Thank You God, for Fleas

How are you? Well, I forgot to finish this, and then I got a phone call from, and after that I accidentally, and now I have to…


How easy is it to talk about our complaints?

I have this amazing skill of becoming stressed when life doesn’t go my way.

My way… hah.

Desiring life to follow my plan has always been something I’ve struggled with. I want it to go according to plan and when it doesn’t I become discouraged and defeated. The minor setbacks that I encountered would throw me into a whirlwind of confusion. 

You know Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples? He’s always been one I can easily relate to, especially when he tries to walk on water. He starts out with this plan of, I will focus on you Lord and I can do it, but the storm distracts him and he begins to drown. (Matthew 14:22-33)

It’s easy to lose focus. It’s easy to pay attention to the setbacks and failures that happen. It’s easy to complain about fleas.

Fleas? What? I’ll explain…

First, what is a flea?
A flea by definition is “a small wingless jumping insect that feeds on the blood of mammals and birds. It sometimes transmits diseases through its bite.”

Sounds like a grand animal to have around, right? It can give you a disease and it feeds on your blood, a real kill-joy if you ask me. Why would I be thankful for a flea?

A friend recently reminded me of this part in Corrie ten Boom’s book “The Hiding Place,”

“When they were moved to Barracks 28, Corrie was horrified by the fact that their reeking, straw-bed platforms swarmed with fleas. How could they live in such a place?

 It was Betsie who discovered God's answer:

"'"Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus." That's it, Corrie! That's His answer. "Give thanks in all circumstances!" That's what we can do. We can start right now to thank God for every single thing about this new barracks!' 

"I stared at her; then around me at the dark, foul-aired room…"

They thanked God for the fact they were together. They thanked God they had a Bible. They even thanked God for the horrible crowds of prisoners, that more people would be able to hear God's Word. And then, Betsie thanked God for the fleas.

"The fleas! This was too much. 'Betsie, there's no way even God can make me grateful for a flea.' 

"'"Give thanks in all circumstances,"' she quoted. 'It doesn't say, "in pleasant circumstances."  Fleas are part of this place where God has put us.' 

"And so we stood between tiers of bunks and gave thanks for fleas. But this time I was sure Betsie was wrong."

It turned out that Betsie was not wrong; the fleas were a nuisance, but a blessing after all. The women were able to have Bible studies in the barracks with a great deal of freedom, never bothered by supervisors coming in and harassing them. They finally discovered that it was the fleas that kept those supervisors out. 

Through those fleas, God protected the women from abuse and harassment.”

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

So how would I define a flea? A flea is anything that can kill the joy that I have in Christ, anything that makes me focus on the storm instead of on Him. However, if I allow myself to realize there is a purpose behind the flea I begin to see fleas as a reason to trust God's plan, to thankfully look to Him for strength and understanding. 

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.'" Jeremiah 29:11

Fleas, setbacks, storms, tears, laughter, all of it, and any of it I am thankful for. I may not understand why I have fleas, but the Lord has a plan, so thank you, thank you Lord for the fleas.

The Seasonal Friend

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” –Dr. Seuss

Those mountains, they seemed so high, but you grabbed my hand and pulled me up to look at the view.

We raced through obstacles like kids on the playground.

When the rain came trickling down you made sure I splashed through the puddles.

The dark streets would light up with your laughter.
As the waves came crashing onto the shore you helped me chase them away.

I threw my head down in despair and teasingly you threw yours down in a mocking manner.

We talked.  We walked.  We laughed. We existed. 

But one day the sun came up, scorching, and it sent you on your way. 

At first glance the sun was painful to me—it blistered. I didn’t want our season to end, you became my comrade, I didn’t think you were supposed to leave.  But when the pain subsided the appreciation came. 

“I know that whatever God does,
It shall be forever.
Nothing can be added to it,
And nothing taken from it.”  Ecclesiastes 3:14

The walks and talks were for a time and in that time I grew; or rather we grew together.   

Without you that mountain would have not been so easily climbed nor that race so quickly run.  You helped me laugh through every obstacle and jump in every puddle.   You didn’t leave; our paths merely went different directions.  I was blessed to have you be that someone to walk beside me.

 The blisters from the sun are almost gone, they remind me to be grateful for our season, and for each season I’m given.  Every time I remember you I wish you the best, and I know that when the rain comes you’ll jump in and when the waves crash on the shore you’ll run after them.   

To the seasonal friend, I thank you, because you showed me how to appreciate even the smallest of memories, for it seems those are the ones that become the fondest.

“To everything there is a season, 
A time for every purpose under heaven:

A time to be born, And a time to die;


A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted;

A time to kill, And a time to heal;


A time to break down, 
And a time to build up;

A time to weep, 
And a time to laugh;


A time to mourn,
 And a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones;


A time to embrace, 
And a time to refrain from embracing

A time to gain, 
And a time to lose;


A time to keep, And a time to throw away;

A time to tear, And a time to sew;


A time to keep silence, And a time to speak;

A time to love,
 And a time to hate;


A time of war,
 And a time of peace."    

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

In Comparison to What?

“I feel like the biggest loser!” 

“Why is she so amazing?”
“It makes sense why they all adore her.”

Girls, girls, girls…we really have a knack for comparison, don’t we?

We see others and we think “if only I had her….”

It’s a constant struggle between knowing we were wonderfully made and yet feeling as if God forgot to give us something.

Really now, when God created you do you honestly think He was saying,  “I’m going to make her less interesting than the rest I created.”    

Think about it.

If you continuously compare yourself to the imperfect human you will never be full.  

Why?

There is only One who satisfies the human heart, there is only One who we can truly compare ourselves to…

Christ.

And to be quite honest with you when you start comparing yourself to Him and letting Him be your Guide you will feel more and more inadequate, but more and more loved.

Make sense?  No? ….yeah, I know, it doesn’t.  Why would we compare ourselves to Christ if He too makes us feel inadequate?  Because:  “I am more sinful than I ever imagined, but more loved than I ever dared to believe.”

His love, His crazy love, is like a vast ocean so deep and wide it covers you like a warm blanket, it fills you, and it cures you.
Only His amazing love can take away all our selfish thoughts.   And it is only when we fully abandon ourselves to Him and see our sinful nature that we are able to completely partake of His grace.

So I give you this challenge:

When you feel yourself looking to another in comparison and thinking,
“Well I wouldn’t have…”

“Well I have never..”

“If only I had…”

“She’s just more….”

Roll those thoughts out, take a cookie cutter to them and cut out a cross.

Then compare yourself.

Girls, He loved you so much, not only did He create you, but He sent His only Son to suffer trials, persecution and eventually die for you….

FOR YOU.

We all have our faults, we are all imperfect, but He made you just the way you are to glorify His name, to fulfill a purpose that only you are able to do.