raw eggs and a cherry pie

Fall Festival 2008

I am emotionally spent.  A lot has occurred since my last post.  Let's just say I can feel the fiery darts being hurled at me!  It's amazing that when you start to make strides forward with your obedience to the Lord, the devil truly seeks you out.  His plans are to discourage and disable you from your service to God.

Today, at our church, we have our Fall Festival.  It is one way our church reaches out to our community.  It's free and fun!  Filled with rides, food, games, and crafts.  Our goal is to get names of people who are "un-churched" and reach them with the gospel.

I LOVE our Fall Festival.  The first year I was in charge of face painting.  My rendition of a 'runny egg' dripping down the kids' faces was a hit!  The next year, Mike and I operated the kiddie train ride.  Mike's job was to hit the black button to start it and then the red button to stop it.  My job was to enforce safety.

This year is different.  I have a baby.  And my husband is away on business.

Knowing that 200+ man hours are needed to run this festival successfully, I was burdened with knowing I couldn't 'help' in a big way.  So I remembered that every little bit helps, no matter how little the bit.

I signed up to make a cherry pie.

It was do-able in my eyes.  Especially since I wouldn't have to be caring for Annaleigh while serving 'man hours'.  How could I paint faces or run a ride with a needy and squirmy 10-month-old who craves every moment of attention I can generate in her direction?!  But a pie?  Easy. You make it.  You drop it off.  Done.

Or so I thought.

Then all this stuff happened.  The devil sought me out.  And now he tries to devour the flesh on my cute little toes.  I cried last night.  A lot.  Things like this make me slip back into my depressive tendencies.   I decided I was too sad and upset to make my cherry pie.  It would feel so much better to sink under my cozy blanket, watch AFV, and each ice cream all night.  In an attempt to 'nurse' my hurt soul back to health.

Bingo.

The devil's now crunching at my knees.  He has me right where he wants me.  To become paralyzed in my old nature.  To disable me from serving my God.  I forgot Who my Father is.  I forget that "greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world."  I became distracted with myself.

Praise the Lord, I woke up this AM, walked downstairs, and made that cherry pie.

Who's crunching now?

But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me....(2 Timothy 4:17)