OF RATS AND ROACHES

I’ve decided that I really dislike rodents and creepy insects, especially when they invade my nice, clean and tidy living space.  I’m sure most of you would agree with me, but may I share with you some new perspectives I’ve gained regarding such things?

A couple of weeks ago my kitty Daisy and I started out on our morning walk through the garden.  We were still on the back deck when I heard a “plop” on the grass where we were headed and noticed leaves drifting down from the podocarpus tree just above it.

“Oh dear.” I smiled to myself and then said to Daisy, “Was that the little squirrel?” thinking he’d fallen out of the tree, where he hides his nut stash.

As we rounded the big blue planter both of us peered out on the grass.  Nope…no squirrel.  It was a RAT!  A little tree rat, yet still a RAT!   His tail was moving, so we knew he was still alive, but he couldn’t quite get himself moving to high tail it outta there. Well, he wasn’t gonna get any help from ME and Daisy just wanted to gobble him up, so we back-tracked and started our garden walk from the other direction.

And wouldn’t you know it! Any one of those bothersome neighborhood cats that hang out in our garden would have been a welcome sight right about then, but there wasn’t one to be found!  Oh well…I was certain they’d find him soon enough.

When our walk was finished, we went to check on that little varmint…but he was gone.  I guess he was able to high tail in outta there, after all.  Ewww!

~

About a week before that (soon after returning from our trip to Maui) I found Daisy staring at the top of my kitchen cupboards.  She was sitting on the island countertop, very closely watching something that was very interesting to her little kitty eyes.  So I looked up, trying to see what had captured her attention, figuring it was a crane fly or other flying bug that she loves to chase.

Nothing on the cabinet doors…nothing on the right side…but OH. MY. GOSH…there peering over the edge of the crown molding was a HUGE cockroach!  (Did I mention he was HUGE?)  He was looking down at Daisy (probably wondering if she was edible, cuz he was HUGE) with his antennae wiggling back and forth, back and forth, back and forth.  Keith wasn’t home so I knew I was going to have to be the one to smash this guy to smithereens.

Leaving Daisy to keep an eye on him (remember he was HUGE) I ran to get something long handled with which to whack him, wondering where in the world he would have come from! (Maybe a hitchhiker from Maui?)  Finding a yardstick, I then quickly found my trusty step stool and prepared to crush this creepy guy before he could jump down or run away.  I climbed up and raised the yardstick way above my head, all ready to hit him so fast and hard he wouldn’t see it coming or know what hit him.  But as soon as his big ol’ antennae sensed a change in the atmosphere he turned around, quick as a flash and was GONE!

OH. MY. GOSH! Now I had a HUGE cockroach somewhere behind my cupboards!  Frantically I searched for (and found) bug spray and doused the daylights out of every crack and crevice ’til I was certain this larger than life cockroach was history!

But it wasn’t until a few days later, after Keith had sprayed all over the house, that I spotted him on the floor, feet up, flat on his back. Filled with relief, I started to pick him up with a paper towel, when he turned over and started running away! OH. MY. GOSH! I had absolutely no choice but to smash him, right then and there! (Remember he was HUGE?)

Finally this R.O.U.S. (Roach Of Unusual Size) was definitely DEAD!

Yes, I have definitely decided that I really dislike rodents and creepy insects that have invaded my nice, clean and tidy living space.  And I will do all that is necessary to be sure they do not do that!

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So, a few days after these two incidents had taken place I had to go to my local pharmacy to pick up some medications.  Now, this pharmacy has changed over the past year, getting a little…“scummy” (is how I described it to Keith).  It’s been overrun with beggars & shopping cart people, although it hasn’t always been this way.  These people aren’t homeless, but live at an assisted living home around the corner.  And lately I’ve noticed that they’re becoming a bit bolder: when a car drives in and parks, they walk right over and stand at the car door, waiting for the driver to get out.  The minute the door opens they ask for spare change.

That bugs me.

It feels like they’re invading my space, just like the rats and roaches! How do I know how safe this person is? Why do they want my money and what will they do if I don’t have any to give them? It’s made me want to move our meds to a different pharmacy OR maybe ask the pharmacy to have them beg some other place.

And then I studied chapters 5 & 10 in book of Isaiah in the Bible.  God was angry with His people.  He was angry because they had turned away from Him to worship false gods and gratify whatever desires they had, in any way they wanted.  It grieved my heart so deeply that His chosen people would do such a thing to the One who loved them, chose them, cared and provided for them!  I’m so grateful the Lord has redeemed me from a life like that!  I never want to hurt Him in any way…

But…He was also angry that they were unjust, greedy and they didn’t care for the poor and needy in their midst.

In short, God’s people were looking at the poor and needy, the rif raf of society, as “scummy” (gulp), maybe even rats and roaches (ouch).  They didn’t like them invading their space (groan), so they built house to house and joined field to field so they wouldn’t have to be near them.

But God doesn’t see the poor and needy as rif raf…scummy…rats and roaches.  God loves them just as much as He loves me…knows each of them by name…knows they are somebody’s baby girl or boy, now grown and in need of a special touch from God, Himself.

I know that…so where in the world had my thoughts come from? (Not Maui!)  I realized I needed to pray and ask the Lord about all of this…and here’s what He showed me…

I’ve helped the poor and needy: Keith & I serve the single parents at our church; I’ve led worship for kids in foster care; I open my home to friends who need a place to live…I do what I can, but maybe I can do more…maybe I need a new perspective and try to see the beggars and shopping cart people through God’s eyes.

Maybe I can have a plan when I go to the pharmacy (or anywhere else)…a plan to bless them, not to ignore or get bugged by them.  Maybe I can love them…not on my terms but God’s…

Otherwise, why am I any better than the Israelites in Isaiah’s time?

So, that’s what I’m doing.  Now I look forward to pharmacy runs or to wherever the Lord leads me to encounter one of His loved ones in need.  I’m choosing to consider them “Divine Appointments” provided by God as opportunities to share His love.

I don’t always have spare change and may not be in a position to purchase a meal for them, so I’ve put together a little “blessing bag”.  It contains a few healthy snacks, a pair of new socks, a little first aid kit, toiletries, tissues, sugarless gum…and a note that says: “I’m praying you’ll feel God’s love today.”

~

I love how the Lord gently but FIRMLY holds His mirror to our faces so we can see how much (or how little) we look like Him.  I love how He gently encourages us to change and grow into people who live out the love He places in our hearts…

I still really dislike rodents and creepy insects.  And I will do all that is necessary to be sure they do NOT invade my nice, clean and tidy living space…unless the Lord has another Garden Lesson in store for me.

Lord, some of these creatures you’ve created are pretty creepy.  But I’m grateful that You use whatever it takes to get our attention so we can change every attitude that needs changing.  Thank you for your forgiveness and grace, given through the blood of our Lord Jesus.  Amen