Oh, the Entertainment Value of God’s Creation

Change is in the air and change is in God’s creation. Austin’s Hill Country behind my children’s home is a display of God’s handiwork. Many of the trees are showing off their radiant, colored leaves and the evergreens are just that -- ever green. And there has been changes and additions to our family here. I sure get amused at us. I can only imagine how amused God must get at His creation. He certainly doesn’t need a TV for entertainment. Speaking of entertainment – I headed out to get the car washed and what did my wandering eyes would appear but all eight goats out of their corral. Seems Oreo, the black and white goat, fiesty one, has learned to open the latch of the stable! Fortunately, Bryson is their shepherd, or is it goat-herd and they know his voice and they follow him home.

Since my last visit to Austin, we have two new grand-puppies. Braden & Ruth, my oldest grandson and his wife, adopted a beautiful, white, 8-month-old Lab, Bella Mae (a southern name for a southern girl). "Lucky Lab Rescue" saved Bella Mae from an owner who had cruelly abused her and she was severely malnourished. She was put into a foster home and my kids adopted her. Now she is secure, happy, and the beloved pet of my grands. I love the love they have given her and the love she has given them. My second to the oldest grandson, Barrett aka Bear, at the same time, adopted a precious, 8-week-old Aussie-Doodle, Mayra, in Oklahoma. Yay! We have an Okie puppy at last. We are multi-state animal lovers. The Lab is from Texas, the Aussie Doodle, Oklahoma, the two back in Frisco, Buddy, the Australian Shepherd, is from Washington State, and Emma, the Yorkie, hails from Arkansas. And sweet and beloved, 10-year-old Bentley, the Havanese, is from Iowa and lives here with my youngest grands.

I read this scripture: "He is God of the living, “for to Him all are alive” (Luke 20:38). Oh, I know that scripture pertains to our life evermore, even after we die, but I thought about how God is everywhere in all of His living creation – the God of the living. He cares for all living things: the flowers, the birds, the grass. The Creator created everything for a purpose. He even uses them in describing how we should live. Colossians 1:16 says “….all things have been created through Him and FOR Him!” I just know this family of mine keeps Him entertained.

As cute, loveable, and adoring as my grand-dogs and my grand-farm animals are – it’s really their owners that I love the most – and I never take them for granted – it was them that gave me grandchildren and grandpets. Thanks, kids, for your contribution to my full of love and blessed life!

Why Am I So Attractive?

Catchy title, right? Especially when one looks in the mirror and their hair is having a good day, the make-up blended just right and, that blue top certainly brings out the blue in your eyes. But, that’s not the "attractive" I'm talking about. Attractive to mosquitoes or chiggers. Not sure which one -- neither is the urgent care doc. So many (15 or more) bites and welts and still counting. Lord, have mercy!

While itching these annoying, little pink bumps (some not so little now), I thought “What good purpose could God have had for those pests?” I'm told this has been a crazy season for those critters here in Oklahoma. I found this scripture in Colossians 1:16 "For by Him ALL THINGS were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities -- ALL THINGS were created through Him and for Him.” God indeed created all things for His good purposes, but mosquitoes and chiggers? Are we sure?

I remember Corrie Ten Boom's autobiography, "The Hiding Place" where she described her Christian family's devotion to hide and help many Jews to safety in Holland during World War II. She and her sister, Betsy, were caught and sent to a Nazi death camp. The two sisters looked to God to find joy in their dark surroundings by thanking Him for any blessings they could see around them. They thanked Him for allowing them to be together, for food and beds, for helping them smuggle their Bible into the camp and be able to share the love of Jesus. But, when Betsy thanked God for the lice and fleas that infested the beds in the bunk house, Corrie insisted Betsy was crazy.

Betsy thanked God in everything. Guards were everywhere, but the one place they never set foot was the bunk houses. That freedom seemed strange to Corrie and Betsy until Betsy discovered why. It was because the guards were afraid of getting lice and fleas!” Corrie realized the lice and fleas that infested their beds served a good purpose and were God's gift to them. That gave Corrie and Betsy the freedom to hold Bible studies, sing hymns, and share the love and hope of Jesus with their fellow prisoners without ever being caught.

I’ve prayed for the itching to stop, sought Dr. Google’s advice, I took a Benadryl and my friend’s advice to lather on Campho-Phenique. I had to even go to Urgent Care for help. I’m still resisting the need to scratch and trying to come up with a good purpose for those annoying bugs. I still find it difficult to thank God for them OR for lice or fleas. But, I love the reminder Corrie’s story brings – to be finding the good purpose and the gift of of everything. I do know that God, Who sees all and Who has infinite wisdom, has a purpose and reason.

As I write this today, my question of “Why mosquitoes and chiggers?” seems trivial in comparison to my hard questions of “Why is my friend still suffering from cancer? Why are my friends embroiled in an awful court case? Why was that man born without arms and legs? And the list goes on. God’s answer to the trivial question of “Why mosquitoes and chiggers?” and to the much more heavy question of “Why this pain and suffering?” is the same answer. His answer to me would be something like this, “Beloved, Donna, don’t you know that I am not surprised by those biters. I see all things and know all things. I have good things in mind for you."

So, I can trust that my all-knowing Heavenly Father does know best. He demonstrated His great act of love for us in that “while we were still sinners (not even friends of God, but unworthy, and rebellious), Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8) and rose again, promising us a beautiful future with Him.

If His love for us is indeed this great, how can we question His good purposes in all things? How wonderful that I have the freedom to ask the question “why” but at the same time trust He has the perfect answer--an answer that I too, if able to see the whole picture, would deem perfect and necessary -- even those despicable mosquitoes and chiggers. Hey! I have my own answer....those mosquitoes and chiggers were part of God's plan so that I could encourage you today with this scripture:
~“And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God and who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28).