“BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!” Yes, hearing that excruciating, irritating noise at 3:30 am when you’re set to wake up at 6:00 am can create a sense of panic and disorientation, all at once! I was disoriented, but not my man. He jumped up out of bed and went straight for the door where the smoke alarm is located. We actually have two smoke detectors fairly close to one another and he checked them both out. Nothing wrong. This has happened before, not that often, but often enough to know what to check for when so abruptly awakened. So, he came back to bed and I rolled over (after my heart made it out of my throat and back into my chest). Then, “BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!” again at around 4:00 am. Ok, this has GOT to stop! We both got up and went on a smoke alarm adventure throughout the whole house, Mojeaux right behind our every step as we searched for the cause. I consulted the digital expert on everything, Google. “Smoke detectors spontaneously going off”. Insects. Dust. Batteries. Faulty detectors. Old detectors. FIRE! I had four 9-volt batteries, so we changed batteries in 4 of the 6 detectors. We blew dust off a detector that continued to chirp. No insects. I asked Tim if he could see a manufacturing date. 2002. Yep, these things are 15 years old! Guess what I’ll be purchasing this weekend? I am ready for these false alarms to stop!
After we settled back into bed, my mind went on safari … searching, looking into the nooks and crannies of my mind. Just running wild. I started thinking about how these detectors are here to warn us of impending danger. We put these devices up and, unless we set alerts to change the batteries, we forget about them, until. That is, until they get our attention. These detectors “detect” danger or interferences to our safety and well-being. I thought about other detectors in our lives. I reminded myself of how last week while driving, my car alerted me that it was time for an oil change. An alert. I haven’t taken the time to get it changed and when I made a RUSHED trip to north Louisiana to check on my people, I drove Savannah’s car. Yep, you know it! I was about 2/3 of the way home Wednesday and I got another alert, this time in another car! Savannah’s car was alerting me it was time for an … wait for it … OIL CHANGE. I’m sure you know what I did yesterday. Yep, my car now has the oil changed, tires rotated, and fresh windshield wipers. Savannah’s car, I guess, will be next week’s adventure.
Alerts are put into place to warn us of impending danger or interferences to our safety and well-being.
I began thinking about other alerts in our lives.
I thought about that feeling you get when “something is just not right”. You know it. It just feels uneasy in your gut.
Or, what about that decision you need to make but just don’t have peace about? You can’t put your finger on it, but just don’t have that peace that surpasses understanding.
What about those times when you just can’t get away from stupidity and you are getting agitated at everyone? It seems like everywhere you are, everything annoys you. Then, you are reminded the common denominator is YOU, you are THE problem. Ouch. You are the one that is everywhere and allowing everything to annoy you. But, why?
Here’s one … what about when you can’t get anything accomplished. Walls, no doors or windows, are up on all four sides and you can’t see a way out. Everything you attempt seems to fail.
Oh yeah, what about those times that you begin to see yourself as “superior” in some way? Maybe you find yourself judging others too quickly. Then a big ol’ helpin’ of humility is put on your plate and placed before you and you realize it was you being judgmental toward others. Yest, another OUCH!
As I sit on my back porch, birds chirping, slight breeze blowing, sipping my pumpkin spiced latte (yes, I’m THAT lover of everything pumpkin person, NO JUDGEMENT, please) and pondering my personal alert system, these are just a few examples that come to me of ways that alert me that it is time that I “check myself”, “test myself”, or “check my motives”.
What are yours? Are you aware of your “alert system”? Or, do you truly believe the world is according to … YOU? To be painfully honest (believe me, I know, because this is a lesson I learned), the world MOST DEFINETLY is NOT according to YOU!!! Just because we think we know how things should be, does not mean it is in line with God’s thoughts. This, my friends, is why we must test ourselves … to line up accordingly.
I am reminded of Holy Scripture that encourage us to be open to the alert system, test ourselves, and get in line with the Divine Way of our Savior. Here’s just a few:
Lamentations 3:40 Let us examine and probe our ways, and let us return to the LORD.
Haggai 1:5-7 Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts, “Consider your ways! “You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes.” Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Consider your ways!
Matthew 7:5 “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
1 Corinthians 11:28 But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
2 Corinthians 13:5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you–unless indeed you fail the test?
These are just a few Scriptures that give us the encouragement and direction to attend to our alert system and check ourselves. Many years ago, someone very wise was sharing with me about her questioning a decision she was considering regarding her child. She noted that she has been “checking her motives” in this situation, and life, in general. I have latched onto that over the years. When I am faced with a decision, circumstance, or response, I check my motives. Am I in this to make myself feel or look good? Am I wanting the glory in this situation? Am I wanting attention? Am I wanting to promote myself, my man, or my children? This isn’t easy to check my motives. But, I can tell you that when I test myself, check my motives, and respond accordingly, I come out on top and have that “peace that surpasses all understanding”. This is all part of being proactive in your response to life. I believe this could be one possible cure to feeling like we are caught in that proverbial hamster wheel in the cage feeling we get by just responding to our life’s situations and circumstances.
When Savannah was in the hospital, Tim and I had to make difficult decisions frequently that affected not only Savannah, but us, Isabella, and others. I was constantly in that state of “check my motives, check my motives”. I can tell you that I have peace that God was in control and that we allowed Him to orchestrate those events in His way. It wasn’t EVER easy, but THAT peace is worthwhile and energizing. That peace is what allowed us to keep on, keepin’ on!
When pondering our alert system (the smoke detectors in our life that alert us to impending danger or interferences to our safety and well-being), please consider the following:
- “THAT” feeling of uneasiness, judgmental nature, lack of peace, instability, etc. is the manner of alerting you something may need checking on in your life and thought processes.
- “Checking your motives”, to me, is the trouble shooting method of determining the cause of the smoke detector of your life going off spontaneously.
- Frequently “Thinking about your thinking” and considering other, more proactive, ways to respond is the changing of batteries and maintenance of your alert system.
- And, lastly, if there is smoke and/or fire … REMOVE YOURSELF FROM THE SITUATION!!! Reclaim your life, well-being, and safety!
This picture is one of happier times, when things felt “whole”. It is Christmas Eve a number of years ago and we are spending it in Gramercy, LA at the lighting of the bonfires down the Mississippi River. This is an age-old tradition that lights the way for Papa Noel. We spent this evening with an amazing family who have carried on this tradition and opened their doors to their family, friends, and some strangers. Such a magical time! The fire in the background is beautiful, when contained. Hot! But, when left unattended, has devastating results.
Check your smoke detectors, have peace, and THRIVE!
Stephanie