The Kiss that Caused Lizard Breath

Last night while driving in the car- my seven year old daughter and I were talking about the virtues of frogs. They are soft, they jump, they have great toes, and if you catch the right one and kiss it – they just might turn into a prince.

That conversation brought me back to when I was her age- 7 and living in the islands as an MK. I had no friends to play with (all together- awwwww) and I had a huge imagination so I didn’t care most of the time. But this particular day I wanted to have a playmate. I played with my dog Tiny who chased lizards all day. He would get on one side of a tree and I would get on the other and we would chase the lizards around the tree. When I caught them I would hold them by their belly, or open their mouths and place them on my ear lobes, or just talk to them. But on my lonely day- I had a new idea. I was going to kiss one on the mouth and see if it would turn into a prince- or better yet- a playmate. No one was around to see so I closed my eyes held the lizard and planted one on right on its tiny green lips. I kept my eyes shut and did not feel the lizard changing within my fingers. I opened my eyes to see the lizard still in place squirming, and my Dachshund, Tiny, staring at me. It didn’t work. Disappointed I realized that all I had gotten out of that transaction was lizard breath.

How many times in our life have we wished away our circumstances? Wanted an instant fix to a situation? Took matters into our own hands? I think of times when I was a teenager and even an adult where I wanted to hear a word, a direction, a piece of wisdom from him -anything. I would close the Bible, close my eyes, and open the Bible up- eyes shut- would point to a place on the page. I would open my eyes up and read that verse. More often than not- it had fallen on a section like 1 Chronicles 4:17 “The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher and Jalon. One of Mered's wives gave birth to Miriam, Shammai and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.”

Come on God. Don’t laugh –you have done it too!! We do this when the direction, the answer, the situation we are facing has already been answered by the Lord. He has already given us the answer in the pit of our stomachs.

I remember times when I already had the WORD- I just was fearful to stand on it. Sometimes (gasp) I didn’t want to do what the Lord was leading me to- Now that would be a whole other topic- and really who has the time?

Bottom line- Do what He is leading you to do. Stand strong in Godly Decisions. If you are still unsure- seek Godly council from your Pastor, your family, and Godly mentors in your life.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Don’t go kissing lizards for a change- look around you. Now for the rest of the story- as a famous radio personality would say. All the while that I was wishing for a playmate, that I was lonely, and getting tired of playing with Tiny the Dachshund, there was a little boy the next house right down the hill that was lonely too. He had braces on his legs, he couldn’t run far distances, he was shy because he was tired of being laughed at, he was frail to others- but strong in heart to me. Troy and I became fast friends. Even inseparable friends to the point that I still have his number on speed dial 33 years later.

I had to choose to let go of the lizards- and go beyond my comfort zone to find him. To open myself up to HIS DESTINY for my life. Now back to you….get out there and go where he is leading you today!! Great things are ahead and remember anything is better than lizard breath!