"Man Up! - Fanatics

My wife and I journeyed from our home to my doctor yesterday for my annual physical.  I do have to admit that I was a little anxious about it.  One of my biggest concerns is that something would happen to me and that I would not be able to care for my wonderful wife in her deepest time of need.  The thought of her alone in a rest home simply terrifies me!  So… I guess I must have let in some of those lying voices that hammer at me and began to think about the “What If’s” of this doctor’s appointment.

Well, let me joyfully set your minds (and mine!) at rest and declare that I made it through the appointment with flying colors.  All the tests, probing, poking and listening to my heart told the Doc that everything was normal!  As I walked out of the door of the office building with my wife, I couldn’t help but burst out laughing with the memory of the undue anxiety that I was feeling on the way in an hour or so before that time.

On the drive home I also thought about all the answers to prayers and the way that the Lord has seemed to have us in the palm of His hand and I could only shake my head again at the way I allowed contrary thoughts to have a place in my head.  Have you ever done that… then you probably know exactly what I am talking about.

Piper was rather restless after I turned the light out last night but seemed to be okay every time I got up to check on her.  Then I was awakened about 3:30 to some gagging noises.  To be honest, at first I thought it might be the dog and I found myself flying from the bed as all could picture was her upchucking and staining our new carpets!  But before my feet touched the floor, I realized that the sound wasn’t coming from my side of the room where the dog was sleeping underneath the bed… but rather from Piper. I immediately realized what was going on as we have been through this a few times in the past.

Sure enough, when I got to her she was cold and clammy and yet soaked in sweat.  So with a quick prayer for direction I pulled off the covers, got a damp cloth and began to cool her down.  Then I gently sat her up and helped her change into dry clothes… all the time speaking softly to her telling her that all was okay and sharing various healing promises from the Word of God.  After her temperature seemed to normalize, I made sure all the sheets and blankets were dry and laid her back down where she went right into a deep and restful sleep.

Once she was situated I went into the hallway and began to ask the Lord what was going on and told Him that I needed to hear from Him.  After a few moments of whining from me, I began to picture all the directions He has given us over the last few years, in particular with the move out here and how everything had worked out great.  And like I had earlier in the day, I could not help but chuckle at my stupidity once again!  I guess in the dark of the night, in the early hours of the new day, everything has a tendency to look a lot worse than it actually is!

I knew at that instant that I had to re-focus my attention on Jesus and not on the contrary events of the night.  And with that, I had the inspiration to walk through the house and speak out the NAME OF JESUS into every room.  Sounds pretty fanatical doesn’t it?  Well, I didn’t think so… in fact… IT FELT PRETTY GOOD!  And it almost instantly changed the feel of the atmosphere of our home.  Philippians 2:15 tells us “That at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth” (KJV) and at that moment of need I believed that Word and it worked to calm everything down… including me.  It also helped me to go back to bed with a smile on my face instead of deep concern.

So… that’s my story for the day!  Once again I’ve learned that it makes a big difference as to Who or What you let control the interruptions of your day… or night.  And if that makes me a fanatic… then I guess that I am a happy, blessed and victorious one!  Have a great rest of the week and as you do, keep asking yourself… “Who’s FANATIC am I expecting to be today?”