I have discovered something. I am death to can openers. I have yet to find a manual can opener that lasts for longer than the pretty finish on the handles.
As I was mourning my latest mechanical victim (actually it's only a slight injury, if I hold my tongue just right, the thing still works) I expressed my woe to my husband. Karl quickly pretended to be a can opener sitting on the shelf and begging me not to pick it up and put it in my cart, because it didn't want to die. "Please take the other guy. He's cheaper."
I laughed out loud when Karl started shaking as if in terror. If can openers could think/feel/speak, I'm sure they would have thoughts similar to what Karl was portraying.
So, why can't I find a can opener that will last? I promise that I don't throw the things around. While it's true that I've dropped them a few times, it was never intentional. Some may say I should get an electric can opener. For one thing, I really don't have the counter space in my new home. For another thing, I'd be scared that it would electrocute me some day to avoid being destroyed in my kitchen!
I suppose that if going through can openers left and right is my worst problem, I don't have much to worry about, but I still wonder why. Why am I death to can openers?
Right now, it's a bit of a perplexity that may keep me awake at night for the rest of the week. Soon I'll have something else to ponder, I'm sure. But when I think of the grand scheme of things, when I have the chance to ask God any question on my heart, I believe that can openers will suddenly pale in comparison to things such as, why did you love me enough to die in my place?
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Skunk!!!!!
Friday morning we wake up to the smell of skunk in the house. Yuck! Evidently one of these black and white creatures lingered long and left a mark somewhere outside our home. Just great!
Of course my mind is racing to our plans for that evening. Of course the house would smell like skunk when we have company coming over that night for dinner. Perfect timing, right? I was thankful that I knew where my incense burner was and that I could soon fill the house with something that smelled much better. Karl prefers spray air fresheners in general, but sometimes the smells are so long and lingering, you have to use the incense. The skunk smell definitely called for the incense.
I had the incense on the table next to my recliner. This is my favorite spot in the morning as I read my Bible and have that special time with God at the start of my day. As I saw the fragrant smoke going up from the incense stick and how it was covering up the smell of skunk, it made me think of the incense in the sanctuary in Israel.
The skunk smell was so horrible, that I had to mask it just to survive the day, starting with my time of Bible study and prayer. It was much the same with God's people in Israel. Their sins were so offensive, that God wanted them to have a picture of just how offensive it truly was. As the priests ministered before the Lord, interceding for the people, the incense would go up as a sweet aroma, compared to the nasty offensiveness of sin.
As I pondered this, I was grateful for the sweet aroma of Christ's wiling sacrifice for me.
Of course my mind is racing to our plans for that evening. Of course the house would smell like skunk when we have company coming over that night for dinner. Perfect timing, right? I was thankful that I knew where my incense burner was and that I could soon fill the house with something that smelled much better. Karl prefers spray air fresheners in general, but sometimes the smells are so long and lingering, you have to use the incense. The skunk smell definitely called for the incense.
I had the incense on the table next to my recliner. This is my favorite spot in the morning as I read my Bible and have that special time with God at the start of my day. As I saw the fragrant smoke going up from the incense stick and how it was covering up the smell of skunk, it made me think of the incense in the sanctuary in Israel.
The skunk smell was so horrible, that I had to mask it just to survive the day, starting with my time of Bible study and prayer. It was much the same with God's people in Israel. Their sins were so offensive, that God wanted them to have a picture of just how offensive it truly was. As the priests ministered before the Lord, interceding for the people, the incense would go up as a sweet aroma, compared to the nasty offensiveness of sin.
As I pondered this, I was grateful for the sweet aroma of Christ's wiling sacrifice for me.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Blessings
Do you ever wonder how God works? Do you ever wonder if God smiles just before He orchestrates some incredible blessing or maybe a series of little blessings in your life?
For me, relocating to East Texas has had its challenges, that's for sure, but it has also had blessings both great and small. It's taken me a while to recover from being sick during the moving process (mostly due to an all night packing frenzy and not taking care of myself to where I couldn't hold down food for a while) as well as the ordinary adjustments that have to be made when you uproot your family.
There have been moments of frustration, but Karl and I each remember our Source of strength and press on. One little blessing was school supplies. If you've never had to purchase school supplies before, you just don't understand, but it can be a chore. If you're on the more thrifty side, you may be trying to get everything your child needs on the list for the cheapest price you can and maybe just maybe he can have one thing that is really in style. If you are on the more lavish side, it may be a real struggle to make sure everything is fashionable enough. The lists are often demanding in some areas and vague in others, leading to great amounts of confusion and frustration for the parents and students. Then the teachers on the other end have to deal with seven different types of glues and how it affects the art project they had planned. No such troubles at the boys' school. Each child paid a $20 school supplies fee and the teacher bought the supplies! Oh what a blessing! Let the teacher decide which type of glue she wants and what kind of notebooks to get. Hey, she can even get a good deal by getting them in bulk! Sure, it's a little thing, but since we just moved and I was sick to my stomach and even worse, it was a relief to not have to go and get school supplies!
Then there were bigger blessings, such as getting a refund from my former electric company just before the tiny final bill I had to pay (still don't know how I ended up with a credit on my account, but God does) and deposits for current utilities getting lowered or waived. Yes, sometimes I really do wonder if God smiles when He pours out blessings. Wouldn't you just love to see that smile once?
For me, relocating to East Texas has had its challenges, that's for sure, but it has also had blessings both great and small. It's taken me a while to recover from being sick during the moving process (mostly due to an all night packing frenzy and not taking care of myself to where I couldn't hold down food for a while) as well as the ordinary adjustments that have to be made when you uproot your family.
There have been moments of frustration, but Karl and I each remember our Source of strength and press on. One little blessing was school supplies. If you've never had to purchase school supplies before, you just don't understand, but it can be a chore. If you're on the more thrifty side, you may be trying to get everything your child needs on the list for the cheapest price you can and maybe just maybe he can have one thing that is really in style. If you are on the more lavish side, it may be a real struggle to make sure everything is fashionable enough. The lists are often demanding in some areas and vague in others, leading to great amounts of confusion and frustration for the parents and students. Then the teachers on the other end have to deal with seven different types of glues and how it affects the art project they had planned. No such troubles at the boys' school. Each child paid a $20 school supplies fee and the teacher bought the supplies! Oh what a blessing! Let the teacher decide which type of glue she wants and what kind of notebooks to get. Hey, she can even get a good deal by getting them in bulk! Sure, it's a little thing, but since we just moved and I was sick to my stomach and even worse, it was a relief to not have to go and get school supplies!
Then there were bigger blessings, such as getting a refund from my former electric company just before the tiny final bill I had to pay (still don't know how I ended up with a credit on my account, but God does) and deposits for current utilities getting lowered or waived. Yes, sometimes I really do wonder if God smiles when He pours out blessings. Wouldn't you just love to see that smile once?
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