The last couple of months we have been “Safe at Home.” But this last month I have not felt safe at home. Remember all that rain we had at the beginning of all this? It was nice. It kept us California girls at home, inside, where we were supposed to be. With all that rain however, we now have a lot of bugs.
First it was the bees. They decided that our chimney was just the right place for their new home. We had several bees coming to visit us during dinner one evening. We immediately boarded up the fireplace opening.
Next, bird mites showed up and multiplied. Apparently in early Spring, the birds I usually feed had an issue with bird mites and now we do too. For the last month these mites have been in the entire downstairs of our house! They are in the carpet, beds, couches, throws and rugs. I have been in this massive fight to get rid of them. My daily chores include: vacuuming, multiple loads of laundry, cleaning all the floors and surfaces and using a lint brush on the couches. The exterminator has come once, but is coming again this week to spray inside the house. This situation has consumed all my time and energy. I hate being bit by bugs I can’t see, yet can feel them crawling on my legs. Then they bite. When will this be over?
So after dealing with bees and bird mites, I found termite droppings in my office/guest room. We removed everything so he could drill several holes into the wall to treat it. My office is still in my dining room. That room really needs to be treated for the mites too. While dismantling the room for him to work, those little mites really attacked me. I’m getting it sprayed again before I put the bookcase and desk back.
I have been dealing with these situations that have been bugging me. That is why I haven’t sat down to write to you, my readers. With my office dismantled, I don’t have my normal place to write. Currently, I’m sitting at the dining room table, which is scattered with homeschool stuff along with little containers of garden seedlings we’ve started. It’s crowded. I feel so raw.
This has been a physical battle. But as you know, our emotions get all wrapped up in what is trying to take us down physically. I do believe the Bible when it says, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” Satan is looking for someone to mess with. He has killed my peace, stolen my time and destroyed the balance of my home.
During this battle I’ve been emotionally all over the place. At times, I felt determined I could take this on, other times though I felt depressed and couldn’t do anything.
The Bible gives us hope. It says, “Stand firm against him (Satan), and be strong in your faith. So after you have suffered a little while, He (Jesus) will restore, support, and strengthen you, and He will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen.”
Prayer: Jesus, Please help my attitude. Help me not be overwhelmed by the bird mites and the feeling of itches. Give me the courage to fight Satan’s attacks. Let him not discourage my heart and mess with my mind because of this nuisance. Lead us to the solution. I pray against any new cycles of bird mites. I pray the eggs will be found, captured and destroyed. Thank you that we found the termites and were able to deal with them. Thank you the bees are gone now too.
God’s Word to Us: Trials and tribulations are in this life. They try to rob you of joy, all the joy you were hoping to have at this time. But these trials do produce good fruit. They cause you to step back and examine life. They make you turn to Me when all these other things don’t seem to work. The careful balance of living a life with Me yet swatting at the things that keep bugging you. So what is your focus going to be? What’s currently bugging you or keeping your mind on Me? Your choice. It’s always been your choice. I love you.
My Heart’s Cry was for Jesus to help me handle my current situation both physically and emotionally. Yet He challenged me to focus on Him and not on what mite might be bugging me.
Through this I have seen my attitude change from fear and frustration to thankfulness. Sometimes it’s a battle we need to struggle through to help change our focus and attitude.
What’s bugging you? Maybe God is asking the same thing of you right now. Challenges are real and honestly they are pretty big right now. Step back and examine your life. What is your focus going to be? Is it going to be what’s bugging you? Your focus is still your choice. It always has been. Let it be Him.
If this has helped you, please choose to share! Thank you.
Have a blessed week.
Kim
I Peter 5:8-11 NTL
John 10:10