God’s Green Eggs and Ham Approach to Life

Have you ever stopped to think that you may be trapped in the Dr. Seuss book called, Green Eggs and Ham?  I have.  In fact, I seem to be trapped in an almost “Groundhog Day” version of Green Eggs and Ham! Just when I think I have finally settled things with God as far as His asking me if I will “hope all things, believe all things, endure all things” FOR HIM…we seem to start the question all over again!

Currently He is offering me a plate of green, egg-shaped-trust opportunities. I am not talking about things like, “I will trust you, Lord, to get me a parking spot close to the Walmart entrance because it is raining today” stuff. I am talking about things like, “We have too many jobs running right now and none of them are finished quite enough to be able to bill for them, yet we have a hefty payroll due each week…did you realize that, Lord?” And HE replies to me, “If you trust me with your day, will you trust me for that pay? Will you trust me in the rain, even if there’s a bit of pain? Will you Pray to Me with a worship song, even if the trial’s long?” Experience has taught me to say a quick, “Yes”, in hopes that we can move on…but experience has also proven that until I really do MEAN it and am not just giving God lip service on the thing, we will have a few pieces of  ham with a couple green eggs put onto the plate as well.

I remember when Ben was job-hunting. We did the Green-Eggs-And-Ham approach to that until I was very, very tired of both ham and eggs. There was the “Marigold Pressing Company” in the outer reaches of a Midwest state that google admitted had a population of like, 1025 people, and the rest of the breathing life forms were cows. That plate took me about a week to warm up to. Then, I really wrestled over the job in China…the recruiter bragged that the company would help us find housing in the “gated community” and that the children would be put into the school for ex patriots which had “armed guards” for security. I literally WRESTLED ON THE FLOOR with God over that one! Finally I said, “Lord, if you will let me witness to every person on every plane going there and every security guard and every Chineese grocer, neighbor…the list grew LONG…I will eat that green-China-egg…” and I meant it. But obviously, it was another test.

Just like Sam-I-Am’s pupil in the story, I have actually come to crave these Green-Eggs-and-Ham tests in an odd sort of way. I tell my kids that it is a “love-hate-relationship”. I love the closeness with God but I do still hate the test. I love it that God is always so patient with letting me warm up to some of the strange things He brings into my life. He does know that I am “but dust” and He waits for me to remember that He really is “GOOD ALL THE TIME”. Francis Chan says in Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God, that we have a case of “spiritual amnesia” going around. I tend to agree. I will really learn something – like the fact that God’s plans for me are good…that they include a hope-filled future and just about the time that I am swallowing the last bit of a green egg…I find myself with another plate of them in front of me and I hear the Holy Spirit saying, “Let’s talk about the fact that your knuckles are looking a little white and you are breaking fingernails as you clutch the seat in front of you.”  Sigh…”Would you eat them in a house, would you eat them with a mouse?”

Since I like word pictures I often ask the Lord for one when something seems like I can’t quite “GET IT” though the lessons have been repeated several times.  When Ben was unemployed and I was really fretting over that – about 5 months into it, I asked the Lord for such a picture.  The Holy Spirit was so kind as He said, “Vicki, if your circumstances are a muddy pond…look into the pond and tell me what I (GOD) look like.”  I looked into my muddy-circumstances and I said, “Lord, the water is dark and your reflection looks mad and ugly and mean.”  Then the Holy Spirit said, “Stir up the water with your fear, Vicki.  What do I look like now?”  I had to reply, “Lord, I can’t even see you, the water is too choppy and your image doesn’t even seem to be there anymore…where are you?”  Then the Holy Spirit gently whispered, “Now take your eyes off your circumstances and turn around.  Look full into my face and see ME.  What do I look like?”  All fear fell away and I said, “Oh Lord Jesus, You are beautiful!  You are all powerful and yet lovely.  You are Magnificent and Kingly.”  The Holy Spirit said, “Vicki, when you look at your circumstances and think that they reflect Me, you have it backwards.  Your circumstances are not a reflection of Me.  I AM the I AM.  When you keep your eyes ON ME, you are no longer afraid of your circumstances because I can calm the storm. (Mark 4:35-40)  I can help you walk across that muddy pond. (Matt. 14:22-33)  I can help you walk through the water and not drown.(Is. 43:1-3)  Will you trust Me despite the fact that you have a muddy pond in front of you right now?”  I replied, “I will eat them with a mouse…” Yes, Lord, I will trust You.

That was when I learned how to rest in the Lord’s presence rather than “fret in the Lord’s presence”.  Now, when I see the Holy Spirit frying up a few green eggs, I tuck in my napkin and pull out the chair beside me…and I say, “Yes, I’ll eat them, Great-I-AM!” Video of Green Eggs and Ham…