Jeremy-ism

"Hey, Mema! My pants have short-sleeves!"

Demons in the Backseat

From a Christian comic on TV (paraphrased):

I believe all children become demon possessed on Sunday morning. The normally compliant child runs like a banshee through the house, half dressed (although you dressed him only 2 minutes ago) slinging food on the animals and blaming his siblings for everything. The others follow suit so as to not be punished for something they didn't do. The correction from Mom and Dad start at a reasonable level only to escalate to yelling in a matter of moments.

"Tommy, where are your clothes?" "Tommy, please stop running." "Tommy you are grounded for the rest of your life!"

Once in the car, I sigh a futile sigh of relief and back out of the driveway. Then the demons put things into high gear. "He looked at me!" "He's touching me!" "He's breathing my air!" Well close your eyes, lean away, and stop breathing, I suggest. (Doesn't work, of course.) And soon I am yelling at the top of my lungs, swinging my arms toward the children in the back seat in an ineffective attempt to exorcise the demons before we reach the church parking lot.

I am swinging and yelling "Don't make me stop this car!" when I notice elderly Brother Smith passing me. (Please, God, don't let him see us like this!) God answers by letting Brother Smith smile and wave.

All through church service I anticipate the reprimand from Brother Smith and at the "Amen" he shuffles through the wave of people right up to me. "I noticed you were having problems on the way here...", he said pointing his righteous finger at my nose. "And I have a little advice for you." (Ok, here it comes...) "Next time you feel like taking a swing while you are driving, just hit your brakes real hard and you will be able to reach those little demons!"

A Kodak Moment

There used to be a commercial by Kodak that ended in the catch phrase "This is a Kodak moment." It showed a photo taken by a persons' camera and given to someone to remember that moment forever. We all have those Kodak moments stuffed away in our memories....the first kiss...walking down the aisle...our first, second, etc. child...the first step, tooth, trip to the doctor, date...walking down the aisle...

But sometimes the Kodak moment is one that is a complete and utter shock...unexpected and painful. The kind that leaves just standing as Ephesians 6:13 says "when that (Kodak) day comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." But it doesn't tell you the rest of the story. That you may be left standing with your belt of truth so tight it cuts you through the middle. That you may be left standing with your heart pounding so hard that you know it will burst inside your breastplate of righteousness. That your ready feet hurt and are so tired and swollen that standing peacefully is really the last thing you want to do. Your shield of faith is so heavy with the arrows of satan that you can barely hold it up. Your head is pounding in the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit lies, tip down, in the mud created by your own tears. The only prayer found to be uttered is the one that keeps your fingers around the sword....

"...since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.

And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."

And by the power of that Love I will stand.