The many "ticks" of life...

Last night after school, Hannah’s dance lesson, her weekly Wednesday hang-with Grandma-and-Grandpa–so-Mommy-and-Daddy-can-go-to–our-small-group night, I was getting her ready for bed. We were in the bathroom, brushing teeth when I felt led to take a closer look at her hair. Being a First Grade teacher, I know the importance of a thorough head check now and again. Early detection is the key to killing those little buggers! As I pulled her strands of beautiful, shiny, black hair back and examined her scalp I saw nothing…PHEW…we’re good to go…hold on…what’s this….no….it can’t be….

I let out a blood curdling scream calmly called for Pete to come to the bathroom. He ran in to see what I was screaming upset about. I handed him the pliers tweezers and he proceeded to carefully remove a large TICK from the back of Hannah’s precious head as I silently very loudly begged God to help him get the whole thing out.

Thankfully Daddy saved the night again… he did indeed get the WHOLE tick out of our sweet Hannah’s little head. As I’m telling Hannah to keep her head down and she’s telling me her hair is hanging in the sink and I’m telling her it’s okay all the while she’s asking to see the bug. Here I am freaking out that there’s this horrible disease-filled thing trying to get into my daughter’s head and she’s more interested in seeing it…oh the perspective. :0)

After all was said and done, we jumped on-line to type “I found a tick on my child” in the search engine. It was very interesting to me to read that the person being bitten by the said member of the arachnid family feels nothing. Blood is being sucked from your body and you don’t even know it. Also interesting to me was the fact that if discovered early and carefully (fully) removed, there’s no treatment…you are as good as new.

Later, as I was thanking God for prompting the earlier search of Hannah’s head, something came to me….I started thinking about all the “ticks” in my life. The little things that try to attach themselves and suck the life out of me…all the while I sit oblivious to the tremendous damage they are doing. I call it “sharing with my friends” but it’s really gossiping and judging. I call it “innocent flirting” but it’s really dishonoring my husband. I call it “wanting to keep myself looking young” but it’s really vanity.

Left unattended to, these “ticks” (like the real ones) can burrow deep under my skin causing long-term damage…even death. Yet, discovered early and entirely removed…I am healthy once again.

Although QUITE disgusting to discover…I am so thankful God revealed the tick embedded in Hannah’s head and I am also thankful He points out the many ticks in my life so I can work on them and get them out…head and all.

So please be aware my friends…examine your lives on a consistent basis for ticks…both literally and figuratively.

Until then…