Proverbs 30:18

Never in my life did I think that one verse would have such a profound and somewhat funny impact on me. At a staff retreat last week, this verse came up and we, of course, took it out of context and added our own "inspired" words to it. Seriously, though, this verse has really stuck with me. It is a perfect example of an awe-struck author thinking of the things of God. It says, "There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand." It goes on to list three things that are beautiful and unexplainable physical creations of the Lord, and then then the final one is the way of a man with a maiden, which even now still makes me laugh out loud. (I definitely don't understand that!)

As we laughed about it, we decided that extending the verse to say, "There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand," and 9 that simply drive me crazy is the way that we would prefer it to read. To that extended verse, I commit this blog. If I were the writer of such a profound proverb, mine would read like this, " There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand:
1. The brilliant colors, the rolling plains that continue for as far as the eye can see, and the wild creatures taking it easy at a watering hole at sunset on the Masai Mara.
2. The way the clouds seem to sail through the sky on a crisp, clear morning as I fly by looking out an airplane window.
3. The creativity, passion, sense of humor, and endlessly inspired heart of God that would form so many nations, peoples, languages and all around beautiful things.
4. The way of a man with a maiden. (so true, so true)

And then, there are the 9 things that drive me crazy:
1. The way, despite my best attempts, I follow in the ways of Paul and "for what i want to do i do not do, but what i hate i do."
2. Drivers who pull right in front of you when the other 2 lanes on the road are wide open.
3. The way Satan uses our past mistakes and propensities to creep up on us when we least expect it or are struggling.
4. Carts that are left wandering that run right my car in the grocery store parking lot.
5. The way the Holy Spirit gently prompts and convicts of where we have gone wrong and shows us "the way forward," as my Kenyan friends would say. (So necessary and such a blessing, but let's admit it, sometimes it's a pain!)
6. Dust.
7. The events that have so scarred or impacted us that we have no choice but to remember and do something about them.
8. The way that every tree, bush, flower, shrub, and blade of grass in North Texas hates me.
9. CATS.

If you're still reading along, thanks.