Stink bugs

Around here stink bugs have become a terrible problem. They have no natural enemies and are not native to this area. So their population is exploding. They are not dangerous and they don't seem to harm too much. So what's the big deal?

The big deal is that they stink! They have this horrid chemical smell that is sometimes really bad and other times almost imperceivable. The other big deal is they are a complete nuisance. They fly right into your face, your hair, your food, your clothing. It startles a person. Which can be hazardous when driving. Yeah.

The other night our living room seemed to be a stink bug retreat center. I was trying to take down curtains to wash them and every single fold had at least one of the nasty little creatures. You can't squish them in case they emit the foul odor. You can grab them, but then what? Flush 'em? That costs in water. Toss 'em out the door? So they can fly right back inside first chance they get? I was bravely brushing them into the screened window sill and shutting the window in hopes that the cold that night would kill them all off. This was working fine until a few of the little buggers (buggers, get it? :0) ) until a few of them figure out they could make a quick dash back into the warmth of the room when I opened it to brush a few of their buddies in with them. The escapees flew right in my face, causing quite a loud and disturbing noise to rush through my teeth. At this point I called for reinforcement.

My hubby came to the rescue like a Knight in shining armor with bag in hand, and carefully one by one throughout the house he captured every stink bug he could catch. In all he had captured over 50 (58 I think was the exact count). While he was capturing them they must have been pitching a huge fit. Because the house smelled terrible long before he finished. Both he and I had hands that smelled like those gross creatures.

He finished and took the bag outside to kill them. As he entered the house he heard me calling. There were already 6 more in the living room! He just shook his head and headed to the sink to wash off the scent, ignoring my pleas for rescue once again.

Now I know you're sitting there saying, "Cheri, I really don't care about your stink bug problems! I have problems of my own. I thought you were suppose to give me a glimpse of God or a glimmer of His glory. Well?"

Ok, so I might be stretching this a bit, but this whole deal did give me a glimpse of Him working in my life. See there are sometimes so many little stinky things that buzz into my face, my thoughts, my life and distract, scare, and draw my attention away from where it should be that it takes a nudge from His Spirit to remind me of what is the priority and what is important. And if I play around too much with those stinky little things I find their scent sticking to me in the lost opportunities, the mixed up priorities, the important things that got lost in the shuffle. Then as I go about my days and throughout the week I smell the reminder of what I held in my hands instead of what I should have.

The really good thing is that the mercy of Jesus Christ extended to us in the forgiveness of sin is for every part of our life. The big stuff is obvious, but sometimes it's easy to forget that we need it for the little things too. We overlook the fact that little stuff to us is still sin and separates us or tries to separate us from that relationship with God that He gave so much to enter. But thanks be to God that nothing can separate us from the love that is in Christ Jesus! Repentance is like washing and washing in His mercy, His goodness, His grace is all that we need to remove the stench of this world and the little stink bugs that perfume our days sometimes. Simply kneeling there before Him and saying, "Savior, Adonai, I blew it again. I'm sorry, forgive my falling and strengthening me in humbleness for the next time, Lord, that I may honor you." Or however you say it. That's it and He picks up that nasty little bug and throws it so far from us that there no sight of it and no smell of the scent as His scent of forgiveness washes over and covers. And just like that it's gone.

So as I wash my hands today to remove the nasty buggy smell (again), I am using this moment as a reminder that my God is gracious and merciful in the big huge things and the little-bitty-don't-seem-to-matter-to-me-much things. He is a good Father who knows what harms lies in all of it and provides for our cleansing, even the little smelly things.