Have you ever seen that carnival game where you are given a mallet and various items pop up from different holes and the object is to beat them back down into the base of the game? There is even a child’s game with the same fundamental idea. In fact, the game is made by Hasbro and in their version the moles pop up and you wait for them to light up before you hit them with the mallet.
In any event, that is similar to what my life has been like the last several weeks. There was the lost section of the Christmas tree that we tried to put up, and then the broken lights on another tree that necessitated quick thinking to salvage that tree.
Oh, the solar light on the top of the flagpole went out and it took about a week to get another one up and in place. Who knew that sun would cause the surface of the solar panels to oxidize and prevent them from charging? I sure didn’t know that!
In frustration, I looked up at our ceiling and noticed a small paint defect that will have to be repaired. Then last weekend, we had a wind advisory – more like a real warning – and the next day we picked up hundreds of branches that came off of our birch trees during the night. Thank goodness none of the trees came down, but in the midst of all the rubble, we found a small shingle that apparently came off the roof. It turned out that it came off our neighbor’s home but either way, it’s a great inconvenience for them to have someone out to replace it.
Then there were the problems with the car. The dealership returned my car from service work with a piece of broken trim and the license plate frame almost ripped off the car… I was upset about that but not as upset as I was about the grease and dirt on the floor of the driver’s compartment – especially after it had just been cleaned at the car wash.
Janet had to have a broken light replaced under the driver’s seat of her car and that was right before the nail was discovered in a brand new tire we bought for her. Needless to say, it had to be replaced – it wasn’t repairable.
In other words, we have had a whack-a-mole kind of month so far. Every time we successfully get something done, another problem pops up! To be sure, that is somewhat unusual for Janet and me. Normally, it is much more difficult to disturb our peace.
What makes this particularly unacceptable at this time is the fact that we are in the middle of the second week of Advent. If you have been following my posts, you will recall that last Sunday we lit the candle of Peace, also known as the Bethlehem candle, on the Advent wreath. This particular week we are to revel in the peace of Christ and look forward with anticipation to the announcement of His birth.
It’s a great reminder that I have to turn these distractions over to the Lord and not worry about anything – easier said than done. For our verse tonight, I have chosen a passage from the Gospel of John. John writes about truth and love, as well as God’s grace and peace. In John 14:27 he tells us the words of Jesus, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
I know that this Advent season I need to focus on not allowing myself to be troubled by all these “problems.” In the scheme of things, they are minor and I should be focusing on the upcoming celebration of the birth of Christ.
My encouragement this evening is that there are times that we are all distracted by seemingly important matters that cause us to take our eyes off Jesus. We do not need to give in to these nuisances. My prayer is that we all can find peace this Advent season, focusing on the peace of Christ – and then we light the candle of Joy this coming Sunday. I can hardly wait! Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace…