"Rabbits and Widows and Satan, Oh My! "

 

"Rabbits and Widows and Satan, Oh My! "

liz etheridge

Molly and I are ending Week 4 in our new home. 

 

TRUE CONFESSIONS: At times, it has felt like YEAR 4.

I'm not going to lie; this has been a hard move. Sometimes, painfully hard. My bank account would also concur this has been a throbbing four weeks, with unexpected roots in the plumbing....sprinkler valves going rogue...landlords being a major thorn-in-my-side...and missing my friends who had always been right down the East Texas country road to cry a few tears and share a coffee with. And yes...I've even questioned whether I heard God correctly to move here. In my heart there's no doubt....oh, but how Satan loves to mess with my mind!

My sister, Debbie, passed on some wise words to me as these things threatened to disarm me:

"If Satan can't make you sin, Liz, he can certainly make you suffer."

Ahhhh....the always wise words of my sister. She's right, you know. Satan knows he can't have us if we belong to God...but a quick read in the Book of Job will show us convincingly that he certainly can try to make our lives miserable. And sometimes...he succeeds.

"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome,

because the One who is IN you (God) is GREATER than the one who is in the world (Satan) ." 

1 John 4:4

 

And the best way to combat the one who would seek to discourage and disarm us is to get that dusty and trusty old journal out and start numbering......documenting and making that list of all the things you're Thankful for. This simple practice is the secret to overcoming discouragement! My brother-in-law Doug reminded me of that one particularly difficult day shortly after Chuck passed away. And my son Troy handed me a book* a few weeks ago that gave me more tools which included repeating ten times a day, "If God be for you, Liz, who can be against you? (Romans 8:31). 

 

 But I am right where I'm suppose to be. Widow #13 on the block. I have been blessed to find a beautiful home, great neighbors, one Gladys Kravitz and thousands of rabbits. And those friends from East Texas and family members? Well, they've been showing up on my doorstep handing me doses of encouragement, reminders they still remember who I am and love me. They have helped me pack and unpack...given me a much needed massage when my muscles had tightened up and flown 3,000 miles to climb ladders in 100 degree heat to change out motion sensors to keep me safe. I am a blessed woman to have them walking next to me on this journey.

 

 

And you can bet....each of them are listed by name daily on my Thankful List to God. And I can see Him smile as He drops a blessing or two down on each of them for being the blessing in my life......

.... “Count your blessings and discover Who can be counted on.”

*The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale