Be Alert--watch out for those scams!

She sat at the table of the sidewalk cafe and watched the people scurrying by. Men with briefcases talking business on their cell phones. Women clutching the hands of their children as they rushed to get home to fix dinner and do homework. Taking her cup in hand she took a deep breath and tried to steer her thoughts away from what waited for her at home. But no matter how hard she tried, the scene from that morning loomed dark in her mind and emotions.
Getting ready for work that morning, she decided she had had enough. Her emotions were so close to the surface that she could hardly function. Putting on her mascara was no easy job--as tears kept finding their way down her cheeks. She would tell him today she was leaving. She had had enough. She could not even begin to think of how she would tell her son. He had to know what was going on. All the yelling. How she wished someone could step in and stop what was going to happen. How had they gotten here?
Try as she could- she could not figure out how things had gotten where they were. She had loved him so deeply when they stood at the altar. Never could she have imagined loving someone with so much passion. Even after the honeymoon life had been good. Little calls. Notes left on the mirror. Life had been sweet.
Maybe it began to change with the birth of their first child and the change in jobs. Maybe that was it. She had begun to feel separated. He worked and time at home became a whirlwind of taking care of responsibilities. She had tried to tell him how she felt. How she needed something. She felt disconnected. He did not seem to understand.
The loving thoughts that once filled her head now had been replaced by thoughts that led to frustration and anger. She didn't deserve this. This was not what she had bargained for. Why should she have to live like this? She would just cut her losses and go.
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First and very importantly, this woman is not me at this time in my life. She used to be me. When my son was about three, my marriage was in shambles. I was in the restaurant business working ten and sixteen hours days. My husband was working a job that was opposite mine in hours. I was not going to church because I was working so much and going to school. I was so tired. Our son was a handful. We would later find out he had ADHD.
Life and Satan had taken control of my life. I was miserable. My marriage was miserable. My Mom thought I was on the brink of an emotional breakdown. I probably was.
I moved out and lived in an apartment on my own for about a year and a half.
Of course there were many more details than were listed here. Financial situations. Me walking away from the Lord. I got involved with things that I should not have.
What a mess!
Today would the same thing happen? Could the same thing happen?
If Satan had his way--YES!
Am I on the brink of divorce? No. Not even close. Not even thinking about it.
Am I on the brink of a nervous breakdown? No. Not close. No way!
But, I became aware yesterday that my marriage has been under attack. It was a sneaky attack. (And I missed it!) It began simply with the events of my life. A change in home. A change in residents of that home. A testing time from God. Situations with our children.
And, before I knew it, my thoughts began to draw a picture that was not pleasant. A picture that I began to think I did not want to be a part of. Who would?
After the post yesterday on scams and how to react to them--I had an ahaaa! moment.
I had been buying into a scam. A scam that the enemy of my soul had been weaving so carefully.
If he could get my eyes off the truth and focused on me--then I would start to sink. Yes, kind of like Peter walking on the water and then taking his eyes off Jesus.
Last night I looked at my husband and bam!--it hit me like a ton of bricks. Satan had been slipping in and out of my thoughts, weaving all kinds of emotions and events to try and separate my husband and I. I love my man. He is not perfect. Neither am I by the way. (Just in case you were not sure about that) ;)
He is the one God gave me and I am happy, pleased, and eternally grateful for that gift. I would not trade him in and I will not let Satan take him away.
I will not buy the scam that Satan has sent my way.
We need to recognize that when we start to entertain certain thoughts-- we may have begun the process of believing in one of the scams of our enemy. He can touch our thoughts-- but he can not make us believe them. The danger is that so many times we don't even realize that the thoughts we entertain are not our own. We hear, "I'm miserable". And we believe it to be truth. And then down we go.
Let's be alert! Our enemy is on the prowl. He will not approach us face to face on the street corner. He will not walk up to us and point his finger in our face and say, You are going to believe the lies I feed into your mind. He doesn't work that way.
Today let's watch our thoughts. Let's check them against the truth. And then let's fight back!

Again, I love my husband.
I am happily married. Next week we will celebrate 19 years of marriage. I am in for-until death do us part. I just wanted to share this time in my life so that we would be reminded that our marriages are never safe when we allow our minds to be touched and influenced by Satan.