I am sure that I am not the only one to look for something that should be right THERE! But it is not! It seems to happen fairly often at our house. Personally, I don't think that I have a big problem with "looking and not finding." My husband on the other hand--he takes the prize between us for wanting something that is nowhere to be found and it should be right HERE--because that is where he left it! At that point, it is easy to start blaming someone else on your own forgetfulness! Be honest! I've done it. My husband has done it. Those you associate with probably have done it to you. The blame game is so easy to play. We have a good excuse, we think. We blame it on Adam! He started the blame game didn't he? But really, I don't think Adam had any influence over the hidden screwdriver or the cheese slicer that is missing. Just perhaps, the last user of the screw driver or slicer didn't put it back in its proper place and the proper place is where you go to look for it of course! Surely someone else put it somewhere, and hid it from you. And, now you have taken part in the blame game and are no better than Adam. The good news is that God forgave Adam! Yes, he had a punishment to help him understand the importance of obedience and accepting responsibility for his own actions. I am so thankful for an understanding God. Like Adam and Eve, I need that reminder that obedience is important and to accept responsibility for what I did.
We have again counted our blessings this week. We have had various kind deeds done for us. One good deed was a gift of cucumbers. Cucumbers are one of my husbands favorite foods and we were happy to receive. Yes, cucumbers were planted in our own garden but were slow at growing. We appreciated the gift! We made cucumber salad, we pickled them, we ate them raw.....Yummmm! Our own cucumbers were checked frequently--no cucumbers were appearing! We ate all of the first cucumber gift and were offered the next dishpan of cucumbers. Of course I said yes! We still weren't harvesting our own! But then the gift was delayed in coming! Our own cucumber plants were growing, growing out of bounds of the area they were to stay in. So the garden tamer went to work to control the out of bound vines and set to work pruning and controlling. Snip, toss, snip, toss, snip, toss--he worked his way down the row. AND!!!! guess what was hidden in the tangle of vines. Cucumbers! Just when he assumed we didn't have any, suddenly he found many that had been hiding from his sight! He picked them just before our second cucumber gift arrived! Now--too many cucumbers! God has hidden surprises for us that pop up when we least expect it. I am glad He is a God of happy surprises for me. Some days just need happy surprises.
We spent many hours this week "putting up corn." There were times when we decided that perhaps we didn't need as much as we planted. At any rate, we ate a lot of corn on the cob this week. The rest we cut off the cob to put in the freezer. We were happy to find that there were just a few ears with bugs trying to enjoy our corn before we could. One little earworm wanted to reach the fresh kernels and chew away but he was found out! He thought he could do what earworms do naturally and remain undetected in the layers of husk. Isn't that just like Satan, he wants to remain hidden from us and go about his destructive business--eating away at our character until we become spoiled and almost not fit for harvest. Then Jesus the Harvester peels away our husks hiding our sins and finds us in our sorry state! But here the story changes. He doesn't dispose of us like we did with the earworm. Nope, we don't get squished, smashed, trashed, buried... Instead, we get rescued and given a new chance at life.
Just today we saw people hired to protect us out doing what they are paid to do--protecting us. Some were on the way to rescue someone who was in a bad accident--perhaps to save a life. Others were busy looking for a man who had escaped, had stolen a car, perhaps would steal another and maybe harm innocent people. He was attempting to elude and hide. Trying to remain free and hidden when you have done something wrong is kind of hard to do when many are looking for you. He tried to remain hidden but it was useless when our police have drone eyes in the sky and radios that communicate with each other! Just as Adam and Eve couldn't hide from God, neither can we. God doesn't need drones and radios! He doesn't need helpers in uniform. He knows where I am. He sees my every move and action. But even more important, He hears my plea and call for help and forgiveness. I am so glad God is a God who is in control. He can find me and rescue me out of my trouble even when I want to hide from Him.
