So, this morning was interesting to say the least...I was in the midst of worshiping...I had gotten down on my knees, my arms were lifted up to the Lord, tears were streaming down my face as my spirit acknowledged what Jesus had done for me on the cross...It was one of those moments when you are lost in the wonder of God's presence, time and space dissolve into each other and with arms raised and eyes closed, you feel almost as if you could understand what heaven must be like. I was in a state of joy and thankfulness, and as I brushed my hair back from my face I felt it...a tiny little scabby feeling lump on my scalp. I slowly got back up onto my feet and as I started towards the bathroom, I already knew that familiar feeling...I had a tick on my head.

Now if you don't worship it may be difficult for you to understand how completely immersed in God one gets...it is as if we are not present here in the moment and yet totally present beyond our normal use of our senses at the same time (hahaha, glad I cleared that up for you! Seriously though it is impossible to articulate, but I tried).

So "why are you writing about ticks?" you ask...Well, because once again God showed me a truth through a common experience. Everyone knows what it is like to get a tick...I am sure there may be someone who never had one, but lets agree that we have all heard of them, know what they do, and ugh...how they do it. Even if your only experience of a tick is getting one off of your pet, you understand the creepiness of these little fellows. They are indeed gross and sometimes seem almost sinister.

As I desperately tried to confirm my situation I found myself contorted trying to hold back my hair and place the hand mirror at just the right angle so that I could see the parasite in the large vanity mirror. I got out peroxide and put some on a cotton ball and placed it over the tick...nothing happened. Next I searched for the tweezers, which of course, were not where they were supposed to be. Then I stopped and prayed. I should have prayed first, but I was jolted out of worship and my knee-jerk response was to get this thing out off of my head! I prayed "Lord, I know that you can help me. I can't seem to get this taken care of on my own. Jeff and Lauren aren't home and Jackson is sleeping. Please direct me to what I should do...I refuse to allow this to interrupt my time with you today Lord, and I continue to worship you right now, tick and all...You are awesome and Sovereign, Majestic and Good. Thank you Lord that you have dominion over all things. I give this situation to you and I trust you, Amen"

I knew that I was helpless to fix this on my own...there are just some things in life in which you require assistance. I needed another set of hands and eyes...I went into Jackson's room to wake him. My son Jackson is 15 and a half...he hates ticks...I had no idea where the tweezers were...this was going to be interesting...


"Two are better than one...If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up." - Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Jackson woke up quickly (not a usual occurrence) and put on his glasses. He parted my hair and found the culprit. We both cringed at it's existence and moved forward to planning. I explained that the tweezers had vanished from the bathroom and we decided that Jackson was going to have to use his fingers..Ewwwwww...Gross!

We went into the bathroom and I silently prayed, "Lord, thank you for my son who is willing and able to help me despite his own fears....thank you for being there to talk to...if it's your will you can tell that tick to let go and back out of my scalp...it would be easier but we will do whatever we have to do." I could feel my scalp and hair pulling as Jackson worked, hunched over my head....here I was again, on my knees but this time not for worship, but to give Jackson the ability to see what he was doing...it felt ironic, to say the least, and yet here in this strange circumstance, was yet another image from God. I was on my knees, unable to  extract the evil little parasite from myself, and standing over me was someone who could...gently and carefully with patience and precision, Jackson was able to pull it from my head....God stands over us with the skill of a surgeon, he can see things that have attached themselves to us that are parasites to our spirits...we are unable to do anything on our own...we need help. And as we are on our knees in humility, yielded, having admitted that we are powerless to help ourselves, God comes and stoops down to tend to our needs. He patiently removes the parasites and with precision and love helps us to acquire freedom from their grip!

A very strong image...us helpless, under attack from an enemy who wishes to suck the lifeblood from us...being tended to by God, tenderly and skillfully...just amazing!

In the end Jackson was able to get the tick onto a tissue...it had completely backed out and let go...it was still alive and crawling when we took a lighter and burned it and then flushed it down the toilet. I know that sounds harsh, but if you don't completely kill this particular parasite...it will come back. It may be you, a family member or a pet who would suffer the repercussions of it's survival. When a tick fills with the blood of its "host" it has babies, and the home is inundated with parasites. I realize that this isn't an exact representation of what I am going to share next, but this is where God took me next in the Bible when I was able to get back to my quiet time.(The leading of God's Spirit is mysterious and wonderful...how we are taken from point A to point B is just amazing!)

 "When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says,' I will return to the house I left. ' Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. " - Matthew 12:43-45

Jesus was describing the attitude of the nation and of the religious leaders. Just cleaning up one's life without filling it with God leaves plenty of room for Satan to enter. The book of Ezra records how people rid themselves of idolatry, but failed to replace it with love for God and obedience to him. Ridding our lives of sin is the first step. We must also take the second step: filing our lives with God's word and the Holy Spirit. Unfilled and complacent people are easy targets for Satan.

What an unusual morning I have had! I am strangely thankful...even for the tick! (Ewww)