Why would you want a mouse in your bed?

I used to want a pet mouse...but no longer. I admit, this photo of a mouse I have here is showcasing an exceptionally cute mouse, but I have little relish for "wild" mice...boxer or no. So, imagine, if you will, that this mouse has red eyes and sharp fangs... ...ok...now imagine that he is covered in germs - nasty germs that could cause nasty diseases if you got them. Why would you want a mouse in your bed? As a guest preacher said at our church this past Sunday (paraphrasing): "God provides us with many illustrations from our own lives." For the past few nights, I have been made aware of the presence of a mouse in my bedroom. Not a huge, HUGE deal, because my bedroom is large, and I have poison. I am able to tolerate the scurrying of a mouse for a few nights. I just can't stand being on the same floor as them while I know they are around (hence the pictures of ladies jumping onto chairs whenever a mouse is in the house). I'm not sure what causes this, but perhaps it is a healthy fear of germs and being bitten that God has placed in all women. Perhaps it is the fact that, as long as I'm in control (being able to sleep while the mouse is being poisoned, being ABOVE the mouse and able to squash it if need be) I am alright, but as soon as there is a possibility of the mouse gaining the upper hand (running up my leg - eek!) my resolve weakens. Perhaps. In any case, tonght I was sure that I would sleep fine, because I could hear the mouse eating the poison I had placed out for his (short-term) delight. I finished what I was reading and shut out the lights. I then closed my eyes and started to doze off into a peaceful slumber. *scuttle, scrape, scuttle, scuttle* "EEEEEEKKKKKK!" (well...at least, that is what I was THINKING...) I felt a breif pressure on my covers, and my mind was suddenly VERY awake. I flashed the covers off (throwing whatever had landed on my covers off) and flicked on the lights. I quickly glanced around and assessed the situation. No mouse...oh...wait. There it was, on top of my foot-high CD case rack, behind (of all things) a cat statuette (it's a girl cat, I know it). If there is one nice thing I can say about this mouse, that would be that it is very athletic (I shall call it Jarred! lol). It had somehow jumped onto my bed, and now hopped off of the CD rack. Needless to say, I grabbed my pillows and charged upstairs, wondering if I would ever be able to have peace from the mice again in my own room. Then...could it be? - a lightbulb! I have a terrier. Terriers kill mice and rats as part of their instinct. This Terrier is very good at that. Hmmm... So, Teddy, our dog, is now employed in the honorable service of killing the mouse. What a hero! So, where am I going with this? Two places:. We need to choose carefully what we let into our "beds". Everything is not as "innocent" as it seems. To do this, we need help outside of ourselves, and often that help is right in front of us...but we just keep overlooking it. "Mice like rats are a major health hazard. They are responsible for the spread of many diseases, some of which can be fatal to man. They can eat food, which is intended for human consumption, and contaminate much more with their urine, droppings and fur. Mice can also cause structural damage to property by gnawing through wiring, pipework and other materials. Diseases spread by mice are Salmonellosis, which is a type of food poisoning, gastro-enteritis accompanied by headache and fever. Parasites include mites, ticks, tapeworm and fleas." - Northampton Borough Council "This cute mouse can do all of that? No! It can't be true." It is. What's sad is that, though we may be aware of the damage a mouse can cause, there are many more things that are FAR more damaging to our lives - and our spirits - than mice...and yet, we let them into our lives day after day. What am I talking about? Movies/what we see. Luke 11:34-36 "Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness. Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light." Books/what we think on. Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Video games/what we spend our time doing. Ephesians 5:15-16 "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. " How do you define what you allow "into your bed"? Is it by what "feels" right at the moment? By what your friends dictate? What isn't "TOO bad"? The question isn't how close we can come to some imaginary line - it is: how can we best obey what God has commanded, bring honor and glory to him, and not spiritually hurt ourselves however "big" or "small" it may seem, but in fact, to GROW in Him. There are many "diseases" out there, hiding in a "cute" or "attractive" skin. How do we sort out what is pleasing to God and what isn't? There are so many "half-truths" an "candy-coated lies" out there, that it is virtually impossible to come up with a fool-proof formula for avoiding evil...however, what we need isn't a formula - it is Jesus. If we are uncertain about the quality of something for our spirit, we should first research it and then evaluate it. Do I really need this? If I have this will it help to mature me into a godly man/woman? If Jesus could have done this with his time, do you think he would have? Does it promote wrong thought patterns/desires/attitudes? Does it cause me to sin? Will it matter 5, 10, or 20 years from now if I don't do this? Etc. Asking yourself these sorts of questions can help you to take a step back and get a better perspective. Your life won't be ruined by missing going to one movie with your friends, or selling an x-box. You can also ask a trusted friend. Not one who you know will give you the answer you want, but one who really cares about what you do to your spirit, and will tell you the truth. The more you allow mice in your bed, the easier it gets to live with it. The more you hear swearing, think about the perfect "happily ever after", view brutal killing, see evil spiritual practices etc, the more you get used to them, and the less "bad" they seem...but no matter how "bad" or not they seem, that doesn't change their effect on your spirit. The answer is right there: God's Word. We just have to be willing to honestly search for the truth, and be willing to sacrifice what we might enjoy or have become used to in order to nurture our spirits. We should have the same cautiousness for/wariness of sin entering our lives as we would for a mouse entering our bed. We should attempt to prevent those situations which could cause us to stumble, and if they are thrust upon us, to do what we know would be pleasing to God - to cling to what is true and flee from what is potentially corruptive and damaging. Well, it is now 2am, and I can't believe I just wrote all of this...but I hope it provokes you to thought. If you have any questions/comments let me know. Anything I could add you may tell me as well...keep in mind that I DID write this at night...when I should have been sleeping. ;) I ain't letting no mouse in MY bed! ~Lady Tai