He's at it again....

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:...." Eccl 3:1 (NIV)

"Ping-Ping-Splat", "Ping-Ping-Splat" -- It's Florida in mid-July -- no wait --it's only mid-May, (I digress)... Anyway, it's HOT with a capital H!! -- It hasn't rained in ages, our grass is brown like desert sand (wait -- has it turned to actual sand??), our plants have shriveled to "what-might-have-been" and now this!! Unfortunately, the sound I hear is not rain but the infernal splat of LOVE BUGS on my windshield. For those of you that don't live in Florida and are thinking "oh that's got to be a cute bug with a name like that" -- Let me assure you that you are wrong. I must preface this post that I have done NO official research on these critters and do not plan to do any, so all "facts" about them are from personal experience and/or purely contrived in this head of mine. That being said, let's move forward... These...umhumm....bugs got their name because they join together in perpetual copulation and fly around until their timely death with an oncoming vehicle. It appears from my "findings" that they seem to prefer the extreme heat of the Florida roadways. They then begin to become one not only with each other but with the windshields and front end of every automobile that comes their way. For battle weary folks like myself, I have found they are no respecter of automobile, cost or even your "station in life." Their motto is -- "if you drive here -- we shall entrench ourselves in your paint." So, be forewarned, car washes LOVE these critters. The good thing in my estimation is that they are gone a couple of weeks after they appear. However, these can seem like very long weeks when there is a daily accumulation be removed from my windshield and front end of my car every night. But, hey it's not as bad as the weekly malathion spraying we had 10+ years ago. (wow - now I'm really dating myself)... Back to the topic at hand... I began to think or as I do ponder what possible meaning could these "things" have in society. God led me to 3 conclusions that also (as usual) lend themselves to my life. So, I will share my epiphany as it were with LOVE BUGS:

1. I don't have to understand them -- but they are a part of life
2. I don't have to like them -- God has a reason for them
3. They will be gone soon enough -- there is only a brief season for them

Well, that sums it up for me as of late... I don't understand events that have played out in my life but I know God is in control. I surely don't like the direction that God seems to have led me - after all, I didn't get my way --- but I do know that He has a plan. As with these crazy bugs, the suffering will only last for a short time in the measure of God's timing. Funny, how He wakes me around 2am with thoughts of Love Bugs and then proceeds to teach me a lesson in life through these "things." God can and DOES use everything in this life to reach us where were are.. I guess Love Bugs are useful after all.. Dear Father -- thank You for Your provision. I know that You are in control of all things in this world, down to the minute details of my life. If You have a plan for even the seemingly insignificant insect, then I know You have a plan for me. I just pray that You equip me to be of service in Your kingdom in order to glorify Your Holy Name. In the Precious Name of Jesus - AMEN Application:

• Are you dealing with things in your life that you don't understand, like or even feel like will end any time soon?
• I encourage you to read through the Psalms -- King David experienced many ups and downs in his life and his walk with God --- I feel my own feelings being played out on those pages and in them I find comfort
• Pray that the Lord will show you a little clarity in your life and for peace to peak through the clouds to show you the way to hope.