Sunday, December 28, 2014

Stowaway

At year’s end we are subject to endless lists of the year in review: top songs, most influential people, and significant events.  It is a time for contemplation, a time to become intentional about the year ahead.  Like many, my year contained both delightful and painful moments.  But as I reflect upon 2014, one amusing incident keeps coming to mind. It made my top ten list.  

Blogging is tricky if you want to keep your friends.  It becomes perilous when you write about an incident that happened to someone else.  It changes to dangerous if you found the event humorous but your friends didn't. Perhaps they will find it more amusing the second time around.   I don’t really believe that but it’s not going to stop me from trying. 

It started with a chipmunk in a Washington State Park.  More accurately, a chipmunk and its hundred closest relatives.  Some years ago, on a camping trip, these creatures captivated my friends.  They have daughters who love critters.  Feathered, furry or fleecy, the girls will admire whatever you put in front of them.  Which is why a chipmunk feeding frenzy became part of their annual pilgrimage.  This year was no exception. By all accounts, it was a delightful afternoon.  Peanuts were provided thanks to Dad, and when they were finished, the girls were happy and the chipmunks had raised their BMI by about 15%. 

The camping trip was a success and they arrived home happy and exhausted.  Over the next few days, laundry was done, the coolers put away, and the trip was about to go down in family history until their Dad noticed something strange about the back seat of his car.  The back seat in the car had been chewed.  Chewed significantly by something that was not his friend. 

And this dear reader, is where the love affair with the genus Tamias ended. 

I could give you a blow by blow account of the following week.  It was a week of discovery, wherein my friend learned how expensive it is to harbor a peanut addicted stowaway chipmunk. A week where frustration reigned, and maniacal chipmunk laughter rang through suburbia. A week when a fat chipmunk from east of the mountains was last seen exiting a Honda at a small local business that rhymes with rowing. 

But I’m not going to do that.

It would be unkind.

You would be surprised if I told you how many times I thought of that chipmunk this year.  I thought of it every time I talked to a young heart about the foolishness of allowing certain sins into their lives.  Inevitably, what started out as a “harmless” event, took root and grew into a problem that was damaging to themselves and others.  Too many times, we make friends with our weaknesses instead of standing against them.  We feed a habit and end up with an unwanted practice that we must pay for.  It can cost far more than we ever expected.

And so dear friend, as the year draws to a close and the New Year’s resolution game begins, why not give some thought to what you would like to leave behind this year.  Find a friend and have a heart to heart.  Ask them to pray with you, to pray for you.   

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Matt 5:16

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. Heb 12:1

Don’t step into the New Year without praying friend.  We live in difficult times and need the strength of God.  God has a plan for you.  Come to Him, seek His face and bring him anything that would try stowaway into your New Year.  He will provide.  He is faithful.

Praying for you this week,

xoxKaren 

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