Flies

Let's say you walk into your bathroom and there are 6 or 7 large flies buzzing around the light. Do you get a fly swatter? Do you call your 18 year old son to come look at the gross situation? First, we don't own a flyswatter--my 16 year catches them...or I use a newspaper. In this case, I chose to show the novelty to my 18year old and I left the scene.

Moments later I hear, "one. pause. two. ugg. got away. three. pause. four, five. long pause." That was it for that bout. I figured I could handle one or two. I could tell you the long story, but since it is late tonight on the THIRD day of flies, I will shorten what the days were like. There were about 30 the first night and more than that the next and again today. Do I dare even mention that when I went to get cleaning gloves that the sink was leaking?

God has privileged me to help in some tough situations recently... things in people's lives in which there are no adequate words for comfort. Sometimes this makes for a busy schedule...flying here, flying there. I try to ask God to orchestrate my day...even when it is highly scheduled. I've discovered it helps the stress level when the schedule gets changed.

I was not so thankful for the orchestration of the flies. Their buzzing was NOT music to my ears. I was entirely grossed out. My friend Ruthie helped me today. We thought we were just cleaning my house and we ended up cleaning fly residue and removing the compost pile and desperately searching for answers. My neighbor came over the second night...checking the attic, the house perimeter, the grouting and window seals. He sprayed and helped me clean up fly guts. Sorry, I'm just feeling buggy.

I had to travel out of town today. Even the cows I encountered looked tired of the rain. The scenery did resemble Ireland, however. I was planning on taking Michael to England this year. Guess he has a better view. I'm rambling...but on the way home the pieces started to come together. I was glad I was trying to understand the lesson of the flies BEFORE I discovered the activities of this third day. When we get a little garbage in our lives, it can multiply rapidly and get out of control. The flies almost set up control of my schedule. Yes, I had to change a lot of things, even back out of an important opportunity, but God allowed me grace to do what I needed to, to put order back in my home. He gave me time with people who came to help. He allowed me time to think through my schedule and bounce some things off other people about different decisions. He reminded me that not one of those buzzards passed in front of me without Him knowing about it. He CARES that much. If He allows it, then He will help me handle it. I am thankful for my neighbors and friends.

My third day is ending now. Everything is back under the sink and my daughter's room is put back together after accessing the underhouse crawl space. I am going to sleep before midnight and thank God for His grace and for his lessons on learning to love people. Some day I will try to thank Him for the flies. I pray for comfort and grace for my widow friends. The music group, Casting Crowns, has a new song about ??? God's presence in the storm??? I raised my hands at a lot of flies. Tonight I can rest...and raise my hands in praise for His comfort and grace in the storms (and maybe the rain will stop...next week??).

Once again, God's character didn't change and His Word stayed true. "Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,..." II Corinthians 4:16,17 He was faithful. He walked me through it...gross as it was. He will be with me as I drive to Southern California tomorrow with my oldest. Good Friday is the appointment. Hmmm on the third day...Easter...we will say truly...He is Risen. He is Risen indeed.

Michael named the cockroaches he encountered in his hotel room in India...I don't thinkI have enough names for the flies....but I know Who is Lord of them!

Will there be flies in heaven...and other important questions...??

Resting in Jesus,
Annie B.