I was feeling pretty happy about a lot of things in general when some little things began to happen. Little things began to happen into my kitchen. Creep, in fact. At first they were very small, manageable, and yet creepy notwithstanding. Although when I was standing above them with a yell and a totally imaginary weapon wishing to dash them to pieces they would usually be standing for a second as they ascertained the threat of my presence before starting the high-legged scamper out of my way.
It got worse when the small things with legs were joined by bigger things with legs and tiny little paws and squeaks. My personal squeaks started to get louder as the days went by. Who, I declare, said you little things could partake in enjoying the warmth and pleasure of residence in my apartment?!
The little things would mostly come out when my husband was hours away at a distant job (well maybe just one hour) or when he was sound asleep in bed and I was up with hunger and a baby. For a while I tolerated the little things (after all, they are in fact little things!) but it got worse.
The little things got bigger. That was the hideous nature of these little things. Bigger became the little things, and bigger became my hatred for their presence.
They say, you know, “enjoy the little things in life.” They must’ve not known about these little things.
One day I decided I must, for my precious sanity, be able to find something to be thankful for about the presence of the skittering little things.
My list looked like this...
1. There aren’t more of them
2.
Now, even if I did not have the emotional capacity to enjoy these little things, surely my thank-er could do better than that.
“Lord,” I pled as I sat in the dimness of a night with a nursing baby, “can you show me why you let these annoying little things become a part of my life! I’m so fed up with them, but starting to wonder if maybe you sent them to me with a message...if so, would you please open my eyes?”
My list started getting longer.
1. There aren’t more of them.
2. I don’t have reason anymore to look down on people who are living with houses full of cockroaches and mice.
3. Walmart probably has more traps in stock by now, to add to our growing collection. And anyway, we could be in a remote area with no Walmart!
4. I’ve never stepped on one of these creatures in the dark, like my imagination has suggested could happen.
5. Our roaches (eew!) are smaller things than those three inch ones I’ve seen in pictures or the zoo!
6. The mice aren’t very smart. They haven’t eaten things in my pantry so far
7. They haven’t invaded our bedroom to my knowledge - like in Ghana where I would find droppings by our pillows on our bed inside our mosquito net.
8. My husband has joined me on the no-more-mice campaign!! (After being scared himself by a mouse in the bathroom in the middle of the night)
9. I have a new incentive to sweep my floors and wash my dishes!
Well. I found nine things to be thankful for, but I still haven’t found myself enjoying these little things. When they make their appearance I think of evil embodied. Not very inspiring.
Therefore, maybe I will just leave you with the challenge: are there any little things that have crept into your life that need taken care of? Maybe it’s a little resentment towards your husband, or a little self pity about the part of your story that God is walking you through right now. Perhaps a little selfishness or a little pride.
Let me just warn you: little things have a way of breeding more little things. You don’t want Jonathan to come into your house to move your table only to have a leg fall out with illions of little things pouring out, hitting the ground running and waving their antennae. (Real happening. Just not at my house. Shudder.) Little things have a way of becoming big things. You don’t want to go there.
Ask God what is the best way to go about eradicating such pesky little things that may sneak into your life.
If you don’t have mice at your house, or cockroaches, or any other common ground with me, congratulations.
To all: may the little things in your life come with easy-to-find reasons to be grateful for them and may your pesks be few.
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