I hate to admit it, but one of the most terrifying movies I ever saw was Jurassic Park. It was the Tyrannosaurus rex that freaked me out. That screech sent chills down my spine.
Every time I open an old ironing board in a hotel room, I hear the same sound and shudder. This animal was so big, the earth shook when it walked. And those teeth!
Only one thing could have made this monster more scary…
Arms!
T-Rex had massive legs, a humongous head, and a gigantic tail. What was with the itty bitty arms? They say it could run fast; big deal! It couldn’t grab anything without laying on it.
So assume Mr. Rex chased a saber-toothed tiger, did a belly flop on it and grabbed it with its little arms.
Now what?
The arms were too short and the head too big to get the toothy morsel in it’s mouth. Did T-Rex have to ask other prehistoric animals to hold his prey while he ate it? No wonder it’s extinct.
Many times I have found myself in a predicament where I felt,”this is the worst thing that could happen to me.” But, if I take the time get beyond my feelings and think, I soon realize it could be worse. More than that, for many people it is worse. We live in a world where the smallest inconvenience flings us into a fit of self pity, desperation and even rage.
Look for the blessing, my friends. If you feel scared and discouraged because you are being chased by a T-Rex, remember it could be worse.
It could have arms.
Comments
So true, many “self fits of pity!” It not only could be worse but is it bringing you even closer to God? In the last six months, my 13 year old daughter has been diagnosed with epilepsy. I literally have made myself sick emotionally and physically during this process. But WOW!! God has wrapped His Arms around me and He is performing His Miracles. No, the epilepsy has not gone away, BUT her Mother can’t read ENOUGH scripture and can’t seem to PRAY ENOUGH about everything, not just my daughter’s illness! ! So many “It Could be Worse” times still ahead and I anxiously await God’s interventions!!! And my days don’t seem so “ordinary” anymore.
Love your words of encouragement Mr. Davis! Thank You!
Marnie Keane
Bless you Marnie. I need to learn the lessons I talk about. It is so easy for me to moan about the smallest and forget what He endured for me. Your comment blessed me today.
Ann Voskamp’s book ” 1,000 Gifts’ has literally transformed my walk w Jesus. He is w us every minute of every day! My walk is no longer a see-saw,’ He has me , He doesn’t , He has me He doesn’t’. So when things appear to go ‘wrong’ and believe me they DO, I slow down take a deep breath and remember He is still in control!! Amazing it really works!!
So glad to here this Deb! Ann is an amazingly gifted communicator and authentic person.
My daughter was born with disabilities, which included a cleft of her soft palate (i.e., did not affect her facial features). Every time I attend a doctor appt. for her cleft and see others affected externally, I’m reminded of how much worse it could be.
She also has intellectual and global physical delays and disabilities. I’ve heard comments from others that they don’t know how we deal with it–they couldn’t. The irony is I don’t think I could deal with what many of them have faced. It could always be worse. Although challenging, Rachel’s joy-filled, friendly personality and love for everyone reminds me of God’s grace in all situations. Look for it and be grateful for His blessings in all situations.
I love the T-rex analogy, Ken. He simultaneously frightens and fascinates me.
Julie, Not sure I am as fascinated as flat out freaky scared of those critters. Thank you for you comment. Always insightful. I look forward to them
So what happens when there is an abnormal T-Rex that is chasing you Ken, that DOES have big arms?! It could have happened, as we have seen abnormally sized body parts on God’s Creation.
In the big picture of things, you have a valid point, things can always be worse. I could be without my parents, who with their love and grace, have supported me in ways that I can never repay, because I am unable to live on my own. I could be without my friends, who have spiritually and emotionally have supported me, through thick and thin. (Not to get sidetracked, but THAT is the sign of a true friend, the ones who not only stand by you during the good time, but also the bad times, even when you are more miserable and grumpy than Oscar the Grouch and Eeyore combined!) I could be without you, Ken, who, though we are not close friends, I consider someone as a mentor, because as you share your life story with us, I can not help think of my own life, and in some ways, how similar they are. At times I wish I had the courage and strength to do what you do. But it is through your sharing, that it does give me what little hope is left. Though I don’t see it many times, you, and those whom I know, shine some light on that hope, and perhaps that is why I am still here.
BTW, it shouldn’t have been the T-Rex that scared you, but those other dinosaurs, the fast small ones that chased the people into the kitchen! They didn’t seem to have any issue ripping and tearing people to shreds! 😉 At times I fell it is those creatures that are chasing me! Who cares about the T-Rex!
But your point is well taken. Time will only tell if it truly takes hold.
Take care and God Bless.
Ken L. Jr.
I could be wrong but it think those little critters in the kitchen WERE the T Rex’s. Those where the ones I was talking about.
When I was going through the problem of chronic pain, Dr’s called it everything from peripheral nerve pain to phantom limb pain. They would always ask me to rate the pain on a scale of 1 – 10 with 10 being the worst, remember I was mixing a multitude of narcotics every three to four hours in order to even partially function, I would say it was an eight. The doctor or his staff would always say, “so the pain isn’t the worst thing you ever felt.” I would have to explain that even though the pain is the worst thing I had ever felt that after 4 hours of sleep (the most sleep I ever got per day) the pain would be worse. At the time of my spinal stimulator implant the doctor asked how bad the pain was. I replied that it all depends on how the surgery worked. If the surgery worked the pain was at a 10 if it didn’t work the pain was an eight because tomorrow the pain would be worse. Sometimes thinking that it could be worse is not very uplifting. The surgery worked the pain went away almost immediately and the need for narcotics stopped two days after surgery, then that November I had another major stroke like episode………..you know the rest of the story.
You my friend are my hero! I am sure there must be bad days you always manage to bring a smile to my face. I love you my friend.
Feeling the tension of that hard place is, well… just hard. Part of me thinks it is helpful to think realistically about my situation and know that it could be worse – helps me bounce out of my funk. However, is a little time spent in that place okay? For me, it is just a grief feeling of disappointment, or loss of an opportunity. On some level I think it is okay to feel that hard, but not get stuck there. The tricky part is navigating through that hard place well.
I laughed out loud at the ironing board line Ken. Thanks for that!
As per your request Ken…One of the funniest photos I have ever received….thought it tied into your blog well…lolol
My life “chant” for the past few years:
“Every situation could be worse. Contentment is a choice. Jesus is enough.”
I typed it in just to see if anyone else has come to the same conclusion, and I found your post. God has recued me from myself over and over again by reminding me of these three truths. I’m on my way to find all the verses that go with each one of them…
Thanks so much for the great T-Rex analogy!