And here's another...
This goat cracked me up... he kept sticking his head through the fence... It would get stuck, he would pull, twist, pull and struggle to get out...Finally he would get out and then put his head right back in again, just to start the process all over again... It was so funny! As you can see, it was quite the spectacle!
That evening, I mentioned to R's husband about the goat and how funny it was to watch him... And he told me that they do that a lot... They put their heads through the fence...sometimes they get themselves out... sometimes they have to wait for someone to come and help them and yet they do it over and over... And sometimes, they kill themselves trying to get out on their own...
And you know, it was one of those times when I was one step ahead of that still small voice... It's like when my kids say to me, "I know what you're going to say...." I knew what my Heavenly Father wanted to say to me... "Girl, you are so much like that goat!!"
Let's take Chicos for instance... Now for those of you who don't have a Chicos near you, it is my number 1 favorite clothing store!! I'm not even going to put a link to their website... if you want to find them, you'll have to google them yourself, I will not be directly responsible for causing someone else's addiction!
But, no matter how good my intentions are... No matter how much I've committed in my heart that I'm going to stick to a budget... When I walk through the doors of Chicos...all of those good intentions go right out the window... Jackets... Pants... Sweaters... they start calling my name... The colors...the styles... just eye candy! And I feel so good in their clothes (remember how good Michael Phelps mom always looked sitting in the stands of the Olympics, well, she shops at Chicos!)... No matter what size you are, you can find something that looks hot! (My son will die that I used that word in a blog!!)
And that's where I'm like the goat... I know better than to even darken their doors... I go in thinking, "I've got a few minutes, I'll just look around..." But like that goat, I get stuck... I walk out with things I shouldn't purchase... I wake up the next morning, full of regret that once again, I've proven how little self-discipline I really have and swear never to do it again... But like that goat, I always end up with my head stuck right back in that Chico's fence!!
But it could be anything... Food...things we shouldn't look at on tv... or the computer... maybe relationships... work... or even exercise. Maybe you have a different favorite store... one that sells shoes... or furniture... or home accessories... But we can turn them all into modern day idols! And here's the really sad thing, they are all just distractions from what our heart's really need...
I'm not saying that all of these are bad...that you should never shop...or exercise...or watch tv... I'm just saying we have to guard our hearts and be sure that we aren't using them to fill a place in our hearts that only God Himself can fill... Or, that we aren't using them as an escape...
Cause here's the thing... When I get caught up in my modern day idols, I lose my taste for God... Kind of like, when you eat too much junk food... fruit and vegetables taste terrible... That's what modern day idols do for our relationship with God!
I am reading the best book, "No Other Gods," by Kelly Minter. I LOVE the way this girl writes... She gets right to the heart of the matter... And I have been so convicted! I know that's why this goat so grabbed my attention...
The fence to the goat is my idols to me... The things that entrap and enslave me... the things that I extricate myself from, swearing I'll never do again... Only to find myself with my heart, stuck right back in the same fence!
Jesus died to set us free... But am I living in that freedom? Not when my heart is stuck in some other fence... It pains me to say this, but when I keep putting my heart back through the same fence, I am acting as if the cross has no power... And that breaks my heart, because I know better than that!
So, this goat needs to invite the Holy Spirit to tear down some of those fences that keep entrapping my heart... I clearly can't do it on my own!!
(Stay tuned...in a few days, I'll tell you what C. taught me about the deer!! Bet you can't wait!!)
Have a great... fence free day!!
3 comments:
Wonderful post! Your Chicos thoughts got me reflecting on my Gymboree obsession. I haven't bought anything for myself in months, but my girls are styled to a "T" and I waste a lot of time playing games to align the sales with coupons to get a deal on dressing my girlies. I'll have to check out Kelly's book. I grew up attending the church her dad pastors and was in youth group with her, though she was a few years younger.
~Kelly
From one Goat to another,
Just thinking, but sometimes I just enjoy acting like a goat---I was thinking about a few weeks ago when S, my sister-in-law, and I were @ the beach----great shops, and I stuck my head thru the fence almost every day. And one boutique was the fence that I stuck my head in the most.
I guess the moral of the story is not to let "goat behavior" become an obsession???
Thought provoking post.
Love you,
Mom
Ok- We have 3 goats and I love Chico's (who wouldn't love a store that won't let you be bigger than a size 3?!) but I have never made the connection...Like I said you have a gift! :)
Diane
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