If there is anything that make my skin crawl worse, I haven't encountered it yet. No, that is not an invitation.
I will spare you pictures of the roaches we have here. Just know that they are big, gross, determined, and a part of the existence here. In Honduras, they actually seemed more aggressive but still, just all around nasty.
Believe it or not though, these days I'm thanking God for the visual He's given me through them.
As we are still house-sitting, there are quite a few spaces that we have closed off as we either just don't need that space, or the family's things are being stored in those rooms, cupboards, drawers. Wellllllll...........when you have spaces that aren't used much, guess what happens?
Something else moves in.
So you get a cat. :)
Milo is learning to make himself useful regarding the mice issue albeit slowly, but amazingly, he IS handy at finding cockroaches. Nice. (detect sarcasm)
The other coping mechanism is clean like your life depends on it. And in the morning, you start all over again. That has been my first line of defense, but as you can probably tell by the mere fact that I'm writing about this subject....well...defense isn't going to solve all your problems.
The other day Alan and I had decided to stay up and watch a movie after putting everyone to bed. That was all well and good and a nice treat after the day's work. Everything was cleaned up and put away and off we went to the living room.
Lo and behold.....after the movie, Alan takes a cup to the kitchen, flips on the light and finds the cockroaches fleeing the scene.
Disclaimer: You must know something about my husband. I've hardly ever seen the man squirm and that is not because he hasn't had cause. He's done some of the grossest jobs - ones I never would have even imagined existed.
I heard flapping sounds and occasional grunts and made my way to the kitchen. He's kind of standing there and there is a HUGE flailing-almost-dead-but-not-quite-despite-the-size-12-shoe cockroach on the floor. His eyes are wide and his mouth open aghast. I asked the 'oh so helpful question', "What's wrong dear?", and he proceeds to tell me that the counters were covered in roaches. Covered.
Oh my grossness. Barf. Gag. Wheez.
There wasn't anything left out for them to 'go after' (I'm not bragging about my cleaning capabilities but one fact about me is that everything must. be. put. away. in the evenings - I put my kitchen to bed just like my kids.). They were just there. And we wouldn't have known it if we hadn't walked through the room and flipped on the light.
We've tried to catch them 'in the act' since and have only seen a couple. I dare you to guess what my new first-thing-in-the-morning-before-I-start-cooking-breakfast routine is. :/ Scour the countertops/stovetop to make SURE that I'm ending the day and starting it with a clean surface.
I was grumbling about it a bit and then it hit me that this is a little bit like my spiritual life. I can't necessarily just assume that my 'counters' are clean because they look it. I can't just assume that there isn't any ugliness 'out there' because it doesn't come out during the light of day. I can't just assume that because I have a 'mascot' tucked in my corner that he is going to do all the dirty work for me.
I need a daily washing (or scrubbing, depending on the day) of God's word. If I don't, things might look okay for a while - but imagine what lies under the surface. Shudder, shudder.
No thank you. I've already figured out that I don't do well on my own thankyouverymuch and desperately need that scrub down, cleaning, renewing of my 'surfaces', and getting ready for the day He has for me- just like my countertops.
Psalm 19:7-14
The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever.
The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.
They are more precious than gold , than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.
By them is your sevant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins, may they not rule over me.
Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Blessings,
Faith
PS: I would also like to publicly thank our neighbors for lending us Chinese Chalk to try and combat those nasty things on another front. :)
8 comments:
This just. makes. my. skin. crawl!!!! I've spent a couple of minutes trying to decide if I'd rather have this problem, or if I'd rather have rats. It's a toss up; scary, isn't it?!
So, can you get Borax powder? Or powdered bleach? You mix it with flour and a lot of sugar and water to make a sweet "dough" which you roll in balls and leave under the cabinets, behind the stove, and apparently - on the countertops. :) It helps.
I know you prefer cleaning with vinegar in the kitchen, but liberal use of bleach spray helps some too.
And, can I FedEx you some bait/roach inns/etc???
Combat Roach gel - there is nothing better! We have someone mailing us more down - it works in a few days (but dead ones will be scattered for a few days as they freak out and die. The roach gel also kills another insect that is destructive in the US - but I am trying to get my entomologist husband to write up a journal article on that :)
umm.. IF you decide to use that Borax powder to make a sweet dough which you roll in balls to put places for them to eat, and IF you get called away, PLEASE tell your kids that you are making cockroach poison and not cookies... because it does NOT taste very good when they snitch a lick of cookie dough that was destined for cockroaches!
Do you cover your drains with weighted covers? Ours always came up the drains.
Okay, that was seriously nasty, though I love the spiritual application. Let me ask Edith where she got this blue play-doh looking roach poison. I need some more, too, now that it's "that" time of year apparently. The chinese chalk needs to go all around the outside of your house, too.
Gah-ross! Now I can't go to bed until I read something else. Can't end on that.
I LOVELOVELOVE the spiritutal application. Thank you for sharing it.
Also, are you trying to deter me from seeking foreign mission work? ;-)
Ewww! This story reminds me of a story my mom told. When she & my dad were newly married, they stayed in a house that was infested with cockroaches. My dad would stand on a kitchen chair next to the light switch with an old pancake turner, then flip off the light until the roaches came out of hiding. Then he'd flip the light on & proceed to kill as many bugs as he could reach with the turner! He would repeat the process over & over...my mom says when he turned the light back on, the live roaches had carried away the dead ones.
Thanks to your story, I will remember a valuable spiritual lesson every time I think of roaches!
I could totally relate to this post although they don't seem to be quite THAT agressive here on the Baja. The roaches have been one of my hugest frustrations. It has been hard for me to get over the mentality I grew up with in the states that if I am keeping my house clean, I won't have them. They are everywhere here and everyone has them....I just have to keep reminding myself that. Great spiritual application as well. Thanks for sharing your life. I have enjoyed checking out your blog via Jamie Jo's and the WOTH blog. Pattie
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