Sorry that's mine

So here I find myself, really needing to go through all of the boxes in the sunroom. But...am pretty boxed out!

Hopefully, (fingers crossed) Mark will get his cast off tomorrow. He is SO ready. This week the boys are going to a VBS at Texas Water Rampage (our little local Hurricane Harbor). But Mark can't participate in any water activities. Last night he was pretty bummed. But we talked about how we have rules for a reason, and when he chooses to break those rules he must pay the consequences. And as much as I love him there may be a time when his choices will not allow me to alter his fate. So we are all praying the cast will be removed tomorrow. Please pray with us.

But I have been experiencing something else lately. We were sitting at a table Sunday evening and a lady at a nearby table reached out to grab one of OUR chairs. Normally I would not mind, but that was my husbands chair she was grabbing. I politely told her as she made eye contact with me that I was so sorry but we were using that chair. She replies, "THIS chair? You're using this chair?" I again confirmed the fact that yes we were using it. She then basically drops it back down on all four legs, rolls her eyes, huffs, and turns around. I was never so glad to see Chris coming back to his chair. i wanted to go up and tap her on the shoulder and say "SEE, We WERE using it!" But I contained myself.

Then last night as we were at Texas Water Rampage, Chris came and placed the tube Noah was using, up on our beach chair. After about 5 minutes, a little girl comes running up and jumps in it prepared to run off with her new spare tire (boy I wish I could attribute my spare tire to an inner tube). But I reached out and gently said, "Oh I am sorry sweetie that is ours." She looks at me and says, "It is?" All the while still clinging to it like I might say, "NO I was just teasing you! You can take it." So when I said "yes" again, she dropped it and ran off.
I thought geeez what is going on? Why is everyone wanting to take our things? But I have also uncovered a deeper meaning here...

How many times does Satan come along and try to take something that is ours, and we just sit back and say, "Okay sir you can take it. I really wasn't using it/deserving of it in the first place." I know I do. I may not say those words, but I sure do allow him to take it, and then cry about it when it's gone. For example, when Chris was let go from one company right before Christmas, instead of thinking that the Lord had something better in store, I allowed Satan's lies to come in and rob me of the joy of the holiday. Another instance, instead of enjoying the fact that we got money back at closing, I am STILL holding onto the check--just in case the title company made a mistake and asks for it back. I don't see it as a gift from God, instead I listen to the fears placed in my mind and allow the excitement of His blessing to slip from my heart.

I wonder what Satan would do, if I said--"Oh no excuse me that's mine...and I WILL use it!" Maybe these instances are God's sweet gentle way (before he pulls out the 2x4) of allowing me to practice that very sentence. I serve a good God and He has given me so many blessings, I truly need to practice embracing what He has given me. So this week I encourage you to grab that gift God is giving you and embrace it before someone questions whether or not it is really yours. I know I am holding onto my chair and inner tube and every other thing!