Foxhole Mentality

During World War II,
Soldiers would dig foxholes
And hunker down into them,
Waiting for the first hint
Of enemy fire...
Waiting to take cover from
That enemy ambush,
Sniper fire,
Grenade explosion,
Or tank attack.

I was eight when my dad
Started getting sick.
That was the beginning
Of my foxhole mentality.

Always waiting
For the next bad thing.
Always waiting
For the other shoe to drop.

Lord,
You have already done so much
To heal my broken thinking,
My anxious anticipation,
My over-analysis and over-worry.
In the weeks and months ahead,
Grant that,
Despite the opposition I may face,
I become a wellspring
Of patience,
And gentle strength,
And happiness,
And hope.
Grant that
I emerge from the foxhole
Into the light
Of a new life,
Part of Your Plan
And the path
You lay before me...