Muskrat!!!!

A week or so ago my family and I were over at our dear friends house (aka spiritual family). We get together to laugh, cry and pray. We have also been stretching each other by staying accountable to one another as sisters and brothers in Christ. Well that evening they shared with me how they noticed I tend to tear my self down a lot. My Knight agreed and I know he has actually talked to me about this before. I just didn't believe him. See I don't always see it. I say things and don't realize what I am saying about myself.

I grew up like this. If you didn't joke about yourself then someone else would. If you tried to say you were good at something than you were stuck up. I grew up with all that false humility crap in my life but even now it still haunts me. The problem though is I don't know when I begin to tear myself down. It just has become second nature. So the three of them (my husband, spiritual sister and spiritual brother) said they needed a code word they could say to get me to realize I was heading down that self destructive path. My sis said "Muskrat". We all joked and thought it was funny. My husband actually used it the other day and it worked. We were talking about something and then all of a sudden he said "Muskrat". At first I didn't get it and I replied with "What??!!" He smiled and said it again. By that time I got it and we were able to talk about the conversation.

The really funny thing happened today though. I wanted a picture of a muskrat so I went online to look them up. First of all they are ugly little creatures. I mean look at that stupid little white mustache and wiry tail. Then I read an article about one that destroyed a town. I believe it was in 2000 with all the flooding up and down the Mississippi River. A small town in Mississippi set up a sand barrier to keep the approaching flood waters out. Everything was going well. The sand barrier was working until someone noticed a rodent like creature out on the middle of the barrier. It was a muskrat. That pesky critter burrowed right though the barrier and water came pouring through. They were all helpless to do anything. One lady commented about getting a gun and shooting it but by that time it had already damaged their only hope. Within a few hours the barrier broke and water came rushing into the town. Muskrat's burrow under and through everything. They are actually a big nuisance in the mid-west.

So.....do you think God is trying to tell me something. How many times in my life have I allowed this "muskrat" thinking to destroy the plans and purposes of God in my life? Yes, I might have thought "It's just words, it's not going to hurt" but it can be just enough to allow the water to trickle in and then the flood comes. I have done it long enough now I must look like Swiss Cheese in the Spirit. No wonder I can get discouraged quickly or even depressed. I have this muskrat in my life making holes in my identity. So when the enemy comes like a flood against me it actually doesn't take much to burst through.

Thank you, thank you sis and brother. It was a timely word that had more prophetic, anointed significance then you even realized. I loved too that you both (and my Knight included) were able to help me see this without shame or condemnation. You two are an amazing blessing to our family. So go a head, as soon as you hear me going down this path of verbal tearing down yell "Muskrat" and I will know exactly what's going on. Unlike the poor town in Mississippi I am ready to get my gun out and shoot this rodent. With so many people reading this post who go to our church it will be really funny if this gets out and everyone starts telling me "muskrat". I give you my permission.