A Lesson To Be Learned In Nit Picking

What's up with the Downs? Last week some pesky little bugs jumped into our hair...literally. Half of the Downs household ended up with little nits, the eggs that lice lay, in our hair. Of course they were sweet eggs because they were from some precious friends of ours, but we wanted to get rid of them as fast as possible.

After shampooing with chemicals to kill the nits, bleaching every nook and cranny, ferociously vacuuming, pulling every article of clothing, bedding, rugs, etc. and piling it high in a corner to be fed to the washer turned to "hot water" we gals sat in the master bathroom (it had the brightest lights) to begin the long process of nit picking.

Not until this last week did I understand the phrase, "You are so nit picky". Now, I get it-someone who finds every minutest thing to be critical of. We looked through every particle of every hair of the four of us Downs who had these critters not wanting to miss one egg. We wanted to be extra safe and pulled each hair out that had a nit. Over the course of 5 days, approximately 7 hours were devoted to looking at each strand of our luscious nitty locks.

What's the lesson? PATIENCE! Multiple times a day this thought circled through my mind, whether I was putting in the 20th load of laundry, vacuuming for the 7th time, or picking nits--

"LORD, You are so very patient with me!!! Thank You! You take time to pick all the nits out of my hairy soul and do it with such love, and patience. Never do You get riled up if you find another nit, but You are the God who sanctifies and You promise that you will sanctify me through and through so that all of me is kept blameless. My heart is grateful to you the God Most High for teaching me about Yourself through a little sticky bug."

We are lice free and grateful. My heart is filled with gratitude that I have a washer and dryer and access to lice shampoo, because so many live with these critters, because they don't have the means to get rid of them.

I simply need to be still for chunks of time while the Lord sifts through my bugs, so I can praise Him with purity.

May God Himself, the God of Peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24