JUST A "SMALL" LEAK??

Saga.

"A long, involved story, account, or series of incidents."

And every good story starts with a single event, a seemingly innocuous incident that starts the ball rolling.

Like a snowflake starts an avalanche.

Like a water droplet starts a flood.

I have a good story for you.


It began a couple of weeks ago when my mother said to my brother and I...

"Can I show you something?"

Those words sound harmless enough, right?

But it occurs to me that they are ominously portentous – like saying to someone:

"Can we talk about something?"

So, my brother followed my mom into her bathroom area.

A few minutes later, I wandered in, only to meet my brother halfway.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Go look," he replied, with a rather grim expression on his face.

I poked my head into her bathroom, and instantly felt like I had entered a horror movie.

There were winged bugs all over her floor, all over her toilet, all over…

As I stood there aghast, my brother returned.

My mom's bathroom has a little window with shutters in front of it.

Shut shutters.

My brother and I knew we needed to look.  So we gingerly opened the shutters…

(If this was indeed a horror movie, this is the point when the audience starts screaming, "Don't open the shutters!  Don't do it!!)

Oh my.

A literal mound of bugs was heaped behind those shutters.  A hive of winged insects.  A pile of grossness.

And if there was a *queen* inside, she would have been the size of a baseball, I'm sure about that.  (Needless to say, we did NOT go looking for her...)

"What are those?" I whispered to my brother.

"I think they're termites."

Well, we *RAIDed* that pile, and cleaned up carcasses, and called a termite company.   They came out about a week later for an inspection.  And yup, Mom's house was infested.

Treatment Day was scheduled.

Fortunately, this company uses a non-toxic way to treat termites.  No tenting, no need for anyone to leave the house (though we did arrange for Mom to be gone for the day).

Treatment Day arrived.

So, this non-toxic method entailed drilling holes every foot around the entire perimeter of the house, down to the soil, treating every square inch of the attic and fascia board around the garage, and injecting an orange oil concoction into each hole.

The noise, the dust, the inconvenience, the disruption – feet in the attic, drills and hammers pounding, cement dust flying.

Ugh.

At one point, one of the workers said that he was having trouble drilling down to the soil in the patio.  His drill bit got stuck, and they were awaiting a new, longer one to arrive.

This is the point in the story where the plot twists…


Mid-morning my brother was called outside.  And then came back inside with one of "those" faces – oh no, bad news coming.

"We've had to turn off the water.  They hit a pipe somewhere, and there's a leak."

And so began a 58-hour ordeal.

We had to have the water turned off – except for momentary moments in order to wash hands, brush teeth, and use the restroom.  However, each time we did that, a fountain of water erupted in the patio, and poured out ($$$) all over!

At the mercy of the termite company, because repair work was now in their court, it was 48 hours until their plumber came.

He proceeded to jackhammer the patio to locate and cap the broken pipe.

Except he didn't.

Turns out this guy's "regular" job was heating and air conditioning.  And he only did plumbing "on the side."

So, after an hour of futile and destructive work, he informed me that he couldn't fix it.

Multiple phone calls ensued.

Miscommunication, delays, double-bookings, faulty promises – finally, a guy arrived at our house.  And worked for hours in a valiant effort to remedy our problem.

He did.

At the cost of removing drywall from several areas inside the house in an effort to locate the source of the leak.  And cutting and capping off pipes that compromised the water supply to downstairs.

Needless to say, we were grateful to have running water, finally, at 9:00 PM that night.

This saga is not yet done – as there are more calls and negotiations for leak-plugging, piping restoration, drywall repair, concrete re-pouring, patio re-tiling, etc.

But the whole experience showed me something…


One "small" incident can lead to a whole lot of suffering.

One "small" leak can be anything but…

Have you ever fooled yourself into thinking that a "small" sin is OK?

A fib.

A minor cheat.

A harmless flirtation.

A quick look.

A snap judgment.

I know you're like me (you are, right?!) – and I have been guilty of committing "small" sins, sins that I deemed innocuous, sins that hardly seemed worth the effort of thinking about.

Sins that could hardly be called sins.

Except…

Those sins were just the beginning – the first domino tipping over and starting a chain of events that tumbled out of control.

We humans are funny creatures.

And I think it's a temptation all in itself to *rank* our sins.  

Some are not-so-bad, some are oh-that-wasn't-so-good, and others are really-and-truly-terrible.

And when we are guilty of committing "little" sins, it's easy to dismiss them, to ignore them.

Until a "small" leak turns into a flood.

We must not be fooled.

Small leaks have a way of permeating our souls.  

Every sin costs something.

Consciences can be dulled, integrity can be jeopardized, honesty can be compromised, relationships can be broken, and trust can be demolished.

And more than anything, any kind of sin diminishes and threatens our relationship with God.

You see, in God's eyes, there is no ranking of sins.

There is only SIN – a fatal condition of the human heart.

Yes, sin manifests itself in a million different ways – a million different wrongdoings.

But God's holiness is perfect.

And it doesn't matter if we fall short by an inch or a trillion miles.

WE. ALL. FALL. SHORT.


Oh, dear ones, we cannot afford to be casual about the "small" sins.

We must be ruthless in our determination to find them and eliminate them in our single-minded pursuit of God.

But let us not be like the plumber who thought he could fix the problem himself, and couldn't, because he wasn't a professional.

We are like that – only amateurs in this sin business.

Therefore, we must allow, we must invite the Holy Spirit to do the work that only He can do.

He knows our hearts intimately, better than we do, and He is the only one who can stop the leaky "small" sins before they escalate into something bigger and more damaging.

It might take some jack-hammering, some digging behind walls, some exposing of hidden leaks, some capping off of pipelines that are the source of sinful behavior.

It might take some time, and it might be expensive, costly.

For it will involve dying to self.

But in the end, it's worth it.

Let LIVING WATER flow again!!

Oh Lord,
it seems I've sprung a leak,
I am not displaying
the holiness You seek.

So please search my heart
where sin doth lurk,
And let Your Holy Spirit
do His work.

***REMEMBER to check out DAILY GRATEFUL THOUGHTS here***

  
(Updated DAILY GRATEFUL WORDS, A WORD FROM THE WORD, A "MESSAGE" FROM GOD, and FOOD FOR THOUGHT can be found on the sidebar.  Thank you!)



(A lot of Scripture today, but let it have a *domino* effect in your heart!)


"For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard." (Romans 3:23, NLT)

"For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all." (James 2:10, NASB)

"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:22-24, NIV)

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12:2, NIV)

"I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ." (2 Corinthians 11:3, Berean Bible)

"You must warn each other every day, while it is still "today," so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God." (Hebrews 3:13, NLT)

"For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh [my human nature, my worldliness – my sinful capacity].  For the willingness [to do good] is present in me, but the doing of good is not.  For the good that I want to do, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want…For I joyfully delight in the law of God in my inner self [with my new nature], but I see a different law and rule of action in the members of my body [in its appetites and desires], waging war against the law of my mind and subduing me and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is within my members.  Wretched and miserable man that I am!  Who will [rescue me and] set me free from this body of death [this corrupt, mortal existence]?  Thanks be to God [for my deliverance] through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:18-19, 22-25, AMP)

"If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.  But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness." (1 John 1:8-9, NLT)

"'The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?  But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives.'" (Jeremiah 17:9-10, NLT)

"Search me, O God, and know my heart!  Try me and know my thoughts!  And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!" (Psalm 139:23-24, ESV)

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right and steadfast spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10, AMP)

"Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God…Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry…In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.  But now you must put them all away…" (Colossians 3:2-3, 5, 7-8, ESV)                                   

"So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls." (James 1:21, NLT)

"We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives.  We are no longer slaves to sin." (Romans 6:6, NLT)

"I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.  And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20, ESV)



Have you sprung a "small" sin leak?



Linked with:

SHARING HIS BEAUTY, PLAYDATES WITH GOD, MONDAY'S MUSINGS, MONDAYS AT SOUL SURVIVAL, LIFE GIVING LINKUP, GOOD MORNING MONDAYS, GRATEFUL HEART MONDAY, THE ART OF HOMEMAKING MONDAYS, SMALL WONDER, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, TITUS 2 TUESDAY, UNITE LINKUP, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, TUESDAY TALK, TELL IT TO ME TUESDAYS, RA RA LINKUP, TEACHING WHAT IS GOOD, INTENTIONAL TUESDAY, BLOGGERS SPOTLIGHT, WORSHIPFUL WEDNESDAY, TELL HIS STORY, THE HOMEMAKING PARTY, WISE WOMAN, WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAY, A LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAYS, WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY, THREE WORD WEDNESDAY, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, COFFEE & CONVERSATION, SO MUCH AT HOME, WOMEN WITH INTENTION, WAITING ON WEDNESDAY, SITTING AMONG FRIENDS, LIVE FREE THURSDAY, THURSDAY FAVORITE THINGS, THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY, GRACE AT HOME, SHINE BLOG HOP, THOUGHTFUL THURSDAYS, FROM HOUSE TO HOME, LITTLE THINGS THURSDAY, COZY READING SPOT, NO RULES WEEKEND BLOG PARTY, BLOGGERS SPOTLIGHT, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, EVERYDAY TESTIMONY, FAITH FILLED FRIDAY, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, FAITH 'N FRIENDS, MAKE MY SATURDAY SWEET, GRACE & TRUTH, ESSENTIAL FRIDAYS, DANCE WITH JESUS, FAMILY, FRIENDSHIP & FAITH, TGI SATURDAYS, WEEKEND WHISPERS, SMALL VICTORIES SUNDAY, WORD OF GOD SPEAK, GIVE ME GRACE, SOCIAL BUTTERFLY SUNDAY



BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

RAT'S NEST FLU

OK, tell the truth…

It's the title that made you curious, right??

Well, first of all, let me tell you that it's not a new strain of flu.  It is not a rodent version of the recent Avian Flu bug.  It does have a scientific name, though…

Sickius Horriblus.


However, I also looked it up in Sharon's Acrostic Dictionary, and this is what I found:

F eeling
L ousy:
U nderstatement


Yup, it is true, I am just now beginning to recover from a nasty case of flu.  It flattened me, literally, for days on end.  And, because misery loves company, I've decided to regale you with a listing and descriptions of my fun symptoms:


1)  Fever and Chills:  It's a whole lot of fun to be feverish AND chilly. Especially when it's like 40 degrees and rainy outside, and you're under 20 blankets.  Only to throw them off a few minutes later when you start roasting. Tell you what – it almost made me miss the good ol' days of hot flashes…almost.


2)  Aches and Pains:  Ah, who knew that hair follicles or cheekbones or toes could hurt so much.  Every joint, every muscle, every bone, every single inch of skin hurt.  Not to mention how much it hurt to look at my face in the mirror.


3)  Headache:  A cleaver right in the middle of the top of my head. Stabbing knives behind my eyes.  An arrow piercing through my temples.  A hammer pounding on my forehead.  A vise gripping the back of my neck. Yeah, the flu brings out the *tools and weapons* imagery.


4)  Bags Under the Eyes:  Who needs luggage?  I toted around a pair of Samsonite for days.


5)  Congestion:  I have used umpteen boxes of Kleenex.  "The Hub" thoughtfully placed a brown paper bag next to the bed for "discards."  That poor man was emptying it on the hour.


6)  Sore Throat:  Swallowing glass, using an emery board on my tonsils, abrasions on my voicebox, forks jabbing at the roof of my mouth – these are all accurate descriptions of the pain.  I hate sore throats.  Until that blessed day when you wake up and there seems to be a "coating" that makes it not-quite-so-excruciating to swallow.


7)  Earaches:  Gave me a whole new sympathy for the earaches that plagued my sons when they were little.  Also, since our noses seem to be connected to our throats and our throats are connected to our ears, the pain seems to be an equal-opportunity giver.  I'm sure this connection has a good purpose when we're well.  When you're sick?  A highway of discomfort.


8)  Nausea:  Maybe from the fever, maybe from the virus – nonetheless, a fun accompaniment.  Echoes of morning sickness.  Crackers and plain English muffins were my friends.  Oh, and pretzel sticks.


9)  Wonderful "I'm Sick" Attitude:  Yup, I am a terrible sick person.  In the beginning, I get all small and needy.  I want constant attention and company.  I feel sorry for myself, and I'd like the feeling to be reciprocated. Then, when I get really sick, I become comatose.  Yes, it's a respite from the whining, indeed, but mumbling moaning isn't pretty either.  Finally, as I begin to get better, I become oh-so-cranky.  Impatient with being a patient. Grumpy.


Are we having fun yet??


But, the last symptom that I want to mention is the worst – and it is the source of the title of this post.

THE. RAT'S. NEST.

What is the rat's nest, you ask?

It is what I call the thing that used to be my hair.


I have quite long hair.

I have long hair for three reasons.

One, my husband really likes my long hair.  Two, I really like my long hair. And reason #2 probably has a lot to do with reason #3 – rebellion.  Most of my life I had very short hair because that's the way my dad wanted it.  He thought it looked "sporty."  I thought it made me look like a young boy, who then got metal braces, and was gangly and quiet.  (I still can't figure out why I didn't date in high school…HA!)

So, when you have long hair, and you're sick with the flu, and you spend inordinate amounts of time in bed…you end up with a rat's nest.

A tangled and mangy and dirty mass of something – more accurately, some THING – on the top of your head.

Sure, I tried to manage it.

I tied it up in a topknot with a scrunchie.  "The Hub" said it just made me look like a Who from that famous Dr. Seuss book.  (Where was Horton when I needed him??)

I tried braiding it.  Then I just ended up with a semi-decorative rat's nest.  And, in the end, this was much harder to unravel.

I tried letting it run free.  That was the biggest error.  Those of you who remember your Greek mythology – (and don't we all, because we loved it so) – might remember a certain woman named Medusa.  Well, free-range flu follicles can often resemble a broody nest of reptilian rascals.  Just sayin'...


So, Rat's Nest Flu.

Get the picture?!

A matted, messy, unmanageable clump.

(Looked up clump in the Thesaurus – enjoyed these alternative words: cluster, tuft, thicket, clod, lump, wad, glob.  All accurate.)


So, today was the day that I decided something had to be done.

It was time to untangle and clean up the mess.

This began with a wrestling match between my hair and my brush.  Getting through "the nest" is NOT easy.  Especially when you're really trying hard not to pull all of your hair out.  It's a tango dance of holding the hair at the scalp, gingerly combing out the ends first, and sometimes it involves separating individual hairs.  (Oh sure, every now and then, a tiny battle is lost, and scissors have to come out.  Just for ONE particularly tiny knot, mind you. Short hair is a thing of the past…)

Ouch is involved.

But, once untangled, it's time for shampoo and conditioner.  And boy oh boy, does that part make it all worth it!


I can't leave you today without a spiritual thought.

And this one's a stretch in some ways.  But hang in there, I did think about this as I was standing in the shower.

How often do I try to "fix" the little (or big) glitches in my spiritual character by dressing them up?

That little tendency to gossip maybe?  Let's put a colorful *scrunchie* on it and call it "just a prayer request for someone because did you know that they…"

Or how about that propensity to be distracted?  I can *braid* my life up in lots of busyness – especially when I want to avoid something that would require obedience to God.

Might I just mention how I complain?  Or criticize?  Yup, sometimes I just let that tongue of mine *run free* – say whatever I want.  I don't even try to tame it.  I just let it go.

But in the end, all I have is a rat's nest of tangled sins and messy mistakes – a matted clump that stifles the Holy Spirit.

And there comes a time when there is nothing left to do but clean it up.


Letting Him untangle it all is hard sometimes.  Though He's infinitely caring in the way He treats me, sometimes the work He does hurts. Pulling out stuff is painful.  Sometimes it's a long process, and sometimes it involves painstakingly precise pruning.

But in the end, I can jump into the shower of His blessings – clean and warm and shining again.  Drenched in Living Water.  Beautiful once more – because of His tango dance of transformation.


Trust me, it's worth it!!

X-Ray of Seriously Sick Sharon 

"...Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Mark 2:17, NIV)

"Wash yourselves and be clean!...Give up your evil ways." (Isaiah 1:16, NLT)

"Soak me…and I’ll come out clean, scrub me and I'll have a snow-white life." (Psalm 51:7, The Message)

"Jesus said, 'If I don't wash you, you can't be part of what I'm doing.' 'Master!' said Peter.  'Not only my feet, then.  Wash my hands! Wash my head!'" 
(John 13:8-9, The Message)



What *untangling* does the Holy Spirit need to do in your life?



A great quote:  "That's why sometimes it's best if we just sit quietly and wait. And let God do some work and untangling on our behalf." – Lysa TerKeurst, Proverbs 31 Ministries


(SIDENOTE:  Let me tell you, "The Hub" is a sainted man.  He played doctor/nurse throughout the whole ordeal.  He was attentive, patient, kind, and tenderhearted.  He made food, made beds, piled on blankets, took them off, helped me take a shower, checked on me constantly, held my hand, held his tongue – in general, he took CARE of me.  I am so grateful for him.)


Linked today with:

Joan at SHARING HIS BEAUTY
Michelle at HEAR IT ON SUNDAY, USE IT ON MONDAY
Hazel at TELL ME A TRUE STORY
Jen at UNITE
Darlene at TITUS 2SDAY
Laura at PLAYDATES WITH GOD
Rachel at WHIMSICAL WEDNESDAYS
Tracy at WINSOME WEDNESDAY
Rosilind at LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAYS
Judith at WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAYS
Jacqueline at ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER
Jenifer at WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY
Bonnie at FAITH BARISTA JAM
Michelle at THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY
Mel at ESSENTIAL FRIDAYS
Wanda at THE FRIDAY FIVE
Charlotte at SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS
Laura at FAITH FILLED FRIDAY
Leslie at FAITHFUL FRIDAY
Sandy at STILL SATURDAY
Janis at SUNDAY STILLNESS
Barbie at WEEKEND BREW
Salina at HEART REFLECTED


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

GOD IS IN THE DETAILS

I am a master of disguise.

There is not a flaw that has bested me yet.

If you're a perfectionist like me, you notice that just about everything has a flaw or two (or eighty).  Furniture, carpet, tile, cabinets, paint, clothing, collectibles, etc.

And flaws are my nemesis.

Armed with my arsenal of colored pencils, multi-colored Sharpie pens, various colors of wood putty, acrylic paint, a lead pencil, a black and a blue ballpoint pen – AND my *tools of the trade* – tweezers, scissors, glue, brushes, and two pairs of glasses – I am a Fixer Extraordinaire.

If something has a chip or a stain or a snag or a scratch – I am your woman.

Some of my best work has included:

The dented nose of a cigar store Indian – (paint, colored pencils, brush).

A ripped and unraveled patch of carpet – (glue, tweezers, scissors).

An area of missing stain on a cabinet – (wood putty, colored pencils, lead pencil).


Actually, you might enjoy this little story about my absolute finest moment.

Several years ago, the sons and Marty (the grandbeagle) were staying downstairs with my parents while they were renovating their upstairs apartment.  Marty, The Beagle Who Cannot Be Trusted, was watched like an eagle.

However, Marty is also The Beagle Who Is Very Sneaky.  And one night, while everyone was watching television, Marty was busy.  Oh, it looked like he was just lying down in his little pen in the middle of the living room.  (I know – I was there).  But no, he was actually gnawing and nibbling away at my parents' carpet.

Yes, call him The Stealth Chewer.

Fortunately, my dad went to bed before the damage was discovered.

But when we saw Marty's carpet work, we were shocked.  A decent-sized piece had been completely destroyed – right in the middle of the room!

Great, now what?

Well, I told the boys not to panic, we would figure it out.

So, step #1:  Look under all the furniture to see which carpet would be the best color match, roughly the same nap, and the least likely to be noticed missing.

Step #2:  Having determined that the best replacement candidate was underneath a very heavy coffee table, move said table.

Step #3:  Using boxcutters – (oh, I should have mentioned that in my above-cited arsenal) – remove patch of carpet.  Replace table.

Step #4:  Place new patch into old hole and glue down.  Evaluate.  Uh, not good.

Step #5:  Use various "tools" to work the edges into the surrounding nap. Push and pull and tamp down and pinch up.  Over and over again.  Not bad.

Except for the oh-so-obvious difference in the color.  Wow, carpet really, really darkens over time.  So, the three of us just stared at the carpet for the longest time.

(Mom was there too – but her *slightly-less-than-helpful* suggestions included putting a table or chair in the middle of the room or making sure that she was talking to Dad and pointing at the ceiling every time he entered).

What a dilemma.

Until Son #2 said this:

"You know how they use tea to make things look old?  I wonder if soda would work…"

Which is how Step #6 happened:  Pour cola on patch of carpet.  Soak up excess with paper towel.  Don't rinse and repeat.

I can't tell you how perfect the match was.  How much the new patch blended in with the darker surroundings.  How inspired this *fix* was.

How my dad never found out about it.

How Marty always seemed to prefer that particular area of the living room.

That old carpet has since been replaced – not because of our problem, mind you – and no one was the wiser.  Except, I've always wondered if the installers were puzzled by how easily that one area of the carpet came up, and why it was so sticky!  HA!


So, yes, flaws are my nemesis.

And that is why I found myself on my hands and knees in my parents' driveway a few days ago.

You see, the sons had a very important trade show to attend, and they needed to construct a booth for their company.  My dad has every tool you can imagine in his workshop, so the project happened at his house.

Wood, screws, saws, hammer, nails, paint – the finished product was a work of art. Finished in the nick of time, just before the sons left at 3 AM for a long trip to Phoenix.

Later that morning, I went out to inspect the clean-up effort.  Pretty good, but not up to the standards of my dad.

For one thing, there were black drips of paint on the garage floor and pink latex primer paint dripped all over the driveway.

Sigh.

So, I used a screwdriver to chip up the black paint.  That went pretty well. But the pink primer was another story altogether.

You might be wondering why I didn't use paint thinner or turpentine.

Well, my parents have kind of a special driveway.  Completely made up of little pebbles all cemented in.  And it's old.  So, besides the fact that there was no paint remover handy, I also didn't want to take the chance of wrecking the driveway with a harsh chemical.

That is why I labored with a screwdriver and a boxcutter to scrape and peel and strip up the pink primer paint.

Got most of it off.  

But good is not good enough for my dad's standards.

So, I proceeded to hand-pencil every single pebble that had any pink residue left over.  Fortunately, there were some black shiny pebbles, so I could use a Sharpie on them.  At first I noticed that the pencil (or Sharpie) ended up looking a little too shiny.  So, I perfected a technique of applying pencil or pen, and then rubbing with my finger.  Repeat to give a more natural finish.

I know.

Perfection.

It took me a few hours.

And so, I had plenty of time to ponder.


I got to thinking about God.  

About God and His very perfect world that He created.  About God and how His very perfect world got all messed up.

He had to have looked on in dismay at all the drips and dribbles of sin that had spilled on His perfection.

It had to make Him feel frustrated, knowing that He had clean-up work to do.

Frustrated, yes, but His love propelled Him to do it.

I felt frustrated that I had clean-up work to do.  It was disheartening to be left with the aftermath.  But I also knew that I was the only one who could do it.  And I did it because I love my boys.

God is the same.  

No, God is better…


As I belabored over every single paint-stained pebble, I thought of how God works in me.

He inspects me closely, and sees even the tiniest remnants of sin.

He takes His time, inordinate amounts of time, to fix my mistakes and work on my flaws.

He scrapes away my false hypocrisy, and peels away my layers of selfishness, and strips away the sins that so easily trip me up.

And, even then, He is not finished.

For good is not good enough for my Heavenly Father's standards.

So, He painstakingly pencils in the empty spots with His righteousness. He covers my stains with His blood.  He rubs my spirit with His finger, until I am made like new.

He works and toils and labors over me.

OVER. ME.

Because He loves me…

…and flaws are His nemesis.

But He has never met a flaw that has bested Him.  For He died on a Cross for every flaw that ever did or ever will happen.

He possesses the ultimate tools in His arsenal to fix the mistakes, to redeem the flaws, to restore the blemished, to fill up the cracks, and to make it all right again – to make it all RIGHT again.


I know.

Perfection.

I was reminded of that while on my knees on a pebbled driveway a few days ago.

And it brought tears to my eyes.

God weaves His perfection in me. 

"May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation--the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ--for this will bring much glory and praise to God." (Philippians 1:11, NLT)

"It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption." 
(1 Corinthians 1:30, NIV)

"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21, ESV)

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20, NIV)

"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." (2 Corinthians 5:17, NASB)


What does God’s attention to detail mean to you?


Linked today with:

Joan at SHARING HIS BEAUTY
Michelle at HEAR IT ON SUNDAY, USE IT ON MONDAY
Hazel at TELL ME A TRUE STORY
Jen at UNITE
Darlene at TITUS 2SDAY
Tracy at WINSOME WEDNESDAY
Rachel at WHIMSICAL WEDNESDAYS
Shari at WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY
Gail at TGIF
Laura at FAITH FILLED FRIDAY
Mel at ESSENTIAL FRIDAYS
Wanda at THE FRIDAY FIVE
Charlotte at SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS
Patricia at STILL SATURDAY
Barbie at WEEKEND BREW
Janis at SUNDAY STILLNESS


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY - Refine (New Format!)

Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a question (or few)…just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!

And, to further fan those faith-filled flames (try saying that 10 times in a row!) – I'm adding my favorite devotional from the week!


Today's word: refine

What does the word refine mean to you?

Why does God want to refine us?

What is God using in your life to refine you?


"'I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure.  I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold.'"  (Zechariah 13:9, NLT)


Let me know what you think!!              


DEVOTIONAL OF THE WEEK:

"What a chain of graces could overflow from tribulation.  It is in the furnace that faith is tested, patience is tried, and where all those rich virtues are developed that make up Christian character.  It is while they are passing through deep waters that God shows how close He can come to His praying, believing saints."


*Thank You for drawing close to us when we need You most.


"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7)


(Devotional: From "The Power of Prayer" by E. M. Bounds, c. 2007, Christian Art Gifts, RSA)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

MY MIRROR IMAGE

Do you remember that song by Michael Jackson – Man in the Mirror?

"I'm starting with the man

in the mirror,

I'm asking him to change

his ways…"

So, the other day I took a good look at myself in the mirror, and I'm thinking about making some changes.

No, I'm not getting plastic surgery.

Though I am wildly tempted when I see those commercials for The Lifestyle Lift.

However, with my luck, something would go wrong.  The doctor would probably nick a nerve, and I would be left with a permanent twitch – which would be interpreted by people as a wink – which would then result in multitudes of 60-year-old men following me home.

Or…

The doctor might sever a small muscle in my face, and I would be left with half of my face frozen – which would make people wonder why I was mad or sad all the time – even though they sometimes wonder that now – but I like to have the *option* of smiling.

I'M. JUST. SAYIN'.

However, I'm not getting plastic surgery.

But I have taken a good long look in the mirror.

It hasn't been pretty.

For the most part, I usually think that I'm a pretty good disciple of Jesus.  I'm following Him closely, doing my devotionals, reading my Bible, attending church, praying…thinking I'm looking like Him more and more.

But lately, when I've looked in the mirror – I've seen the cracks in my spiritual armor.

Wanna know what I've seen? 

Petty Jealousy.

Suspicious mistrust.

Bitter anger.

Judgmental attitude.

Grudge-holding.

Snide comments.

Unkind thoughts.

I could add more, but I am so embarrassed to admit even these things.  Sure, certain circumstances are taxing my strength right now – they're trying my patience – they're testing my ability to cope.

But honestly, coming face-to-face with the deeper layers of sin in my heart has been excruciating.

I've lived in my new mountain home for a year now – and I can honestly say that I've never grown in my faith as much as I have in this last year.

I feel like God has been removing my "props" – shaving off the things that have always made me feel secure.  Friendships have faltered, familiar places have disappeared.  My parents are getting older – my dad has even begun to forget who I am from time to time.

It's all been very hard.

But now, the Lord is pruning even more of the ugly branches off my sin-filled tree.  He isn't content with me being a pretty good disciple – He wants me to look like Him…really.

Evidently, He doesn't just want to change me – He wants to refine me.

I looked up the process of refining in Wikipedia.  I read this:

"Refining consists of purifying an impure material…in refining, the final material is usually identical chemically to the original one, only it is purer."

I got to pondering that.

God's refining work doesn't destroy me – it just makes me purer.

I like the sound of that.

I have not enjoyed seeing the truth about me – the deeper truth.  The things that I really didn't know were lurking under the surface until certain circumstances brought them out.

My mirror image needs some work.

And yet, I wonder at the Lord's timing.  It's like I feel like I somehow just graduated from elementary school, only to find out that He wants me to go to college!  Does He think I'm ready for this?  Is He thinking that it's time for me to die a little more (a lot) to my self?

Yes, I think that's exactly what He's thinking.

I've been quite chagrined, mortified, ashamed to see these snaky, black, and ugly sins crop up inside of me.  How could I have not known they were there? 

"'The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?  But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives.'"  (Jeremiah 17:9-10, NLT)

And so, at this time in my life, God has decided to burn these things out of me.

Cost of discipleship.

High cost indeed. 

But worth the priceless treasure of knowing God in an even more intimate way.  

Worth the priceless treasure of being a reflection of His Son.  

Worth the priceless treasure of ridding myself of sins that I didn't even know I harbored deep within.

Worth the priceless treasure of refined gold…

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

"Put me on trial, LORD, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart."  (Psalm 26:2, NLT)

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life."  (Psalm 139:23-24, NLT)

"'I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure.  I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold.'"  (Zechariah 13:9, NLT)

What does God want to *refine* in you?


Linked today with:

Joan at SHARING HIS BEAUTY
Michelle at HEAR IT ON SUNDAY, USE IT ON MONDAY
Hazel at TELL ME A TRUE STORY
Darlene at TITUS 2SDAY
Tracy at WINSOME WEDNESDAY
Charlotte at SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS


(SIDENOTE:  I hope all you former Google Reader readers out there find a way to find me!  I cherish your company as we walk out this journey called LIFE!)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY - Righteousness

Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!


Today's word: righteousness

What do you think the word righteousness means?

How would you define God's righteousness?

What does it mean to you to be able to *put on* the righteousness of Jesus?


Let me know what you think!!


"Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him.  I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ.  For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith." (Philippians 3:8-9, NLT)


"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

A BEAGLE'S *BANDANNA* BANNER DAY

So, the other day it was Spa Day for Marty.

Truth be told, there isn't too much spa treatment involved.

A beagle does not need to be groomed, trimmed, or styled.

He just needs to be cleaned.

But, we like to call it Spa Day because…well, because it makes Marty feel special.

Many dogs – (most dogs??) – are terrified of the vet.  The dog that I grew up with, Bo, a dachshund, started shaking the minute he got into the car.

Not Marty.

He LOVES the vet.

Which is surprising to me, considering the experiences he's had there.  When he was just two months old, before he was ours, he spent about 10 days there battling the deadly Parvo disease.  That involved all sorts of *sick*, and lots of needles and IV treatments.  Then, shortly after that, he was back for treatment for parasites.

Then, of course, there was that whole neutering escapade.

You'd think that THAT would have made him never want to go to the vet's office again…not EVER.  But no, not so.  Marty still loves going to the vet's because…

…well, because he's Marty.

One of the friendliest, sweetest, most gregarious animals I have ever known in my life.

Marty is a people person.

And the vet's office has lots of people – lots of people that know and love him.

It's pretty funny.  I've had to take him to Spa Day a few times myself.  The vet's office is about 10 minutes away from where my son lives.  At first, Marty is just pretty excited about going on a car ride.

But as we begin to approach the parking lot for the vet's office, Marty becomes more and more concentrated on our surroundings.  He often sits up in the passenger seat.  And, as soon as I get into the left-hand turn lane, he KNOWS where we are.

And he can hardly contain himself.

The moment I put my car into "park," that dog is beside himself with glee.  (Maybe it's more accurate to say he's beside ME with glee…like in my lap).

Once inside, he pulls on his leash, he jumps up to say hello, he sniffs and chuffles every square inch of the waiting room.  Occasionally, though we have thoughtfully pre-peed him in the bushes outside, he does a little *marking* on the desk or floor.

Hey, he's a dog, and it's always fun to let other dogs know you've...ahem...
"been there."

Right?!

With barely a nod to my presence, scarcely a sniff good-bye, Marty is off. Around the corner – see ya later!

So, after a long day, the time comes to go pick him up.

I love this part.

I pay the bill, and they go get him.  I can hear him coming long before I see him.  No, he isn't barking or anything – remember, Marty is a "silent" beagle.  He's only barked like 10 times in his life…

But, I can hear his newly-trimmed toenails (and fingernails) clicking on the tiles.  And then, the best moment of all, Marty appears around the corner.

He rushes over to greet me.

Marty might not be too good at good-bye, but he's a superstar champ at HELLO!

Boy, does he smell good.  And his little beagle hair is all fluffy.  Well, perhaps fuzzy is a better way to describe it.

But the best thing of all?

Marty is wearing a bandanna.

Sometime last year, the vet's office started giving their dogs bandannas after their baths (this last Spa Day, Marty's was red).  I think it's an adorable idea.

I'm sure that Marty knows he's got that thing on.  And he's proud of it.  He has a certain bounce in his step, a certain joy in his trot that he didn't have when he first came in.

Yup, Marty knows he's special – and he knows he's clean.

I'm thinking about this tonight.

Marty teaches me a great many things about God, and this is no exception.

What does it feel like to be clean?

I think sometimes I take for granted the great work, the impossible work that Jesus did for me on the cross.  He took every single filthy thing I've ever done, or that I ever will do, and He crucified it.  He washed it clean.

The dirt and grime and stain of sin – the blot that I could not remove – He bore it all.

And washed me clean.

Honestly, I think that should change how I live – every single day.  It should give me a certain bounce in my step, a certain joy in my trot.

It should make me feel beside myself – I should be barely able to contain my glee.

I know I. AM. CLEAN.

Once and for all clean.  Eternally clean.  Deep down where it counts clean.  


You know, maybe today I'll wear my red bandanna – and I'll wear it proud.

Because yes, indeed, I am special to the Master of the Universe!



"Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin." (Psalm 51:2, NLT)

"For on this day shall atonement be made for you to cleanse you. You shall be clean before the LORD from all your sins."  (Leviticus 16:30, ESV)

"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." (Psalm 51:7, NIV)

"I will cleanse them of their sins against me and forgive all their sins of rebellion." (Jeremiah 33:8, NLT)

"I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses..." (Ezekiel 36:25, ESV)

"When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, 'Lord, are you going to wash my feet?'  Jesus replied, 'You don't understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.'  'No,' Peter protested, 'you will never ever wash my feet!'  Jesus replied, 'Unless I wash you, you won't belong to me.' Simon Peter exclaimed, 'Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!'" (John 13:6-9, NLT)

Are We There Yet??? 

I Am Special 

What does it feel like to you to be *deep-down Jesus* clean?

Linked today with:

Joan at SHARING HIS BEAUTY

Michelle at HEAR IT ON SUNDAY, USE IT ON MONDAY

Tracy at WINSOME WEDNESDAY
Pamela at A SHELTERING TREE
Bonnie at  FAITH BARISTA
Charlotte at SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

THE INCREDIBLE, AMAZING CIRCUS CLOWN CAR (House)

I love the circus.

Except for the dreaded plate-spinning act that I talked (whined) about here.

Except for that, I love the circus.

Even the clowns.

A lot of people are unnaturally afraid of clowns.  I wonder why…

Were they terrorized by Bozo at an early age?  Do they fear oversized shoes and bulbous red noses?  Is their uncle named Chucky?

I like clowns because I enjoy watching people make fools of themselves – (on purpose, that is).  Clowns make me laugh – laughing is good.

Do you remember the circus act where a teeny, tiny car comes out – and clown after clown after clown comes pouring out?  I could never figure that out as a kid.  Later on I discovered that a mathematical impossibility can indeed become a magical illusion.

But I digress.

The circus clown car act is on my mind today – because my house has become one.

The boxes…and boxes…and boxes – the sheer volume of stuff should not (mathematically) have been able to fit into my smallish house.

And yet, the boxes keep on coming…

I'm wondering if there is a Good Fairy who (magically) keeps making more and more boxes in the middle of the night when I'm sleeping…or does cardboard harbor a recessive "rabbit" gene?

At one point I wondered if "The Hub" was doing it.  But of course, silly me, if he was involved in the whole process the boxes would disappear!

Abra cadabra.

God is teaching me some good lessons through all of this – (notice I said good, not easy…just sayin')

First of all, uprooting 28 years and moving two hours away (by yourself) is a challenge…BIG challenge.

And I have been humbled by the sight of my dear and hard-working husband laboring under an unending onslaught of stuff – which is mostly mine, to tell the truth.  You see, I've been in this house for 28 years – he's only been here for 7.

And I've been convicted.

I have way too much stuff.

Don't get me wrong – "The Hub" and I have some really cool stuff – and I think it's fine to accumulate things that make you feel at home in your home – stuff that stamps your own personality on the place you live. It's all the other stuff – the things that I probably don't need, but just can't seem to part with…

That's the part I've been thinking about.

Some people are really good about periodic *weaning* – not me.  I still have the heartbeat of a hoarder inside of me.  I get way too attached to my things – and my things get way too attached to me.

I am guilty of having emotions attached to temporal things.

Lord, I hear You speaking on this.

None of this is going with me.  None of it matters in the long run.  None of it is eternal.

Yes, I have my treasure in Heaven – but I've got a hefty little stash here on the other side, too.

Once we get all settled in (early 2013, hmmm??!) – I need to attend to this. It's time to let go of things…

And maybe it's a time for God to do some spiritual housekeeping, too.

I remember reading "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" by C. S. Lewis. At the beginning of the story, a rather distasteful young boy named Eustace steals away from the rest of the group, and comes upon the treasure of a dying dragon.

When the dragon breathes his last breath, Eustace revels in the treasure. Until he discovers the next day that he himself has turned into a dragon.

He tries and tries to peel, scratch, claw off those old scales by himself. And they come off – sorta.  But he still remains a dragon.

It is only when Aslan comes along, the great and terrifying Lion, that Eustace is saved from himself.

Because the Lion painfully (but oh so wonderfully) removes the scales, by tearing at the heart of the matter – and Eustace becomes a boy again.


"Then the lion said – but I don't know if it spoke – You will have to let me undress you.  I was afraid of his claws, I can tell you, but I was pretty nearly desperate now.  So I just lay flat down on my back to let him do it.


The very first tear he made was so deep and I thought it had gone right into my heart. And when he began pulling the skin off, it hurt worse than anything I've ever felt.  The only thing that made me able to bear it was just the pleasure of feeling the stuff peel off.


And there was I as smooth and soft as a peeled switch and smaller than I had been."


So, I'm thinking –

Maybe it's time to let go of some of the treasure.


Maybe it's time for me to shed some of my gnarly old scales.

It's going to hurt – (and trust me, I'm now beginning to feel the sadness, the anxiety, the unsettled uncertainty of the move) – but I know that somehow there is something really good awaiting me on the other side.

God is going to make me something new.

He is going to make me smaller than I have been – and in the process He will show me how big He is.

Is He big enough?


Oh, I think so…yes, indeed, I think so!


(Please come back on Wednesday, for some more lessons God is teaching me in this final week of moving...)


Is God big enough for you?


Linked with Joan at SHARING HIS BEAUTY


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

QUAINT WORDS

Welcome to "Quaint Words!”

These posts will contain thoughts, poems, and prayers from old books that I have found at antique stores, flea markets, and garage sales (with an occasional treasure from a bookstore).

I love the rhythm and sound of the older English language, and am blessed by other believers who have gone before me!

"And is not God ready to do unto them even as they fear, though with another feeling and a different end from any which they are capable of supposing? He is against sin...and thus He is altogether and always for them...

When we say that God is Love, do we teach men that their fear of Him is groundless? No. As much as they fear will come upon them, possibly far more...The wrath will consume what they call themselves; so that the selves God made shall appear.

For that which cannot be shaken shall remain. That which is immortal in God shall remain in man."

(From "George MacDonald - An Anthology, 365 Readings" by George MacDonald, c. 1824-1905)

(A listing of books and authors, and also dates of individual postings from those books, will be found on my "QUAINT WORDS" page)

BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"