By some estimates there are more than 900,000 different species of insects in the world.

As the snow melts and winter morphs into spring (be it ever so gradually) we’ll likely see the occasional member of that odd looking creeper known as the spider. Apparently, there’s only about 50,000 different species of these little monsters, which is more than enough if you asked me. I’d be much more comfortable with a number in the vicinity of zero. Trust me, I do my part to reduce the spider population. I have adopted a policy of zero tolerance when it comes to spiders in the house. Or any type of creeper for that matter. I kill them whenever I see them.

I’m aware of the fact that more humane methods exist. It’s possible to capture the little terrorists alive and then escort them safely to the great outdoors. But it’s much too dangerous for my liking. The risk of losing them enroute to the door is far too great. I can hardly bear the thought of it.

At this point it seems appropriate to ask the question: Why?

Not only, “why” do I seem to be writing a blog about spiders? But “why” did God create insects in the first place? He probably didn’t do it just to torment us. So I have to say, my deep and insightful answer to the question is a big fat “I don’t know.” I’ve heard it said that a healthy dose of agnosticism is good for your Christian faith.

I probably should have focussed on the fact that there are thousands of different species of trees in the world and left the insects out of it. The point is the same. God loves variety. Just look at the different species of people. I hesitate to get into it. But there are quiet ones, loud ones, fat ones, skinny ones. Short, tall, weird, normal, white, black, brown, red, yellow, stern, stoic, jovial, bubbly and so on.

The good news is that we are free to be ourselves. We don’t have to squeeze ourselves into someone else’s mold. God lays out a unique track for each of us and bids us to run our own race. I can’t run yours. And you can’t run mine. We can help each other. We can lift each other up when we fall. We all trip and stumble along the way. And if you’re too tired to run then walk. If you’re too tired too walk then crawl. If you’re too tired to crawl then rest. And when you’ve rested sufficiently then start inching forward again. That last part about running, walking and crawling should be credited to someone. I read it somewhere but I can’t remember the source. Hence, the lack of credit.

One thing I have discovered is that life is often a game of inches. It reminds me of the saying: “Inch by inch everything’s a cinch.” I would credit that saying to somebody as well but I have no idea who came up with it. I only know that it wasn’t me. But I think the point is that life is more doable when we tackle it piecemeal. Houses are built one nail at a time. One board at a time. One wall at a time. I’m not a carpenter so I really don’t know what I’m talking about here but the point is still valid.

The inch by inch approach to life works well for me. It fits my innate abilities. Others may like to live foot by foot or yard by yard. Runners might prefer to live mile by mile. It all comes back to the variety thing mentioned above. We’re different. Some people are good multi-taskers and then there are people like me. One thing at a time. Here a little. There a little. Walking, plodding, plugging away at the work that God has called me to do.

I don’t know how else to live. My to-do list may not get cleared out as fast as others but at least I have one. And I’m picking away at it, hour by hour, day by day. Actually, there are times when my to-do list seems to behave like the population of the world. Many people die every day yet the population keeps increasing. So it is with my to-do list.

I suppose I’ll get to everything on it eventually. At least I got this blog wrote. The only problem is that it doesn’t have much to do with Easter so the timing is not great. My bad.

(Photo Credit: <a href=”http://www.freestock.com/free-photos/business-man-stressed-has-things-white-1978367″>Image used under license from Freestock.com</a>)