile, his human caregivers are hustling and bustling about, cleaning, mowing, trimming, picking up trash, and doing all the things humans do on a beautiful Saturday afternoon.  

 Moses understands that you can be still and still be productive. As he lies in the shade near the pond, he turns his head this way and that, his amber eyes missing nothing. He remembers his tasty meal of frog legs from last evening, and would be glad for more of the same for his next meal. He pricks his ears, analyzing every rustle, every ripple. Every once in a while, he applies his rough tongue to the never-ending task of grooming himself. He has learned to relax and hunt and bathe, all at the same time.  

 Sometimes we humans rush around all day trying to get to the bottom of our to-do list. Finally, we fall into bed, hoping for a good night’s sleep, only to find that we are too tense to relax and slumber. Frustrated, we toss and turn. What a waste of time to lie for an hour or more, able neither to sleep nor to work.  

 The next time this happens, take a lesson from multitasking Moses. As you lie there, count your blessings, pray for everyone in your family, or frame in your mind the contents of a letter of encouragement you will write to a suffering friend or a newborn Christian. Like Moses, be still and still be productive. 

 From Paws on My Porch, by Gary Miller  

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