Determination of a spider!

Yesterday I struggled most of the day with one of those horrible headaches that leave me wondering why in the world I don't talk to my doctor about getting some kind of medication to deal with them. Towards the end of the day I was laying in bed looking up and noticed this spider running across my ceiling. I sat and debated in my head should I or shouldn't I get up to get that darn thing. Ultimately I called out to my son and begged him to bring up the vaccum cleaner so I could 'suck' the life out of him :). I got up not completely human yet, still struggling with the headache, and vacuumed him up........so I thought.

Later that evening Dennis and I were chatting for a rather lengthy phone call. He had asked me about a few 'what ifs' and what were my dreams for the future and even us. Not a simple converation mind you, a very sweet and rather complicated one in fact. Then in the midst of a comment I was making I feel this thing drop down on me and move.............the SPIDER! Yep, apparently I had not 'sucked' his life but rather gave him more reason to torment and spook me I suppose. After screaming in his (Dennis not the spider) ear and dropping the phone I got composure and started looking for the darn thing. It was no where to be found......grrrrrrrrrrrr. Dennis laughed at me and we finally got back into our conversation and then low and behold on the wall, that stinkin spider was crawling up it. I had to get it, everything in me wanted that spider DEAD! And so I thought I had killed it, until this morning.........as I woke up and looked up, what should my wandering eyes would appear but yes that eight legged spider smiling and tormenting me! As I write this the spider is currently still racing around on the ceiling. At first I didn't want to wake the house with the vaccum and now each time I want to get him he is in a more difficult spot to get. I don't want to risk NOT getting him this time, I want that spider dead........his minutes are NUMBERED!

I suppose in many respects my personality is much like this illustration. I have determination and then some about most things in life. Strong willed some may call it. I prefer to look at it as passion and spunk :). Obsticles in life, trials and problems are just that to me. Things to get over, around or under. I am facing many of those right now, (then again who isn't) but with the spunk and determination of that 8 legged spider crawling around on my ceiling. Without obsticles in life I think life would be rather dull. Without trials our character would be, well rather stale. And without problems it would probably mean we had stuck our head into the ground and refused to live. Thats not me.

The simple trials and problems I face today or each day seem trivial in many respects. I think the Lord helps us realize the strength we have from Him as he walks us through the frustrations of life.

Oh criminy, where did that spider go to now!

"One who gains strength by overcoming obstacles possesses the only strength which can overcome adversity."
-- Albert Schweitzer

"The courage to face the trials and to bring a whole new body of possibilities into the field of interpreted experience for other people to experience – that is the hero’s deed."
-- Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth