A "techno woman," I'm not, so this is a REAL tale, straight from my home office, which was today transformed into a bit of a zany zoo--I'm alive and well, my kids are not caged (yet!) and surprisingly enough are not even part of the tale (except Jason's reassuring observation that maybe a HACKER had gotten into my computer....but I'm ahead of my story), and I have survived to tell the tale. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Being the "techno woman" I am NOT, the other day, with somewhat of a brash confidence, I went into the system files of my computer, deleting "unnecessary" items to my heart's content...and by now, you may have a sense of the trail I'm taking you down! I was pleased to regain extra space on my computer's hard drive....lots of space! I had no idea what damage I'd done until just this morning. I went onto MIE, my alternate browser, and my home page loaded onto the screen in what looked like Chinese characters. I couldn't believe my eyes--it was a ZINGBAT or DINGBAT font (excuse me, techies--this IS funny)! OK, I think it was technically "Zapf Dingbats," and totally unreadable gobbledy-gook!
So what to do? I went to a friend's page--hers was gobbledy-gook too! I knew I was in big trouble...but never thought to check my MAC "trash can" until much later. I downloaded a full copy of MIE, reinstalled it, and eventually, after a little tinkering around (AND retrieiving some fonts from the trash!), got it working fine, and in a language I could read! For the record: the trashed FONTS, not MIE, was the problem--my husband says I throw EVERYTHING away....and I sure did this time!!
Now my pastor has trained me well. He's taught me that nothing in life--no pain--is ever a total loss. God takes it and uses it--and THAT'S what's happened.. My zooey office and zany escapades have turned into a devotional for YOU--so come to the Well and enjoy with me the lessons I've learned from the ZOO of life--for some days, it IS a zoo, isn't it!!
A Helping Word...or
Two!
Don't "MONKEY" with what works!
It worked fine--until I tinkered with it! And so it did for Adam and Eve, until they messed it up. God had everything working beautiful--a divine fellowship with Himself, a blessed relationship with each other, and a caretaking of His creation, all within a lovely garden setting filled with beauty, pleasure, and perfection. He created it, He made the boundaries--they KNEW the boundaries--and they BLEW it. Sin, shame, darkness entered our world--and only God, in His plan of salvation, could restore them to Himself.
If they had only trusted the Creator, and not messed with His workable plan....but they did, and WE do--many times, forgetting we are to trust Him, who designed it, makes it work, and knows exactly what He is doing. Trust the Creator--don't mess with His plan--it's for your own good! But remember, if you do, all is not lost, for He who created us can pick up the broken pieces and put it back together! He's the Master Workman--and He'll do it for you!
Roarin' Like a "LION" doesn't help!
I did fine today--now that is a miracle! Usually, this emotional Italiano throws a fit when something doesn't work...not very spiritual, but transparency is good for the soul! I am not a laid-back, quiet, demure little person who smiles and sails through life with ease. Everything I do becomes a major project, a major worry, a dynamic event or disaster. I don't do ANYTHING little. So for me to "keep my cool" was somewhat of a minor miracle, but I did. And you know what? I think it helped!
It sure helped Daniel...can you see him in the middle of the lions' den, in a wild panic, screaming, pulling his hair, saying, "Lord, what do I do now? They'll eat me ALIVE!" No, the Lord knew what to do--He just shut the lions' mouths, and if Daniel knew what was wise for him, he knew to shut HIS too...temper tantrums and panic attacks get you no where fast! Daniel had the discipline and self-control God needed for him to have that day--and it helped to save his life! God, give us more self-control; keep us cool and calm, when our natures want to do the opposite. Give us an extra dose of your quietness and peace, in the midst of trouble--and then let us watch what YOU will do!
"BEAR" your troubles with humor and grace!
Humor I've got plenty of--it's the grace I need! How about you! Now, of course, there are tragedies and troubles in life for which nothing funny is even imaginable. I'm talking about the minor mishaps of life--the messes we get ourselves into of our own making and the unplanned frustrations life throws our way. And where does it happen? At work, at home, at church, at school--everywhere there are people, we need humor--and grace! (And admit it--everywhere WE are, THEY need humor--and grace!) Can you find something funny in what's going on in your life? Maybe not--and what you are needing is a double dose of God's grace, but it's there for you!
It was there for Noah--now just imagine the humor of the situation. All these animals--sounds, smells and space problems--and the people are STUCK--no where to go! Talk about cabin fever--just imagine what these poor people went through for 40 days and 40 nights, and then know you WILL survive the winter! But along with the humor of it all--and I'm sure they had to have a good dose of it--came the GRACE! "Noah found GRACE in the eyes of the Lord!" He is a model for us all, in the middle of the storm, to know God's wonderful, overflowing grace and peace, especially in situations beyond our control. It wasn't just for Noah--it's for you and me, and it's YOURS today--in whatever zoo you may reside!
The monkeys, the lions, the bears--they all teach us that we are going to make it through those zany days when life DOES seem like a zoo! God's creation has much to teach us, and if you are an animal lover or a zoo-lover, visit your favorite zoo, watch your favorite animals, and know that the God who created them, created you, knows all about you and the "zoo" you find ourself in today. He's there to help you learn to trust Him, to give you self-control, His grace--and a smile! Now just one last lesson before the tale is ended--stay away from that system folder of your computer, UNLESS you know what you're doing....and you will live happily ever after! 
