Burying it in the trash

It's an almost daily occurrence...

You did it. I did it.

And now my kids do it...

They bring home food in the lunchbox that they didn't eat for lunch at school. It might be a little snack bag of carrots or half of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or as was the case yesterday - "orange slices."

Our children haven't figured out yet that it would be in their best "self-interest" just to throw the food away at school and then we would never know that they weren't eating what was packed in their lunch. I'm sure they will figure it out eventually.

Nonetheless, Faith brings home a sandwich bag of orange slices yesterday in her lunchbox and upon arrival declares that she is "hungry." Any parent in their right mind knows what the next comment is going to be (reason being... this is what our parents said to us!)  "Well, if you had eaten all of your lunch you wouldn't be so hungry right now."

The plan of action was for Faith to eat her orange slices before she could have anything else. Protest ensues, lawyers are called, ACLU website is bookmarked and the drama begins. Mom holds firm and leaves Faith by herself to eat the orange slices. 

A few minutes later Faith says, "I'm done." 

There's just something fishy going on here.

Julie looks around. No baggy of orange slices to be found. No empty baggy. No sticky fingers. No hint of the aroma of an orange. Julie pulls out the trash can. No baggy. Julie digs deep into the trash can and "Voila!" there's the baggy of orange slices. Can you say, "Busted!"

My iWitness...

How full is your trash can?

How deep do we go to bury the things we don't want to deal with, hoping and praying that by burying it, it will simply go away.

I have a trash can...

You have a trash can...

I wonder how many times God looks at us and chuckles to Himself, "Really? Are you going to try and bury that again?"

And we do... because burying it is easier than bearing it or baring it.

I wonder what would happen if we set aside some time to let God sift through our trash, all the stuff we have buried through the years. I have a feeling He wouldn't say, "Busted!"

I have a feeling He would sympathetically and kindly and lovingly say, "Oh yes... I remember this one. That was such a difficult time in your life." And, "Oh yes, here we go, I remember how much I longed to hold your hand and hear your voice. You were hurting so much, I reached out to hold you and protect you, but I am pretty sure you didn't realize that I was there." And finally, He might mention, "Oh my dear child, hiding these things only compounds the hurt. Let me take these things and wash them clean and make all things new. Just so you know, I love your trash, because I love you and no matter how big or how deep the trash can is, it cannot separate my love from you! In fact, nothing can separate my love from you!"

What will you find in your lunchbox today? 

Sit and sup with the Savior! 

Savor the meal.

Let the Messiah help you clean your plate...and you won't go hungry again...

"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8. 38-39)

And that's my iWitness...
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!