Thumper says . . .

Oh my gosh, life can get so darn messy at times. (And before you go there, ours is peachy.) Sometimes the mess is due to something we've done ourselves to cause it, but other times it's a direct result caused by the actions of others. It's the latter of the two that can be an even tougher pill to swallow. And if you're like me it's also when I find it harder to take Thumper's advice of  (clearing throat) . . .

'If you can't say something nice... don't say nothing at all.'

This week has found me extremely heavyhearted for others, deep in thought and yes, quiet. At first it bothered me that some might mistake my silence as ignorance or acceptance, which are both SO far from the truth. But as a result of keeping a lid on it I've had a lot of time to think. And I have been reminded that Satan shows himself in more shapes and/or ways than we can imagine. So many more than the devil-horned, red caped wearing version we might have been terrorized by as a child (and/or adult). But most of us already know this.

Unfortunately that doesn't stop us though, with our vast amount of human frailties, of allowing ourselves to become so complacent that we let him get his hooks in us or a situation and take it over. In fact we often realize too late that we perhaps even opened the door and invited him in. Sometimes he dwells like a quiet little mouse and others he just goes directly for the jugular. But either way is destructive to say the very least. And I for one find it extremely heart-wrenching and hard to stand by and watch as he destroys marriages, families and lives around us. Particularly the innocent ones who are mere pawns in the whole situation. So as I've struggled to be quiet (and those who know me know how hard it's been) I've been reminded in that silence that God sees all, knows all and we humans make plans, but the Lord has the final word. (Proverbs 16:1 CEV) 

My prayer for those who find themselves there is that they remember God's desire for them.

And that the Bible reminds us ~ 

He renews our hopes and heals our bodies.
He decided how many stars there would be

in the sky and gave each one a name.

Our Lord is great and powerful!

He understands everything.

The Lord helps the poor,

but he smears the wicked in the dirt.
(Psalm 147:3-6 CEV)

I AM

Later,
Shelia