Hopelessly Devoted to Q

Morning is always an interesting time for me, especially when I am fixing my hair and make up. It's that time of the day you have to look in the mirror.  I can't help but notice when I am staring at myself, who I really am. The mirror doesn't hide much, it shows us who we are and if we are lucky, who we have been.  A mirror gives us the reflection we need in order to see if we are happy with ourselves.  If we don't care for what we see, well, we can always make adjustments. Hm, maybe I should speak more on the mirror sometime, but this morning, standing in front of the mirror with a Q-tip in hand I realized something profound. I am completely devoted to my Q-tips.


Yes, I said DEVOTED! I love Q-tips! Nothing removes mascara splotches or water from the ears quite like a Q-tip.  I use several a day, I simply love them. I have special travel cases for them and I almost never leave home without them.  But what hit me this morning, is that no forces of evil could ever make me stray from the hard stemmed Q-tip.  Oh, I've tried those ones with the plastic middle, once! Never again! They fail me, they have no rigidity to them and they crumble under pressure. Who want's a Q-tip that does that?  I want to know that when I grab a Q-tip (from the special brass Q-tip container on my countertop) that it will serve me well.  If I had to choose between a meal or spending the extra bit of cash for the hard stemmed Q-tips I would gladly forgo the meal. They are that important to me.


Standing there, examining my Q-tip I realized that I am completely and totally devoted to the strong, sturdy, dependable brand I use.  I smiled to myself thinking that I even splurge from time to time and buy the small box of fancy schmancy ones with the beveled tip.  Oh! They are glorious to use around fresh mascara!  As silly as this revelation was, it forced me to look back into the mirror.  Here I was, standing solemnly with Q-tip in hand doing a one on one comparison with it and myself.  And sadly, the Q-tip won the argument.


I thought about how devoted I am to it, and had to ask myself if I am nearly as devoted to God.  I think I failed the litmus test.  I crumble under pressure from time to time (from not trusting solely in His power).  I do not stand rigidly on His word or promises.  Sometimes I set them aside and try to fix things on my own or use my own powers to get me through.  I fail Him in the fact that I don't always reflect the beauty He has placed in my life. He makes me all clean and presentable to the world and what do I do? I don't let Him shine through me so that they see His beauty. People see various sides of me, most of them are not glorifying to God at all.


He proved to me again this morning how He loves me and guides me.  I prayed for Him to be with me through this current mess we are in (which I will discuss in due time).  He led me to open up to January 19th in my book Grace.  When I grabbed the book to open it, the page I slid my finger onto WAS January 19th. (Audible WOW! Are you kidding me!! You ROCK!)  The verse He gave me was simple, I will be with you always.  Matthew 28:20


I sat amazed, laughing.... Jim asked what was up and I read it to him. We both just smiled.  We smiled because we know that even when we fall short, God goes beyond the finish line.  He finishes every race we start!  How could I not be compelled to stand in awe of that?  I read earlier this morning: It is a trustworthy statement, For if we died in Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him.  If we deny Him, He will also deny us; if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.  2 Timothy 2:13


How can I find myself so devoted to something as worthless as a Q-tip and yet my creator, father, savior, friend - gets far little devotion from me? Wow.  I think it's time to go back to the mirror.