THE ANT AND THE CONTACT LENS
A true story by Josh and Karen Zarandona (and edited slightly by Chick Todd)
Brenda was a young woman who was invited to go rock climbing. Although she was very scared, she went with her group to a tremendous granite cliff. In spite of her fear she put on the gear, took hold of the rope, and started up the face of that rock.
Well, she got to a ledge where she could take a breather. As she was hanging on there, the safety rope snapped against Brenda’s eye and knocked out her contact lens.
Well, there she was, on a rock ledge, with hundreds of feet below her and hundreds of feet above her. Of course, she looked and looked and looked, hoping it had landed on the ledge, but it just wasn’t there. She was far from home, her sight now blurry. She was desperate and began to get
upset, so she prayed to the Lord to help her to find it.
When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens, but there was
no contact lens to be found. She sat down, despondent, with the rest of the party, waiting for the rest of them to make it up the face of the cliff.
She looked out across range after range of mountains, thinking of that verse that says, “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth” She thought, “Lord, You can see all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me.” Finally, they walked down the trail to the bottom. At the bottom there was a new party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff.
One of them shouted out, “Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?”
Well, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving
slowly across the face of the rock, carrying it on it’s back.
Brenda told me that her father is a cartoonist. When she told him the incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a picture of an ant lugging that contact lens with the words, “Lord, I don’t know why You want me to carry this thing. I can’t eat it, and it’s awfully heavy. But if this is what You want me to do, I’ll carry it for You.” The second frame of the cartoon showed three other ants who had come to help carry the load. one was saying, “Hey, Friend, let me pitch in and help you with that . . . “
I think it would probably be good for all of us to occasionally say, “God, I don’t know why you want me to carry this load. I can see no good in it and it’s awfully heavy. But, if you want me to carry it, I will.” And you, Beloved in Christ, have enough experience in helping to bear another’s cross that you know how important it is. I thank you for the times you’ve helped me that way.
God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the Called. Yes, I do love GOD. He is my source of existence and my Savior. He keeps me functioning each and every day. Without Him, I am nothing, but with Him… Well, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. (Phil. 4:13)
Just passing this on to you because I think you are special!
Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service, Beloved
chick
719AFC051107
THE ANT AND THE CONTACT LENS
A true story by Josh and Karen Zarandona (and edited slightly by Chick Todd)
Brenda was a young woman who was invited to go rock climbing. Although she was very scared, she went with her group to a tremendous granite cliff. In spite of her fear she put on the gear, took hold of the rope, and started up the face of that rock.
Well, she got to a ledge where she could take a breather. As she was hanging on there, the safety rope snapped against Brenda’s eye and knocked out her contact lens.
Well, there she was, on a rock ledge, with hundreds of feet below her and hundreds of feet above her. Of course, she looked and looked and looked, hoping it had landed on the ledge, but it just wasn’t there. She was far from home, her sight now blurry. She was desperate and began to get
upset, so she prayed to the Lord to help her to find it.
When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens, but there was
no contact lens to be found. She sat down, despondent, with the rest of the party, waiting for the rest of them to make it up the face of the cliff.
She looked out across range after range of mountains, thinking of that verse that says, “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth” She thought, “Lord, You can see all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me.” Finally, they walked down the trail to the bottom. At the bottom there was a new party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff.
One of them shouted out, “Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?”
Well, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving
slowly across the face of the rock, carrying it on it’s back.
Brenda told me that her father is a cartoonist. When she told him the incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a picture of an ant lugging that contact lens with the words, “Lord, I don’t know why You want me to carry this thing. I can’t eat it, and it’s awfully heavy. But if this is what You want me to do, I’ll carry it for You.” The second frame of the cartoon showed three other ants who had come to help carry the load. one was saying, “Hey, Friend, let me pitch in and help you with that . . . “
I think it would probably be good for all of us to occasionally say, “God, I don’t know why you want me to carry this load. I can see no good in it and it’s awfully heavy. But, if you want me to carry it, I will.” And you, Beloved in Christ, have enough experience in helping to bear another’s cross that you know how important it is. I thank you for the times you’ve helped me that way.
God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the Called. Yes, I do love GOD. He is my source of existence and my Savior. He keeps me functioning each and every day. Without Him, I am nothing, but with Him… Well, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. (Phil. 4:13)
Just passing this on to you because I think you are special!
Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service, Beloved
chick
719AFC051107
About Chick Todd
American Roman Catholic reared as a "Baptiterian" in Denver Colorado. Now living on Kauaʻi. USAF Vet. Married for over 50 years. Scripture study has been my passion ever since my first "Bible talk" at age 6 in VBS.
