Wood Ticks

“Test me, O LORD, and try me,
   examine my heart and my mind;”

~Psalm 26:2 NIV 1984

Here in the north central part of the country spring brings not only relief from long, cold winters but also the dreaded Wood Tick.  In my entire life fewer times than I have fingers and toes I have found a tick on my person and only once that I remember was the devilish creature actually imbedded.  So my life has never been sincerely threatened by this tiny bug that is barely 1/4 centimeter in size yet it puts terror in my heart that surpasses any impending disaster including Armageddon.

 

One morning recently I got up, got dressed, dropped the kids off at school and headed out to visit a friend of mine and her elderly mother which I do regularly. My friend and I comfortably lounge over coffee and conversation until she needs to get ready for work and I stay and spend time with her mother. While we are talking I’m watching my friend’s face distort into something that can only be described as sheer terror and she is looking at me---or more accurately at my hair. At that precise moment I could feel the hair near the side of my face moving. She was forming the words, “Hold still” when I shot up out of the recliner and flailed my arms and jumped around like I was on fire.  “Hold still”?! You’ve got to be kidding! There’s no way I will ever hold still when some blood-sucking or other creepy crawly critter is hitching a ride upon the USS Becky. Of course I whacked the dreaded infidel off my head but then we didn’t know what it was or where it was. Had I remained still and let my friend pluck it out of my hair our worries would have been over. As it was she had to go to work and I would be left there to comb the floor and furniture since my friend has three cats that she preferred not be victims if the unwanted visitor was indeed a tick. I have very good Tick Vision and searched high and low for any maimed or stunned insects trying to recover. Whatever the demon creature was it was nowhere to be found. I assumed I had killed it and settled back down to focus on making breakfast. Over an hour later I was back in the recliner drinking my warmed up coffee and I felt a tickle inside my shirt. I had to look---I didn’t want to but I had to---and confirmed the presence of a tick CRAWLING UP MY CHEST! Again with the bolting out of the chair but this time with a tick pinched between my fingers and me running wildly to the bathroom to flush the little devil down the toilet. I still get the heebie jeebies thinking about it.

The best part about all this was watching my friend’s face contort into a face of horror and knowing instinctively it was something about me that caused her such a reaction. I appreciate that she was looking out for me and was even willing to personally remove the offensive creature. But I didn’t let her and it literally came back to bite me.

I thank God for blessing me with His Word that shows me any offensive sin in my life. I thank God for my Savior who lovingly and completely removed all sin. I thank God for the Holy Spirit who continues to protect and prepare me when I hold still and let Him do his work within me. I thank God for the friends He has blessed me with who know me and look out for me. I’m not really thankful for wood ticks but I can accept they are part of God’s creation and I will just do my best to keep my distance.

Wired to Follow

Lately I've been taking more time to really examine myself through scripture. As a Christian it's very important for me not just to wear the label but to live the life. I can be tempted to become easily distracted with life in the "real world" ---the never-ending flow of laundry, dishes, family needs, bills, projects, school and church, etc...I can get caught up in doing so many good and helpful things that I can forget why I want to do those things to begin with. My activity can become routine and obligatory and consequently my heart loses the kind of motivation that brings a true sense of joy. Instead of joyful I become tired, irritable, often impatient and sometimes rude. My good deeds, while good, can lack kindness. With growing discontent comes resentment and unforgiveness. All that effort can send me in a slow spiral backward away from the inner peace and contentment that Christ offers me (Philippians 4). When I'm doing so much good stuff I can't help but wonder, "How did that happen?" As I've been read my Bible I’m drawn to scripture that shows me what Jesus taught his newly appointed disciples. Jesus declares that as a disciple God wants all of me--my heart, mind and soul and for me to love my neighbor as myself (Matthew 22). Literally everything I think, do, say and hope should revolve around Him and loving others if I give myself wholeheartedly (John 15). That's what it is to abide in something. Abiding in Christ---is this even possible? I think how very short of this mark I reach every day. Yet I know this is the answer. Abiding in Christ is not just acting nice and doing nice, helpful things but an active awareness and presence that becomes my very nature. This may seem like an odd example but I look at our dog, Wylie; he's as good a model as any I've seen. I really like to watch Cesar Milan (a.k.a."The Dog Whisperer") and find his approach in dog psychology not only fascinating but also accurate. One of the primary points Cesar makes is that dogs are wired to follow a leader. This is highly evident in my relationship with Wylie. For all practical purposes I am perceived as his Pack Leader. He is so aware of my presence that his devotion is spontaneous and constant. No matter where I go, Wylie follows. He waits by the bathroom door until I come out, he sleeps outside the office door while I work, he waits by the back door when I leave until I return. If he is sleeping and I leave the room he wakes up to follow me. It's pretty remarkable how he can appear to be in a deep sleep and still know when I've moved away from him. When he goes outdoors to

Wylie

do his business he consistently looks back to make sure I'm watching him; only then does he feel confident to venture around the yard. He loves the other members of our family but it’s evident his little doggy heart belongs to me. He doesn’t beg for my constant attention or for treats although he shows great appreciation when I offer these things to him. It's enough for him just to be close to me. I look at Wylie's devotion and I think this is how I want to follow Christ. While I’m not always deserving of Wylie's undying love and affection I have the privilege of following the One perfect and holy God who is always deserving of my love and devotion.  I, too, am wired to follow. The more my life revolves around Jesus the less things feel out of control or hopeless or unbearable and the more I feel confident in my purpose. When I abide in Christ I really understand what it means to call myself a Christian.

First Steps

"For you have delivered me from death
   and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
   in the light of life." ~Psalm 56:13

Ok, I've been thinking about blogging for several years now. Since I can't give a good reason why I haven't done so I finally decided to make the move and set myself up. Can't believe how easy it is and why on earth I wrestled with this for so long. So now that I'm here I have the commitment to consider what to share with you and to keep it up. Consistency and self discipline are not my strong suits so this will be an exercise in self improvement as well as a purging of the many thoughts that seem to be constantly churning in my mind.


First Steps---it took a little thought to come up with the title for my first post. I picked this one feeling it's fitting because being my very first post it's a step in a direction I've been gazing toward for a long time. I like First Steps. No matter how far off the path I might get or how long I've been immobile there is always the opportunity to take a First Step toward the place I really want to be. Any First Step in the right direction is motivated by hope no matter how many consecutive steps it may take to get me to my desired destination. There's always hope. There was a time when I wasn't so sure about that; in fact I was pretty convinced there was no hope. That was before I got to know Jesus. I knew about him but didn't know him like I do now. I didn't realize he'd always been there waiting for me and ready to lead me along a path I didn't know existed. Since then I've wandered off the path every so often and sometimes worn the path down pacing back and forth along the same spot unsure of which direction I wanted to go. There were times when I fell and laid there for short periods resting, unsure whether I had it in me to continue. I've also fallen and laid along the path for long periods; afraid and deciding if I'd ever walk again. 

Over the years what I've come to know about God has prepared me to trust the hope he offers. Now when I stumble along the way I'm not afraid anymore and if I need a rest I take one and enjoy the quiet respite with my Jesus. I know he can be trusted to keep his promise that he will never leave me. No matter how the journey's been so far the unmistakeable truth of God's presence has been the common factor that enabled me to take that next First Step.

 ~BK