Dear God, will there be No-See-Ums in heaven?

I can hardly focus on writing this blog, because my legs have been eaten alive by No-See-Ums. My gracious neighbor came over to get my pool pump working and the Family Ceratopogonidae spotted dinner! I have these nice, meaty legs. When I was 13, my grandmother said, "You got fat legs just like ya PaPaw had. But, they'll be purty when yur older. You won't have those bad veins." Can I tell you that the last thing that a 13 year old needs to hear is that she has fat legs, much less that they look like her grandfather's. Now that I am older, I can appreciate my fat legs, but so can the obnoxious No-See-Ums. They see me coming and I swear they call their friends to join them at this "all you can eat" buffet.

I decided to read up on these creatures. They are tiny biting flies. You don't feel the bite initially, but within a matter of moments, they begin to itch. By the time you realize that you have become dinner, it is too late. They have already feasted and you are a scratching maniac.

They usually reside around water. They often live in shrubs or you may find them in a thick layer of dead leaves. Well, I didn't realize that I am such a gracious hostess to these pesky little insects. I have a pool, so I provide them with ample water. And, lately, I have been dumping the leaves from the filter by the pool pump rather than putting them in the trash. What a relaxing little habitat I have created for them!

The article goes on to tell how to avoid them. Don't scrub your feet around in leaves. You will stir them up. While they are very difficult to see individually, sometimes you can see them swarming. In this case, shut your mouth. You might swallow or breath some in. They won't hurt you, but they might make you cough. And, frankly, who wants to think of swallowing a few hundred No-See-Ums. Also, if you see a them swarming, walk away, as they tend to locate in one general area. More extensively, you can keep your grass cut and take the dead leaves to the trash! However, the best way to avoid the insect bites is to spray on insect repellent. Don't worry, the article says that you only have to use it fall, spring and summer. Just think of the aroma of the repellent as the latest Eau de Parfum on the market. And at $6.99 for a 20 ounce can, you get a really good deal!

There are other No-See-Ums in our lives. We all have them. They are people or situations that we get in the middle of that end up causing rashes of anger, hurt feelings, discontent, etc. We can apply the same methods that we do with the real insects. First of all, keep our mouth shut. So much can be avoided if we just learn when to be quiet. Next, there are times, that we need to just walk away. We see a situation that is leading to no good, so the best thing we can do is remove ourselves. Additionally, we can check out the habitat we are creating in our lives. Are we taking the debris out to the trash or do we keep it in our heart allowing it to decay and become an inviting home for the flies of bitterness? Finally, we must remember that as Christians, we have the greatest repellent available. In John 14, Jesus promised us a helper. "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you."

I want to leave with one final thought. I have to say tonight, "God, forgive me for the times that I have been the biting insect. The one who caused pain and irritation to another." We all have worn that shoe at one time or another. I pray that God would keep me ever mindful to the way that my actions affect others.  May the Advocate who is with me, gently nudge me when I head in a direction that could cause pain.  If I do not acknowledge, may He grip me so tightly that I would feel His imprints on my heart and be able to see the pain I could cause others through His eyes.