Get Rid of the Dead Squirrel!

While washing dishes the other day, I was gazing out my back window, enjoying the view. There was fresh snow on the ground (side note - there is always fresh snow on the ground this winter), the dog was frolicking in the powder, and it was a beautiful day.

Suddenly, there was a flash of brown tail and a flurry of snow in the air. I realized that my loveable Labradoodle was "playing" with a squirrel. Now, mind you, playing in Coco's realm means biting, picking up, throwing, and biting again.

I was falling all over myself, yelling at the closed glass sliding door, and pulling on my snow boots to get out there and stop her. I'm sure my entire block of neighbors could hear me yelling at the dog to "Put down that squirrel, NOW!" I had to chase her through the yard before I could force her into the house.

But, alas, it was too late.

The poor, injured squirrel attempted to climb the tree, but continued to fall time and time again until he finally just decided to half bury himself in the drift near the roots. I kept glancing out the window to see if he was still moving. It was a sad, pitiful story.

Brady was cooking dinner that night, so he mentioned that I should just grab a shovel and scoop it up - throwing it over the back fence so the dog (still waiting at the sliding door to finish the job) wouldn't have a heyday with the carcass.

No way, was my thought. I didn't want to touch that thing, let alone go near it. Besides, I was afraid if I scooped it up it wouldn't exactly be dead, and then what? So I continued to wash dishes while Brady diced vegetables and made some stir fry.

I couldn't take my eyes off that squirrel. It was really rather obsessive. I would walk past the window and glance that direction, pretending to do something meaningful in the general backyard direction. I knew my family was smirking, just waiting for me to do something about that squirrel. I just thought I would wait until Brady finished dinner - I knew he would eventually take care of it.

After continuous whining from the dog, I figured I should do something. The squirrel hadn't moved for some time, so I grabbed the shovel and headed into dead squirrel-ville.

I knew Brady and Kayden were watching me. To be safe, I shoveled up some snow and threw it on the squirrel to see if he would move or try and attack me. I was sure it was rabid - or at least angry because our dog had maimed him.

I looked back to the glass door to see Brady with a confused look on his face. He mouthed, Are you trying to bury it?

Finally I pushed the shovel toward the squirrel and as far away from my body as possible. I managed to scoop him up, but his gi-hug-ic (gigantic and huge together) tail was swinging off the shovel precariously, threatening to topple him off and toward my thighs. I continued this balancing act until I reached the back fence.

I mustered all my balance and strength, finally catapulting him into backyard purgatory (that place between the fences where all the weeds grow and no one mows). Now the battle weary squirrel has found his resting place. Maybe I'll see him in heaven and he'll thank me for my heroic deed.

But here's the weird part.

As I was walking back to the house, proud of my bravery, God started talking to me about getting rid of dead squirrels (yes, I know - you don't want to take a ride in my brain - not even for a few seconds).

When Brady and I were going through our fast, God talked to me specifically about food and the idol it had become in my life. As I let the shower water pelt my skin one day, He told me I had to choose. Was He ALL I needed or what?


So what does that have to do with the dead squirrel?

God told me we ALL have dead squirrels in our lives. They are sitting in our back yards. We KNOW we need to get rid of them. They are stinking things up. But we eye it, watch it, find excuses to keep it, try to find the good in leaving it there.

With all the diets I was trying, I was trying to keep my dead squirrel. I was trying to eat my heart out, still content with keeping it around. I was not going to throw it out. That was TOO BIG of a step. Because if I threw it out, then what? What would I do, then?

The drastic food choices I have made in my life are in no way the convictions I expect of everyone, but I have to testify to the GLORY of what has happened. I have lost 30 pounds (and counting), I go to the gym 5 days a week, I concentrate on clean eating. And letting go of all those preservatives has healed my body.

Those who have known me a long time know that egg based rich foods have always caused me so much pain that I am pretty much out for the day. I have been eating eggs regularly since the fast with no side effects. I also had very painful plantar fasciitis in my feet. It is gone - whether due to the weight loss or the detox, but either way, I am healthier than I've ever been.

God called me to get rid of the dead squirrel already. And it was not an easy path. It was painful and I fought it in the beginning. But if we would just realize He wants the best for us, we'd understand that keeping that dead squirrel around is doing NOTHING for us. It may seem like something we could stuff and keep in the living room as a pet, but it's not. It's hurting us - and He wants us to just LET IT GO. Stop holding on to it - it's not worth it in the long run.

So whether your dead squirrel is food, control, addiction, grief, lack of forgiveness - whatever it is, You know what He's asking you. Just do it. Get rid of it. He's waiting for you to give it up. And then He'll REALLY show you His glory.

And if God can speak to me through a dead squirrel, He can certainly do miracles for you.