It’s an uneasy discovery finding a tick on your body. I found three on me recently (well, I found one, Katie found the other two. Isn’t marriage wonderful?) and quickly got the tweezers to yank the buggers out. It didn’t hurt too bad and was over quickly. We played a show up in the mountains in southern Missouri last Saturday and were finding ticks all day. I’m assuming this is where the little guys hitched a ride—unless that church in Rockford, IL has some serious pest control issues.
I grew up in Arkansas and Texas and played in lots of overgrown fields and woods. Ticks are just part of that equation. It’s been years, though, since I’ve had one on me and, like most things, it got me thinking. The most unnerving part of finding those ticks was realizing they’d been there for three days. I had no idea. Just going about my day with no clue that the blood thirsty creatures had attached themselves, drinking the very life from me (melodramatic?). I had become their host unaware. As an aside, isn’t the word host just a little too polite for what’s actually happening? I never sent invitations and the hors d’oeuvres were me—a tiny tick flash mob on my nether regions.
So, yeah. I had no idea they were there. It’s slightly metaphoric for so many other things too. I let little things attach themselves and before I know it, they’re slowly killing me (or parts of me). My smile gets a little dimmer, my words a little sharper, my spirit a little dryer. I don’t realize it until something very un-me happens; I snap at my wife, make a condescending remark to a friend, withhold gratitude, etc. These things aren’t me, but they are evidence of the things that attach themselves to my soul: pride, distrust, bitterness. Unfortunately, it takes humility, love, and forgiveness to uproot these things. Slightly larger than a pair of Walgreens tweezers.
Ticks suck.
(rw)
I’m participating in Watercooler Wednesday at Ethos. My pet peeve phrases/words are: “Make no mistake…” and when someone wanting to be perceived as passionate describes anything (food, music, film, book, etc) as amazing. Amazing should be reserved for things like Steinbeck, Schindler’s List, and Led Zeppelin II.
ok, your analogy of the ticks is great! i find myself in that situation more often than i would like to admit. i am so thankful for God's grace and the love and forgiveness of those around me! i was looking back for your post about not sweating the small stuff b/c that really spoke to me too. i'm not quite 40 (close though) and it is amazing (sorry for the use of that word, but it worked there) to see how much i sweated the small stuff not so long ago. anyway, in the midst of my search, i stumbled upon your post describing your performance in church. hysterical...wish i would have witnessed that! but what i appreciated even more than the detailed description, was your comment on humility, the rock and the quote on perfection! thanks for sharing!
Posted by: carrie | June 20, 2008 at 04:50 PM
Ewww and double EEWWWWW!!!! Just because you mentioned Rockford, I suddenly feel ticks all over me. I grew up camping and fishing, and still do both...50 ticks later, I still HATE ticks.
Posted by: Laura Anderson | June 19, 2008 at 01:34 PM
Ok now I'm REALLY starting to wonder if we're related...both from Texas...last name Williams. Interesting...
Anyways, sorry about the ticks! That does suck :p But at least they led to a nice little revelation :) Love when that happens!
Posted by: Kelly | June 19, 2008 at 11:54 AM
I grew up in Colorado, but have never had a tick. Now we live in AZ, not too many of those down here. Good analogy, I won't say amazing analogy (ha ha)but I honestly liked it. We've got to shake off the things that suck the life out of us!
Posted by: Audra Krell | June 18, 2008 at 05:55 PM