Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. I Peter 5:8
Alrighty then, i did have this all written and then my finger inadvertently hit the right click button and poof! GONE ALL GONE! and of course it wasn’t saved. I’m learning how to blog and although it wasn’t a full explosion moment it was a mild Freakout moment. Now where was i….
Okay, i am both an Exploder and a Stuffer mix. Sounds like a breed of dog! So i am calling myself an Expluffer. I explode with my son and stuff with my dad. My explosions start with a rolling boil and my stuffing usually goes along at a simmer. If i’m fortunate i resolve whatever the issue is in my own mind before i reach that rolling boil of an explosion, but unfortunately i usually build my wall another row higher and have a pile of sarcastic retaliation rocks ready to throw. Sometimes i feel so totally helpless and out of control, sometimes it feels good just to let loose, but i do know one thing, when i lose it i always regret it. Then i put the blame on myself and the ugly labels come out and oh my what a mess i am, but then i remember; “The dots only stick if you let them.” Then back in Chapter 3 (i’m using a Kindle so not sure of the page) Lysa tells us Jesus saw Peter not as he was, but as what he could be. God doesn’t see me as i am, but as what i can be. My problem is that He probably thinks i’m never going to get there, but wait – we don’t have to do it alone do we? When we belong to God He provides us with what we need to fight Satan, that prowling Lion. He has given each of us our own personal armor fully inspected and ready to wear that will fit us for the battle again Satan. I am the one who chooses to be lazy and not put all my armor on each day. It can’t work properly if it’s not all there. How well do you think a jouster would do if he wore just the bottom half of his armor and his helmet? Not very well. How about just a shield and jousting stick? Again not very well, he would be leaving major portions of his body exposed to danger. That’s what it is like when we don’t put on all of our spiritual armor. It makes us vulnerable and leaves us exposed to Satan and his sneakiness. God has in His infinite wisdom supplied us with everything we need and the means to keep it working properly. Just as a soldier or jouster had to keep his armor supple and oiled so we as Christians need to do the same. We must keep our armor oiled with the regular maintenance of prayer and study in God’s word.
Ephesians 6:10-18 New Living Translation (NLT)
The Whole Armor of God
10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
He also tells us here to be alert, on guard and persistent in praying not just for ourselves but for fellow believers/soldiers. It won’t be easy but i am going to have to stop being so lazy and put on all of Gods armor on a daily basis so the Lion won’t be able to get hold of me so easily.
Are you with me ladies?! We can do this! We may fall and get scuffed up a bit but we will just pick ourselves up, dust off and resume the fight. With God before us who can be against us. This Expluffer is not giving up!
love and prayers and may God bless 🙂
Shiny Beads... 
I love how you talked about the armor of God. Just imagine I’d each one of us woke up early every morning and we visualized putting on the armor of God. I also love the expuffer. Thanks for the laugh. I think we’re all expuffers as we treat different people in different ways. Thanks for sharing your blog post!
Thanks Kara! I didn’t think it went through, this was my first time sharing my blog so i’m glad it worked.