I want to retell a story told from a man who was retelling a story (with a few of my own embellishments thrown in for good measure!)…

There was a man who was having a rough day. In the busyness of life, many things had gone wrong and he was looking forward to getting home and relaxing. Upon his arrival though, his puppy had other plans. At the sound of the car door closing, Puppy was there dropping the tennis ball at his feet for a rousing game of fetch. “Oh, Puppy, not today. Today has been hard. I just want to hold you.” This was met with Puppy nudging the ball a little closer with expectant eyes as to where the ball would be thrown. “No, Puppy. I don’t want to play. I just want to hold you. I just want to love you. Okay?” A third time this happened and as the man pleaded with Puppy “I juuuuust want to looooooooove you!!!” it was as if he heard the voice of God crying out the same…

“I just one to love you. You want to be doing, doing, doing – even sometimes for Me. But, ultimately, I just want to love you.”

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I’ve been playing this stupid game on my iPhone. It’s called Cascade and it’s one of those match three jewels to advance kind of games – but it has a bunch of twists. Sometimes you have to not only match colors but break a certain number of boulders or stone walls. Sometimes you have to free jewels from behind bars or in boxes. Sometimes you have to disable bombs. The one that specifically has me inspired to write this post, though, is the level where vines creep in and encapsulate colors. There seems to be no rhyme or reason. It just happens. Sometimes on one side of the screen. Sometimes on the other. There is almost always a way to free them, but you have to be strategic and judicious with your moves. Sometimes you want to go for the “big match” and stick a blue in with the big massive sea of blue in the right upper corner but if you look closely, there are two blues hidden in the lower left, covered in vines but with an open spot beside them that welcomes freedom.

It makes me think about sin. How we can be going along, having what appears to be (and maybe even is): success, meaningful service, fun, etc. and, if we’re not very careful, sin can creep in and ensnare us – or, at the very least, tempt us. If you are a follower of Jesus (and even if you’re not but you’re human), this is an absolute promise. But here’s the reality and the good news: Jesus said “when you are tempted (reality), God will provide a way out (good news). What I wonder though is this: how often do we take time to see it?

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It’s been a crazy summer.

I know you haven’t been holding your breath waiting for yet another (insert sarcasm) mind-blowing, earth-shattering, life-altering Considering Eternity post, but I feel the need to address the fact that I’ve been MIA. I could tell you that it’s because of a variety of life changes (bought a house + minor reno projects. Selling a house = argh! Lots of travel for FCBH – in the States but also 10 days in Peru with 6 amazing ladies. Family. Just…family.), but remember how I like to try to be honest…even with myself…even when it hurts? Well, mostly I’ve been MIA because I’ve been distracted. It’s been one of those “good distractions” but still…

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