How many Roosters in your hen house?
We have two roosters here, and the hen house ain’t big enough for the both of ‘em anymore!
The older (and more beautiful, IMHO) one is actually the younger, larger one’s father. Junior is about one year old, and until now, there was no fighting.
Until last Thursday.
Dad is not the king of the chicks anymore. It was a year in the making, but it finally had to happen.
For the last year, while Junior was growing, Dad would chase him off when he got too close to Dad’s “ladies,” as I call them. Junior would run away, turn and go back, and Dad would chase him off all over again. And it never really went further than that.
Crow. Chase. Crow some more. Chase again.
But, Junior finally realized that Dad was old, and he was bigger. And last Thursday, he made his move.
Now, I don’t know if you have ever seen roosters fight, but I understand why it is illegal – I never condoned it, but never imagined how cruel it really was. And once they start, they don’t stop. AND, if you get between them….well, just don’t.
Anyway, for one whole year these two roosters tolerated one another’s presence. Then, the new improved version….wait – that’s a commercial…anyway, the younger, stronger rooster decided it was his time to shine. And, he took his shot and refused to surrender.
Both roosters ended up bloody, but Junior prevailed.
Its not unlike what happens to Christians who flirt with sin in their lives. We sometimes look at certain sins as not being all that bad, something we can handle and keep in check. And, for a season, perhaps we can.
But there comes a point when a fight is imminent. One side or the other has to win. Christ in us is fighting for our souls. But the sin is fighting to hold on – and the world is pulling in that direction.
The Lord is greater than the world, no doubt. But, all too often we allow the world to silence the still small voice of God in our hearts. And the battle rages on, until one side is no longer heard.
So, look carefully into your hen house today and make sure that there is only one Rooster. ‘Cause the hen house ain’t big enough for both of them.
Question for the Bible Reading Challenge
This question is to find out if anyone is interested in the continuation of the Bible Reading Challenge being posted.
If anyone is still interested, I have decided to do this a little differently:
I will post the remainder of the years weekly schedules, instead of posting it each week. It will say something like, read Ezekiel chapters 25-31 and John 1-5 this week.
This way, for those who are still following, you can have the whole year in your hands. And for me, it will make sure I get you a schedule on time!
So, if you are interested, at all, in having such a schedule, please comment!
Strangers in a Strange Land
Anyway, my sister lives in a big city in southeast Texas – on the coast. Our family lives about 20 miles out of our small town. Let me add a little more detail – just to be sure this post makes sense!
The town I live in…to be more exact, live outside of, has only one Super WalMart. We have one Bealls, a Brookshire Brothers grocery store, a feed store, Tractor Supply, Lowes, and two vets. There are of course several smaller businesses there as well, but we are still a relatively small town of about 8247 people. This is also in deep east Texas, where the people are hard-workers (for the most part), laid back, and lead simple, quiet lives.
The town my sister lives in has, on one corner, a WalMart, Walgreens, Target, Home Depot, nail salons, etc. And that’s just the ones I can remember. My town has no mall….to get to one we have to drive 1 ½ hours south or 1 hour north. For my sister to get to a mall, she has to drive about 15 minutes, and that’s due to traffic.
So, here’s where the meat of this post comes in:
I needed some jeans while I was there (and got to buy TWO sizes smaller than the last pair I bought!!!), and wanted something other than WalMart jeans this time, so she and I went to the mall. (OK, to be honest, we went to the mall to pick up my favorite brother-in-law’s cookie cake because it was his birthday, too.) Anyway, we were starving so we grabbed a bite to eat in the food court before we made our rounds. As I looked around, I actually told my sister, “Toto, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore!”
Now, I grew up in the city (albeit not one as big as where she lives), and have lived in or very near large cities most of my life. But for the past 2 ½ years, we have lived here in the country. And, I must admit, I was not prepared for how much it has changed me.
The mall itself seemed like something out of Star Trek. Even the malls we do have nearby are no comparison. After people-watching during our Arby’s meal, we made our way to the store I would buy my new (smaller!) jeans in. I picked ‘em out, tried ‘em on, and went to pay…the cashier took my payment, and this is the part that I had to laugh at: she wrapped my blue jeans in tissue paper and put them in a brown shopping bag and tied it with a bow! My sister jokingly said, “You don’t get service like that at home, do you?!” Nope. We get WalMart bags!
I did a little more shopping, and we headed back to the house. I really was amazed at how much different the city seemed to me now that I had lived in the country for a while. I was, in fact, uncomfortable there. I felt terribly out of place – like people could look at me and tell that I didn’t belong.
But you know what? I didn’t mind a bit. Because that’s what Christians do, anyway. We experience that out-of-place feeling daily in our lives, regardless of where we are. We can be at the convenience store around the corner or the post office.
Wherever we are, we are out of place. We are strangers in a strange land, because our home is not here. Our home is in Heaven and the moment we feel too comfortable here, we have lost the focus on what is important. Sin abounds in this earthly residence, but in Heaven our citizenship is secure and wonderful.
Jesus promised us that this world would hate us, because it hated Him. But we are not to fear – for HE HAS OVERCOME THE WORLD!
So, today I want to remind you that if you feel completely out of place in the world, don’t fear. Rejoice! This is NOT your place! You are designed for far greater things than this old world! God made you to enjoy the Heavenly home He created just for you!
Bible Reading Challenge wk of 2/9/09
Late again….I am doing so badly on keeping these posted….I will do my best to get the reading plan on scheduled posts so that if I am unavailable, it still gets posted on time….forgive me?
Mon Lev 3-4 Matt 26:30-56
Tues Lev 5-6 Matt 26:57-75
Wed Lev 7-8 Matt 27:1-26
Thurs Lev 9-10 Matt 27:27-53
Fri Lev 11-12 Matt 27:54-66
Sat Lev 13-14 Matt 28
Sun Lev 15-16 Mark 1:1-28
We’re moving on!
Sorry I’m late! VERY late!
Ok – here’s the week….I hope you kept reading even though I hadn’t posted anything!!!!
Mon Exo 28-30 Matt 22:1-22
Tues Exo 31-33 Matt 22:23-46
Wed Exo 34-35 Matt 23
Thurs Exo 36-37 Matt 24:1-28
Fri Exo 38-39 Matt 24:29-51
Sat Exo 40 Matt 25
Sun Leviticus 1-2 Matt 26:1-29
I will do my very best not to be late again!
*~*~Toni~*~*
