Ever Have a Sidewinder Kind of Day?

Day 226 of Photo Inspirations -- Ever Have a Sidewinder Kind of Day?
You're trying to go forward, but there's so many distractions, so many roadblocks, so many hurdles to cross that you feel like you're going sideways just to be able to squeeze through these times?

Yesterday morning, my "Walking With Purpose" pals and I were talking about our weekend and Nancy mentioned that she and her dad, while walking through the neighborhood, came across what looked like a worm but it was maneuvering sideways instead of slithering forward.  Right away, her dad thought that it might be a baby Sidewinder rattlesnake, which would be rare in Oklahoma since they are typically found in deserts.  He stepped on it and put it out of its misery AND ours.  I hope he was mistaken about what it was, because, if not, that Sidewinder's mom or pop could still be hanging out around here.  The name, Sidewinder, alludes to its ability to gain traction and move swiftly on sand -- sideways.  And, by the way, the Sidewinder rattlesnake is venomous.

God is awesome at giving us object lessons on our walks.  Nancy told us a little story of a girl who saw a snake.  The snake asked politely, "Would you please save my life and put me in your backpack?"   She was so concerned for the poor snake that indeed she did put him in her backpack.  Soon the snake bit her.  She asked "Why did you do that to me since I saved your life?"  His reply:  "I'm a snake, and that's just what I do."

The moral to the "snake" stories today is the awareness that the enemy will do everything he can to deceive us and take us off course -- keeping us from the best that God has for us.  He did that to Adam and Eve.  They listened to the serpent and did what he told them to do.  And, as a result, the gorgeous, place of serenity, peace, and comfort was stolen from them.  They let him deceive them.

Perhaps you're having to maneuver through some tough situations today. You've lost your serenity, peace and joy like Adam and Eve did.  Maybe you listened to the voice of the Sidewinder who led you into those uncomfortable places.  Go ahead and stomp on his head and let him know you're no longer listening to his lies. NOW -- listen to the voice of your Good Shepherd that will safely lead you to green pastures.

John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

What Does Your Sin Box Look Like?

Day 28 of Photo Inspirations --
Yesterday, I was so inspired at church as I watched the 2nd Grade children, who will soon be receiving their First Communion, bring their "sin boxes" down the aisle and place them at the altar.  They had written their mistakes (i.e., disobedience, fibbing, misbehavior, selfishness, etc.), on pieces of paper, and put them in their boxes.  Those kids left their sins at the altar, and they know they will be forgiven.  What a beautiful way to know that though they made some mistakes (sinned), they're able to start over again with a clean slate. One of the Moms told me that those notes inside the boxes will be destroyed.  And, isn't that what God does when we apologize and come to Him for forgiveness?  He forgives and forgets and washes us white as snow.  Yes, those small shoe boxes, are quite sufficient to hold those less-than-lofty sins of those children.  I thought, "If we adults put our sins in a box -- it would take a train's BOX-car to hold them all!"  LOL!

I love how these children are being taught.  It's no surprise that we all came into the world with an insatiable ability to "sin".  Even before we were born, we were already programmed for sin and selfishness. Bottom line, our kids got their bent for sin from us, we got it from our parents, our parents got it from their parents and so on -- all the way back to Adam and Eve.  Their disobedience paid it forward to us.

So, like the parents of these precious children this morning, our top priority as a parent and grandparent, is to be an evangelist in our homes. It's up to us to teach our children God's love and laws, show them their need for a Savior, and point them to Jesus Christ as the only One who can give them a clean new slate.  We can teach them by our example of our commitment to do what's right!  Then, we can rest assured, that with God's help, and our model, our kids will know they can always apologize for doing wrong, ask for forgiveness, and the ONE who loves us most, is always there to say "Neither do I condemn you, now go and sin no more!"