"My Pretty Stuff"

    
     Many of you may know this about me, but for those of you who don't, I am 37 years old who has never flown in an air plane. Yes, you read correctly, I've never even stepped foot in a air port. So, unfortunately or fortunately, I've experienced at least a few road trips in my life.

     As a youngster I remember many weekend trips to Jackson Co. to visit the greatest people in the world. As I've gotten older there have been a few long (12-14 hour) trips to the beach with my family, and many in between. Tons of memories (some good, some bad) flood my mind when I reminisce about each trip.  Some things about each trip are forever etched in my memory, but one thing stands out above everything else. There is one similarity about each trip. One thing that stayed the same through my childhood and now on through my children's childhood, the abundance of "my pretty stuff". 

     As a child, I remember enjoying the scenery during our weekend trips to Jackson Co. Maybe I noticed the scenery because I didn't have my nose stuck in a phone or game system. Whatever the reason, I have always enjoyed nature and everything in it. To me each season has it's very own breathtaking beauty, and I always took time to notice.  During the summer road trips I always seemed to notice this beautiful vine that seemed to grow on everything.  It seemed to grow freely on the mountain sides of eastern KY. Once I noticed this beautiful vine it was forever deemed "my pretty stuff".  Every trip from that point on, even now, I have always admired "my pretty stuff".

                           As I'm sure you're wondering, "my pretty stuff" is pictured below.

  

It's better know as, Kudzu (/ˈkʊdzuː also called Japanese arrowroot) is a group of plants in the genus Pueraria, in the pea family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae. They are climbing, coiling, and trailing perennial vines. The name comes from the Japanese name for the plants, kuzu, which was written "kudzu" in historical romanizations. Where these plants are naturalized, they can be invasive and are considered noxious weeds. The plant climbs over trees or shrubs and grows so rapidly that it kills them by heavy shading.


     I'm still not 100% sure why I find this vine so intriguing, I guess, to me it presents with such a natural beauty.  It seems to grow so freely, and so beautifully while carpeting everything in it's path.

 

     During my most recent road trip to Mexico Beach, FL, of course I noticed "my pretty stuff" carpeting the roadsides along the way.  However this time was different, I noticed "my pretty stuff" but this time with an overwhelmed heart.  At an early age I developed a love for this vine which continued until this trip. Our journey began the first official weekend of fall, and for many places the effects of fall had already began. In many places "my pretty stuff" had died off to reveal the devastation below.

 

 

     The definition of Kudzu uses the words invasive, noxious, grows so rapidly it kills them.  As I noticed the devastation caused by the vine a few verses came to mind, John 10:10, the thief comes to kill, steal and destroy and 2 Corinthians 11:14, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.  

     Wow!  I spent the remainder of our drive overwhelmed but my realization that "my pretty stuff" ,a seemly harmless vine, consumes anything and everything in it's path, much like the enemy.

     Through my journey with Christ and maturity in faith I have learned many things. Far too many things to discuss, but a few I'd like to highlight.  I have learned that I will never understand everything in the Bible, no matter how many times I read it (I'm not suppose to). I will mess up time and time again (hence my need for Jesus),  and the enemy will disguise himself as ANYTHING necessary to draw me away from Jesus. He has spent millions of years studying the human race and he knows our weaknesses!  He, like the Kudzu vine will disguise himself as something intriguingly beautiful and harmless.... until it's beauty fades and the devastation below is revealed.

 

     Listen, the enemy wants to ravage your life. He's schemes are noxious and invasive, he wants to dull your light until it finally burns out. Recognize the enemy and his tricks. 1 Peter 5:8 says, Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Don't allow the enemy to devastate your life like the Kudzu vine. Be on alert, always looking for and recognizing his tricks.

 

Ephesians 6:11-14, Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.