“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” Galatians 6:9

Yuk. Large, reddish black ants in bathroom. Again. Lights on- they scurried to hide and/or leave. Lights off – then on – they’d come right back in.

Using my Nancy Drew skills, I followed one that seemed to be on the way out. He wandered off his path a bit, and eventually came to a back corner of the window sill.

There was a hole, about an eight of an inch in diameter, plenty big enough for several to come and go at the same time. From somewhere outside, they had been able to chew, or bore, that hole, which hadn’t even’ been there two weeks before.

Amazing the persistence, and team work, of ants. I have seen tiny ants gather around a crumb, or a dead bug, and drag or lift (!) It to move it. It seems when they have a goal, nothing deters them. They might have an interruption (the lights come on), they may get sidetracked or even off-track, but they get right back to it! They keep the focus on the goal! Determined!

This was a good reminder, and example to me, of a verse that was written in the front of a Bible, given to me at confirmation. The pastor wrote, next to my name, Phil. 3:14. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

The redeeming part of this ant story, for me, is that it reminds me to stay focused on my goal in life, to keep first things first, and to persevere. Thank you Lord!

Sally I. Kennedy is the author of “Irish Thursdays”, “Words from the Heart”, and “52 Little Parables from Ireland” . She lives in south Florida, with her husband Ben. You can visit her website, at http://www.sallyikennedy.com or email Sally at, sallyikennedy@bellsouth.net