Free to start again

Sleep is elusive, this night before we leave. This isn’t how I planned to start our trip. I have seen 2:00 in green digital numbers just about every night for the last week. Couple that with sinus pressure and that telling tickle in the back of my throat and I am not feeling rested and strong and ready to board a plane for the beginning of a 20+ hour journey to Africa.

As I was lying in bed, working really hard at trying to go to sleep, my mind was composing lists of all I need to do tomorrow before we head to the airport in the evening. Things that should be done by now but were not because I’ve been preoccupied with protecting my plants from ruthless bunnies.

Never could I have guessed that the weekend before we fly to meet our boys bunnies would take #1 place in my thoughts! Grrr.

We have, er, had, three little furry friends living under our deck. Now there are two. Their attack on the climatis climbing the fence at the corner of our house did me in. Made it all personal for me.  Made me realize that perhaps these plants are all too important to me? Well, I didn’t get there that quickly. Did plenty of ranting and raving and refusing to admit that I had become obsessed with getting bunnies. Did plenty of damage to the one I’ll be traveling with tomorrow. Not how I planned to start our trip.

As I was lying in bed, I was convicted. Damaged plants aren’t worth damaging relationships. I recalled a little saying, a litmus test, for identifying idols in my heart. If I am willing to sin to get something, it is probably an idol. I was darn willing to sin to protect my plants!

A friend just yesterday sent the link to a blog article entitled “In the beginning, man created gods…” Good read. Good reminder.

Michael Card has a song called In the Beginning that we’ve being listening to in the car. 

                  The beginning will make all things new

New life belongs to Him

He hands us each new moment saying

My child, begin again

My child, begin again

 You’re free to start again.

Just last week as we were driving and this song was playing, Josiah piped up from the back seat, “Mom, that’s really good news that we're free to start again.”

It is really good news. It’s life-giving news.

I would have never chosen to begin our trip this way, but our God is full of grace and I know His strength is made perfect in our weakness. So, we start again.