Thoughts, polka dots and lady bugs.

When I was a kid we had a shed at the end of the street that served as a meeting point, hiding place, and launch pad for all the kids on the block.  Until this.

We steered clear of that shed every fall.  That's because every fall the side of the shed would be covered, and I mean COVERED in boxelder bugs. Ewww.  Seriously, I'm shuddering thinking about it.  I hate boxelder bugs.  They creep around until they decide to take flight and then they dive bomb you.  Plus, they seem to have nine lives.  I HATE bugs.

Feeling creepy crawlies yet?  Moving on.

 

 

The other night I got home from work and noticed a spot on the wall.  As I got closer I realized the spot was actually a ladybug that had made its way into my home. 

 

"What are you doing in here, cute little ladybug?", I said as I went to get a Kleenex to take him back outside.  I came back into the room  and something caught my eye a few feet away from the lady bug. 

 

A boxelder bug.

 

"Oh my gosh. SICK! Oh my gosh.  Seriously!?!? So nasty.  Ewww!!!!!"  Said with a lot of heebeegeebee dancing around my living room as I screamed and smashed the boxelder bug with the Kleenex.

 

I threw the smashed boxelder bug into the trash bag, tied the bag twice, took the trash out to the dumpster, and ran away from the dumpster like a little girl as if it might come back to life and chase me, Men in Black style.

 

I hate bugs.  And yet here on the wall in front of me crawled two bugs.  Why was my response to them so different?!  They're both bugs! They both crawl around and take flight without warning.  They're both black and red.  Interesting.

 

 

That would be my adorable niece and her birthday ladybug cupcakes. 

 

How can you not love a cute little ladybug?  They're everywhere and they always seem to be attached to a cute little girl.     Yet, even by virtue of its name, a ladybug is indeed just a bug.  But take a regular ole bug and dress it up in polka dots and suddenly you're ok with them.

 

The mind is a powerful thing.  We are so easily deceived.  I  suppose if I had grown up with boxelder bugs adorning my rain boots, taking boxelder bug cupcakes to school, I would probably think they were adorable too.

 

You see, the things we think about and dwell on begin to change the way we think, feel, act, and live.  Over time, a girl who hates bugs finds herself finding the very thing she hates kinda cute. 

 

All of us, for reasons and stories unique to us, have faulty thought patterns that have hardwired us to think and act in ways we never wanted to or dreamed we would. 

 

But we don't have to continue thinking this way. 

 

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind." Romans 12:2a   

 

It starts with right thinking.

"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on things of the flesh.  But those who live according to the spirit set their minds on the things of the spirit.  For to set the mind on the flesh is death.  But to set the mind on the spirit is life and peace."                        Romans 8:5-6

 

I can't speak for you, but there are far too many bugs crawling around my heart that I've dressed up in polka dots and called kinda cute. 

 

Worry, dressed up in polka dots, isn't genuine compassion.

 

Gossip, dressed up in polka dots, isn't concern/being a prayer warrior.

 

Lust, dressed up in polka dots, isn't love.

 

Arrogance, dressed up in polka dots, isn't confidence.

 

Sarcasm, dressed up in polka dots, isn't good clean humor.

 

They are bugs.  We should be doing the heebeegeebee dance, smashing them and running away from them, not proudly wearing them around on our shirt. 

 

What bugs dressed up in polka dots have you gladly let loose in your heart? 

 

Call an exterminator.

 

Take the polka dots off.  

 

It starts with right thinking. 

 

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and wreceived and heard and seen xin me—practice these things, and ythe God of peace will be with you."  Phil 4:8-9