Dear Church Family, Friends, and New Friends:

I work at home and don't see a lot of people. I do have my posse: that's my dogs Jairy and Bart. Jairy's a lab and Bart is a Chihuahua. Bart often spends his day in my lap as I work on my ...computer. Jairy guards me from the sleeping position at my feet. When I get up maybe to go to the refrigerator, we all go to the refrigerator. I'll stand there with the door open surveying my possibilities and when I look down, Jairy and Bart are doing the same.

Sometimes we need some exercise and Jairy likes to retrieve a ball. He will bring the ball back as long as I will throw it, with one exception. If a squirrel happens to run from his tree, Jairy will stop in mid-stride and chase the squirrel. It's like he has this disconnect in his brain when he sees a squirrel. I call it squirrel alert. Squirrel!!!! You can yell, plead, threaten, baby talk. Nothing works as long as the squirrel alert is sounding. The squirrel has his full attention.

A few days ago I was at Wal-Mart with Patty. We were in the wide isle behind the registers, passing the women's clothes. She was telling me a story about something that had happened at work. I, as a good husband was dutifully listening, wondering if the story had a point. Suddenly in mid sentence, she stopped, turned, I'm sure I heard the word “SQUIRREL.” Maybe not, but it sure seemed like it. Patty stopped and said, “Would you look at this, I can't believe the price.” We didn’t buy it and we proceeded on our way and she continued her story. Suddenly, “SQUIRREL!!” She saw another bargain! There we went again, diving into the woman’s section.

After thinking about my discovery, I wondered if we all have a SQUIRREL alert: the alarm that goes off inside of us when we see something that we just love. I thought about mine. I could only think of one. If I see a nice 50's model Chevrolet pick-up, my brain shuts off and I want to see it and talk trucks. “Squirrel!”

Then I realized a lot of people have a squirrel alert in their walk with the Lord. Things are going fine, and you're growing and enjoying the Lord's presence, then seemingly out of nowhere, “SQUIRREL!!!” Your attention is diverted to something else. I don't mean it is always a major offense, just something that takes your attention away from the Lord. For some it's a football game, “SQUIRREL!!” You can't miss the play-offs. For others it’s career, others family, for others it’s problems.

Whatever it is, you're taking the focus off of the Lord and directing it to something of far less importance. I don't know if we are born with a “SQUIRREL ALERT,” but I do know that we need to be aware that if Satan can redirect us, half his battle is won.

Praying for each of you.