Is the Stench Horrible?

On a walk to visit our neighborhood pond Chris mentioned to the boys who were well ahead of us that there was some road kill... this creature was super run over, very flat- maybe a smashed squirrel or chipmunk this thing was in such bad shape we couldn't even make out what it was when it was alive.   The boys were too eager to make it to the pond that they didn't give any pause to the dead rodent except Ethan.  He paused, turned back and said, in his little 4 year old man voice (it kinda sounds like a raspy New York accent- not sure where he's getting this from but its super cute)

 "Was the stench horrible?"

His cute little voice and obligatory answer to our question made us laugh out loud.  How does he know words as a four year old like "stench" and "horrible" and that dead animals would be associated with that?

Truth is the road kill was beyond stinking and so old and run over we couldn't even tell what it was anymore.

Why when our boys were on their way to see the beauty of the neighborhood pond did we even want them to stop and gaze at the death?

Why do we want to share with others our old sin, worries, past struggles that we have ALREADY given over to the Lord?  No one wants to see or smell the stench of a dead animal.  Stop dwelling on the things of the past, don't find your identity in negative things. Set your course for the future, your original destination, don't get tripped up by the past or negativity along the way.  Continue on fix your eyes on the beauty thats before you, in our case a pond. And when you get there may you only safely reflect with gratitude of what the Lord has brought you through, may you only see reflections of His beauty through creation.

Proverbs 18:21 "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit."

Deuteronomy 30:15-20  "See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.  For I command you today to love the Lord your God. to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed.  You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.  This day I call the heavens and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you Live and death, blessings and curses. NOW choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice and hold fast to him.  For the Lord is your life, and he will five you many years in the Land he swore to give your forefathers."

May I always make the choice to obey, stay the course, bite my tongue, choose my words and life so that I and my children may LIVE and hear the voice of the Lord.