Nature

Bitten By a Black Widow Spider

/ Bill Jones / 6 Comments
Female black widow spider guarding an egg case...

Image via Wikipedia

My wife, Sharon, is the only person I know who has been bitten by a black widow spider. One day she took her sweater from the coat rack, put it on and felt a sharp sting on her arm. She smashed her hand on the stinging spot, shook her sleeve and the flattened spider fell out. The telltale red hourglass-shaped marking on its shiny black body confirmed what it was. Sharon sealed her attacker in a plastic bag and took it with her as she drove to the hospital.

Everyone at the emergency room was excited because no one had ever seen, much less treated, anyone with a black widow bite. It seemed to Sharon the entire hospital staff stopped by to inspect the spider and the bite marks on her arm.

I was excited too when summoned from an out of town meeting to take a phone call. Sharon told the story and assured me the doctor said everything was okay. The anti-venom was on its way from Atlanta and would be at the hospital in a few hours. Most importantly, she had no extreme symptoms. I trusted her assurances, but it was still a long trip home to see for myself.

The doctor administered the anti-venom when it arrived that evening. Sharon spent the night in the hospital for observation and was released the next morning. Thankfully, the worst effects of the bite were the five days of mental fog she endured from the prescribed mega-doses of antihistamines.

“How did a black widow spider get in her sweater?” I claim the dubious honor as the agent of that. It was winter and we were using the fireplace, so at times I brought in pieces of wood and stacked them on the floor next to the wall. If you picture the wood on the floor next to the wall and move your gaze up, you come to…the coat rack. Apparently, the spider hitchhiked inside on a piece of wood, crawled up the wall looking for a dark hiding place and chose Sharon’s sweater sleeve.

Spiders don’t hide in our sweaters or coats anymore, because, after that episode I don’t bring wood inside the house like that.  I learned the lesson that even things that can be good (wood for warmth) can bring things in that you don’t want in your house (poisonous spiders).

We as Christians need to diligently apply that lesson to many things – the television, books and magazines, music and the radio, and especially the internet.  We are called to be holy because our God is holy, and in order to do that we must be careful of those unholy things waiting to bite us when we least expect it.

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”  Pro 4:23, ESV

How To Avoid Armadillo Thinking

/ Bill Jones / 6 Comments
armadillo

armadillo (Photo credit: linsuehoo)

As I walked down from the deck on the back of our house, I noticed a hole under the bottom step. Since we regularly have them as unwanted visitors, and their habits are now familiar, it was clear an armadillo was the culprit. It had spent some time digging to get behind the steps. I don’t know if the critter hoped to find a good hiding place or thought there might be a better food supply available.

I chuckled when I thought about it, because the steps are open on each side. If he had walked two feet over either way, he could have simply gone around and ended up in the same location with a lot less trouble. I wondered if he worked and worked, made it through, and felt a surge of triumph (maybe a fist pump and a YESSSSSS! or a little dance with his front paws in the air like “Rocky” at the top of the steps). Then, he looked around, saw the open sides and slapped his forehead: “Duh! I coulda’ just gone around!” Most likely, that didn’t happen. Most likely, he didn’t learn a thing.

I can fall into the same mode of thinking as that armadillo. A task needs doing and sometimes I take off in the first direction I think of. Often, a little pondering (as I like to say) and looking around would provide an easier solution.

A second problem with the “first thought” approach is that once I get started, it’s hard to stop or change direction. (“I’m gonna do it my way if it kills me!”) That could just be a “man” thing, but I think I’ve seen women operate that way too – so it could be a “human” thing.

So, as we face our next problem, what should we do to avoid “armadillo thinking”?

  1. Take a little time to ponder. Take a little time to pray. Pondering and praying go well together.
  2. Get some guidance – others who have faced the same problem can provide encouragement and sensible advice, and God’s Word is always our best resource.
  3. Choose the direction or method to pursue – inaction rarely solves a problem (although that’s sometimes my first response, it never works). So, with prayer and guidance, we need to choose a course of action and go.
  4. Continue observing progress and be ready to stop or change direction if prudent – as we follow our plan, we can find new information or encounter obstacles. If we need to make changes in our plan, that’s the time to do it.

In closing, we can add one more: If, after awhile, we end up slapping our forehead and saying:”Duh! I coulda just gone around!” – we can chuckle a bit at our oversight, learn from it, and take it with us as we continue to the next step we need to take (or go under or around).

 Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Proverbs 4:26 ESV

Warm Up With God to Start the Day

/ Bill Jones / 8 Comments

Birds Greeting the Sunrise

The picture above shows birds sitting together in the river birch tree in our backyard. This is an everyday sight during winter, as they wait patiently for the sun to come up over the tall pines on the horizon. When the sunshine hits them, they sit still and puff themselves up to expose as much of their body to the warmth as possible. It looks like they want to absorb all they can to warm up after the cold night, and get ready for the day.

Some of the birds stay longer than others, but one by one, they apparently decide they’re ready, and fly down to the feeders or make the flight to the woods to start their day.

It makes me think of our need to warm up and get ready for the day. I’m not referring to temperature, though. I’m writing of our need to start the day by getting close to our Lord and letting Him warm us.

Like the birds, some of us may be able to spend more time doing that than others. I know some who get up early to make sure they have the time before things get busy. Or perhaps some have other activities that they are able to combine with time with God (something that doesn’t interfere with the communication). I’ve heard of others who get through the early morning rush and then grab a cup of coffee and  sit down for Bible Study and prayer.

There are many different ways we can get close to God and prepare for the day. I encourage us all to choose whatever time and method works best for us, and follow the birds example and take a few minutes to bask in His warmth.

Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul. Psalms 143:8 NIV

Do you have a way you get close to God to start the day?

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