And that’s one of the nicer things my husband calls me.
Of course, I’ve earned every title he’s uttered and then some. Through thirty-nine years of marriage I’ve involved him in many of my crazy escapades—usually the ones catapulting on the tame-side-of-nutty.
I’ve been known to stop along the roadside and pinch seeds from dried flowers without a thought to what lurks beneath. And I’ve chased tumble-weeds across a pasture—You can only smush two tumble-weeds in the back seat of a compact car. I’ve scoured deer moss and climbed fences and shinnied down hillsides to shoot the perfect picture—or pick the sweetest blackberries.
Oh, and yes, remained precariously seated atop a fence, determined to get a charging bull’s photo, when I shoulda listened to my husband shout, “Throw the camera and run!”
But rocks are my favorite collectibles. I love ’em.
A number of years ago we found a beautiful wild life refuge where herds of buffalo roam free. This beautiful place called my name. Rolling hills, peaceful valleys—and rocks—gobs of gorgeous, gray rocks! And I imagined how a few of ’em would enhance my garden.
Hubs argued, “DiAne. You can’t take those things home. Suppose it’s illegal? I’m not bailing you outta jail because of your rock collecting fetish.”
“Oh please.” I begged. “I’ll be quick. Just stay in the car and keep the engine running.”
A mild fog hovered over the winding roads. A perfect day for rock collecting. No body would see. And for goodness sake, who’d miss a few rocks?
“Over there!” I pointed to a pull-off area littered with different sized gems for my landscape. He pulled the car to a stop. I hopped out the door and raced to grab my first choice.
When we first moved to Texas, I learned a quick lesson about rock hunting. Don’t ask me how I learned. Rattlesnakes live under rocks. So I aimed my boot and gave my anticipated yard art a swift kick.
To my horror, the rounded, gray object split in two and powdered like a month-old biscuit, and what was left of my treasure sailed through the air, then dropped to a dusty demise.
Snorts of laughter fractured the silent morning. Yep—my husband.
I stood humiliated. My sought-after rocks were worthless plops of dried-up buffalo poop.
Knowing what waited for me, I opened the car door, slid into the seat, and burst out laughing too.
Of course, my husband rarely misses an opportunity to share our Bonnie and Clyde moment, which he never repeats without ending up in snickers of amusement as he describes the expression on my face watching that Buffalo Pattie sail through the air and scatter in the breeze.
But how many times have we all chased what we thought was gold only to find it wasn’t treasure at all, but a pile of poop?
Which one of us hasn’t gone gooey over a good-looking guy or gal? Maybe even sacrificed a long-time friendship chasing our own imaginations rather than listening to their wise counsel. Only to end up finding the object of our lust wasn’t what we hoped they’d be. And then there were those troublesome consequences of guilt and restoration of valuable relationships.
Or have you chased the dreams of change, when all indications screamed, Danger! Danger! Have you pray about this first?
Or allowed yourself to be deceived by the crowded majority into an everyone’s-doing-it-moment, only to find yourself caged and trapped in a lie that should never have been.
Or an I’ll only do this once adventure. Who’s gonna know? Who cares? Who’s it gonna hurt? To find your life changed forever, and not for your good or God’s glory.
My mama used to say, “When something seems too good to be true—it usually is—a lie.”
God tells us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NAS).
Trusting Him with all my heart and acknowledging Him in all my ways is inclusive—covers everything—no exceptions. And notice, the promise is conditional. He will direct my paths if I trust and acknowledge Him. He allows me to make the original choice, but I don’t get to chose the consequences.
In Proverbs 1:7 says: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Don’t know about you, but I’ve done some mighty foolish things in my lifetime. Things I’m ashamed of and have begged forgiveness for, and in His mercy and grace, because of the blood of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, God has forgiven me. But I am instructed to continually seek His knowledge so I don’t keep making those same mistakes over and over again.
God preserves His Word, and gives us His Spirit, and places people in our paths to warn us of deceptive lies. But it is our responsibility to seek and learn His knowledge, discern His understanding, and ask for His wisdom.
He gives us warning and further instruction in Proverbs 1:
“For the turning away of the simple (from Him) will slay them. And the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to Me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil” (Proverbs 1:32-33 NKJV).
Will you ask and listen when the Spirit says no, or will you be like I was that morning—chasing a counterfeit, ending up with dried-up piles of poop?
