Scorpion number 2 in 2 days sent me into a panicked fear state I haven't been to in a long time. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't stop checking the floor, all over the house. I got online and began researching and reading all I could about scorpions in general and scorpions in Georgia. I found possible explanations why we had them and ways to eliminate them. I spent probably 2 hours on this. Then I had Ty help check the sheets/blankets (after I'd checked the kids-who had been sound asleep for 2 hours by now!) I got into bed and could barely breath right as I imagined all kinds of critters all over in the walls, outside, behind floorboards, etc. Really, it was ridiculous. I let fear overcome me again and I gave in to it rather than trust in God's grace and sovereignty. And today I have felt off all day. I think it was the result of letting my guard down for a second. Rather than run to my Father with my concern I ran to solutions that are wise by standards of this world. Now, I don't think there's anything wrong with getting rid of them and having a plan to do so. But I let it completely control me and paralyze me and with that came all sorts of thoughts again. "This isn't home. This isn't familiar and comfortable, I wish I was back in the northwest. Why am I here in Georgia?" And I know those thoughts are exactly what the enemy wants, what he expects and delights in. I mean, it's a scorpion. They aren't life-threatening here. They are small things that would hurt like a bee sting but still, not something that should completely undo me for 24 hours. So tonight I'm choosing thankfulness and keeping my thoughts captive to the priority of the gospel. I'm thankful for our landlord who will spray the house. I'm thankful for my husband who knows the balance between helping my obsessive cleaning/scorpion hunting and praying against the fear that has crept back into our home. After I went to bed he prayed over me and our home and property. That is something I'm thankful for immensely. And I'm thankful that God chose me, an imperfect scardy-cat to sanctify. To set apart and make like himself day by day. Scorpion by scorpion.
The past couple weeks we've been settling back into a routine. We are home! We wake up, do chores, school at home (or library, or on location), play with friends, have people over, go to the same church 3 Sundays in a row...the list could continue. You all know what I mean, this is what most people do in the fall. They start back into a routine. With the crisp, cool evenings (not that we've had those yet here in the south!) and crunchy leaves comes a sense of return to normalcy. For the most part we have transitioned back well. We have been walking in the new ways and habits we've formed the last year. Good habits. Habits of communicating better. Habits of keeping our perspective on the gospel. Last week, Ty even started a new habit as a family of not yelling at one another. I'm still working on that one with the kids but overall the tone has been so different in our home. We have stood in awe and wonder at the rich grace God has poured out on us over this journey. And so, 2 nights ago when I was getting ready for bed after a calm evening with the kids, my serenity went scurrying as fast as the scorpion did when Ty had to go at it with the shoe. Yep, we had a scorpion in the house. I was grateful that we were awake and found it and killed it before someone stepped on it later. I was grateful that each time we've had nasty bugs in our home-here or elsewhere-God has protected us from harm. I actually handled it pretty well all things considered. Until last night.
Scorpion number 2 in 2 days sent me into a panicked fear state I haven't been to in a long time. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't stop checking the floor, all over the house. I got online and began researching and reading all I could about scorpions in general and scorpions in Georgia. I found possible explanations why we had them and ways to eliminate them. I spent probably 2 hours on this. Then I had Ty help check the sheets/blankets (after I'd checked the kids-who had been sound asleep for 2 hours by now!) I got into bed and could barely breath right as I imagined all kinds of critters all over in the walls, outside, behind floorboards, etc. Really, it was ridiculous. I let fear overcome me again and I gave in to it rather than trust in God's grace and sovereignty. And today I have felt off all day. I think it was the result of letting my guard down for a second. Rather than run to my Father with my concern I ran to solutions that are wise by standards of this world. Now, I don't think there's anything wrong with getting rid of them and having a plan to do so. But I let it completely control me and paralyze me and with that came all sorts of thoughts again. "This isn't home. This isn't familiar and comfortable, I wish I was back in the northwest. Why am I here in Georgia?" And I know those thoughts are exactly what the enemy wants, what he expects and delights in. I mean, it's a scorpion. They aren't life-threatening here. They are small things that would hurt like a bee sting but still, not something that should completely undo me for 24 hours. So tonight I'm choosing thankfulness and keeping my thoughts captive to the priority of the gospel. I'm thankful for our landlord who will spray the house. I'm thankful for my husband who knows the balance between helping my obsessive cleaning/scorpion hunting and praying against the fear that has crept back into our home. After I went to bed he prayed over me and our home and property. That is something I'm thankful for immensely. And I'm thankful that God chose me, an imperfect scardy-cat to sanctify. To set apart and make like himself day by day. Scorpion by scorpion.
1 Comment
10/14/2011 03:35:41 am
Remind me to read this in 6 months when I'm sure Satan will use something like a scorpion to undo me in Italy! Thanks for sharing!
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AuthorsCarolyn & (sometimes) Ty Archives
March 2016
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