How to Recover From a Snake Bite

I can thankfully say that I've never been bitten by a snake (at least not by one that looks like this picture). But reading about the Israelites this morning has me thinking a lot about snakes, sin, and remedies...

It all started with Numbers 21:4-9 ...But the people grew impatient along the way, and they began to murmur against God and Moses. "Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die here in the wilderness?" they complained. "There is nothing to eat here and nothing to drink. And we hate this wretched manna!" So the Lord sent poisonous snakes among them, and many of them were bitten and died. Then the people came to Moses and cried out, "We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take away the snakes." So Moses prayed for the people. Then the Lord told him "Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to the top of a pole. Those who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!" So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to the top of a pole. Whenever those who were bitten looked at the bronze snake, they recovered!

The people sinned and there was a consequence. And of course the consequence wasn't pleasant so the people repented and asked for it to be removed. (I'm pretty sure a bunch of poisonous snakes would have caused me to beg for mercy too!) But what stands out to me is how God works. He doesn't remove the consequence of sin, but instead provides a remedy. The snakes were still there...someone may still get bit...but if he looked to the snake on the pole, he would live.

Jump ahead to John 3:14-17 and we see the same thing played out. Jesus says "And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so I, the Son of Man, must be lifted up on a pole, so that everyone who believes in me will have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it."

Sin was brought into the world and caused separation between us and God. We live with the consequence, but God provided a remedy. The enemy is still there...we may still get attacked...but look to Jesus and believe in him, and we shall live. Sometimes I would rather that God take out the enemy and remove all the consequenes of sin from my life. But if He removed the snakes, would I still be as desperate to catch a glimpse of the image on top of the pole?

Back in the Game

When I lived in Columbus I loved grocery shopping. Clipping coupons and finding good deals was fun. But since moving to this small town where I have to drive 20 miles to a large grocery store (and having babies to cart around), I gave it up. Grocery shopping has become more of a chore. Would the drive be worth it? Would it be worth the time? All I can say is YES!

This week was my first week back in the game (after nearly 9 years). I bought a copy of the Dispatch and did some research on couponing sites my friends use. Here's what I got...

Got this stuff for $6 after rebates at CVS. The Extra Care Bucks at CVS blows me away. If you work it right you can get free products all the time. It seems too good to be true. For example, the contact solution I bought was $7.99, but I got $7.99 Extra Care Bucks that I can use as cash on my next visit...so essentially it was free! And if I use that money to buy other "Free" items on my next visit, no money will be leaving my pockets. And you can use coupons for the item too, which actually makes you a profit! LOL

This is the result of my trip to Kroger. Spent only $15...saved $44. Part of it was matching up sales with coupons. I also took advantage of a pharmacy promotion they are running through the middle of August. Transfer a prescription to Kroger Pharmacy and get $25 free groceries! (You can transfer up to 8, for a potential profit of $200).

I still plan to support my small town grocery store and pharmacy when the prices are competitive, but a weekly trip out of town to hunt down deals has now been added to my schedule :)

Giving Life

I don't like needles. Just knowing a shot is coming or that I'll have to give blood could tie my stomach in knots for hours. One of my worst pregnancy experiences was the IV. Once I finished having babies I was resolved not to be stuck again. That was, until God convicted me...

My husband has been a blood donor for a while now. I was content encouraging him to do it, but there was no way I would. Recently I saw a postcard advertising a blood drive coming up in which you could get $15 in gift cards and a chance to win a car. Since I love free stuff that was almost enough to get me to consider donating, but still fell short. Then something spoke to my heart through Leviticus of all places. God says "It is the blood, representing life, that brings you atonement...the life of every creature is in the blood" (Lev 17: 11,14) I have life running through my veins that I can easily give in order to sustain the life of someone else. Could I ever look at another person and say "Sorry I can't help you, I don't like the discomfort of having a needle in my arm for 15 minutes"?

So I mustered my courage and went. It took about an hour of my time and was not as horrible as my imagination had told me. After donating, a good friend reminded me that she had needed 20 pints of blood after her car accident. I'm thankful there was a supply available for her. And I pray the sacrifice of myself and the others donors will be used to give life to many others.

Insecurity

It's been quite a while since I've taken the time to read a book, but thanks to my vacation I got to finish a really good one. I knew I had some issues, but I never realized before that they mainly stem from the same source...insecurity. In Beth Moore's book, So Long Insecurity, there were some struggles described that I've never had, and others that described me so well it was scary. If you are a woman, put this book on your must-read list.

I thought I would share a bit of insight that has been helpful to me. Beth writes "Any time insecurity hits, you can be sure that you are afraid of something. The question is, what?...You have to look beyond the obvious to see the wind driving the wave." What are we afraid of? Failure? Rejection? Being abandoned? I've been asking myself "If what I'm afraid of DOES happen, will it really matter?" Sometimes the answer is no. This happened to me just yesterday. I put in my Called to Belong CD hoping to do some practicing for the choir and I couldn't hear my part. We had just had practice the night before, but without a voice singing in my ear I was lost. Back comes the insecurity, making me want to drop the whole thing. I'm surrounded by members of our worship team who sing beautifully. I fear embarrassment. What if I am off pitch and no one says anything? What if I don't have the talent required? What if...? But then I thought, does it really matter? Will God be any less pleased? No. Will my friends think less of me? Not if they're my friends. If picking out harmony never comes easily to me, I will be ok. If I sing so badly that I get kicked off the choir, I will still be ok. I refuse to let my insecurity and fears keep me from giving this a try. Hebrews 10: 35-36 states "Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised".

Sometimes our insecurities and fears are much more serious, such as losing a loved one. I've envisioned many more "What if..." scenarios than I can count. What Beth points out is that the real issue is in trusting God. Do we trust Him no matter what? If our worst fears are realized, do we still trust Him to walk with us through the valley and work all things together for our good? May it be said of you and I: [She] will have no fear of bad news; [her] heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. [Her] heart is secure, [she] will have no fear; in the end [she] will look in triumph on [her] foes - Psalm 112:7-8

Lessons Learned from My Flowerbed

Our front landscaping is nearly complete. It feels good to step back and see the result of all our hard work. We have depended on the knowledge and advice of many friends and were even given some starter plants. And this would not have been possible without the dedication and labor of my wonderful husband. Many thanks to everyone who has helped.











I have learned a few things during this process of creating our flowerbeds.


1. Plants look much smaller once you plant them than they do at the greenhouse.


2. Do not order plants bareroot unless you are prepared to wait a while to see something that resembles what you ordered.



3. The beauty of the flowerbed is not only what you see initially, but what you imagine it will look like. I know the potential each plant has to grow and bloom. I have planted in faith of what will come. So now I need to nurture them to maturity and watch what will happen. It's kind of like raising kids. My joy comes from the present, but also hope for the future and what it will bring.

4. All things of beauty take effort to maintain. It didn't take long for weeds to rear their ugly heads. Now I will need to learn to recognize the plants from the weeds, especially in the spring when I hear they can look very similar.


5. Working outside and rainfall must be connected somehow...


6. Solar landscaping lights and children are not very compatible! Super glue and duct tape are good to have on hand.


7. Landscaping is addicting. We already have future projects in mind. I never knew I would enjoy it so much!


So now we wait, and water, and weed. Waiting on things to grow and blossom and spread. Appreciating all the beautiful variations of plants and flowers that God has created.

In a Hurry?

In a recent Chip Ingrim podcast he said that one of the best ways to avoid stress is to eliminate hurry from your life. He was so determined to make this change in his life that for 2 years he chose to drive only in the slow lane and to stand in the longest line at the grocery store. That's one way to teach yourself patience!

The more I thought about it, I realized that many of the times I'm rushing around it's to accomplish a to-do list that I've created, but which isn't really necessary. Maybe it's time to lower my expectations a little in order to enjoy life more.

Here are some of Chip's observations...

When I'm in a hurry I don't notice the flowers blooming alongside the road.

When I'm in a hurry there seems to be more irritating drivers on the road than normal.

When I'm in a hurry I don't strike up friendly conversations with those around me.

When I'm in a hurry I avoid people, places, and things that take time, energy, and effort.

When I'm in a hurry I pretend not to see the person behind me in line who only has a few items while I have a cart full of groceries.

When I'm in a hurry I rush through the day and I rush by people.

When I'm in a hurry I don't ask people how they really are. Or if I do, I don't stick around to hear the answer.

When I'm in a hurry my devotional life is a task to get done instead of a time to treasure.

When I'm in a hurry I'm abrupt with people.

When I'm in a hurry it feels like life is a race to be run.

When I'm in a hurry I get angry more easily and more often.

When I'm NOT in a hurry I enjoy my food more.

When I'm not in a hurry I smile more and just feel calmer.

When I'm not in a hurry life seems to be more enjoyable and less stressful.

When I'm not in a hurry I'll ask about others, about themselves, how they're doing, and I actually like hearing what they have to say.

When I'm not in a hurry my times in prayer are more meaningful.

When I'm not in a hurry things don't bother me as much. I'm more patient, loving, understanding, and tolerant.

To which I will add...When I'm not in a hurry I more accurately reflect the character of Jesus.

Happy Mothers Day!

Amen.