I just mentioned to Tom today that i haven't had any serious centipedes in the house since i got back from outreach, when tonight as a girl who is new to the base was sitting with me downstairs chatting, a beast races across the floor. "Oh- centipede..." she remarked as she pointed it out to me. (This house gives great first impressions, i tell ya. At least the girl is familiar with the tropics and wasn't put out in the least.) I leapt up but was too late: it snuck up under a warped baseboard. None the less I poked my crowbar into the recess and, finding that futile, sprayed heavy duty pest control chemicals into it. "May God smite you if you try to harm me."( I know God made that creature, but its in the space He gave to me- so its out of bounds and beyond its rights.) I released the situation and entrusted my protection to the Lord. (It can be hard to not be a little paranoid as you try to fall sleep knowing that something like that went into your bedroom wall a couple feet away from your head.) I sprayed chemicals across my bedroom threshold and moved on with my life in peace:)
Just now, less than two hours later, I was just about to turn out my lights to go to bed when i spontaneously did a brief stretch. While bent over, i saw a shape the same color as the floor that looked like a few inches of tangled of cord under the empty bed in my room. But i just cleaned and i know there shouldn't be anything there. I looked closer. Yep. My enemy lay perishing- and i didn't even have to use the crowbar. He was good and smote.
(I do not mean to give the impression that the Lord just struck the beast miraculously- I think that would disrespect and belittle the skill which God gave to the makers of pest control chemicals, and would unnecessarily multiply hypotheses. Rather, i point out with gratitude that even though it got so far as my bedroom, the chemicals God provided to me worked upon the creature before it had further opportunity to harm me. In this natural and yet gracious way- gracious in allowing me to find the fallen foe so I need not wonder about it as I tried to sleep- God smote the pede.)
I am grateful to go to bed knowing that it is now quite deceased and lost in the fathoms of the plumbing.
