Addiction sucks.

At first it’s so exciting! Like a light turned on in a dark living room, it promises to fill up the empty. Then, at some point, you’re working hard to control it, and the next thing you know, it’s out of its box and taking over the house.

Ralphie’s mom is absolutely the star of the lamp story.

She’s in that awful place where she can see there is a definite problem, but she can’t seem to do a thing about it. The plastic lamp has taken over, it’s out of control, it’s ruining her life.

This time of year, from Christmas carols to kids’ movies, the message is – We Are Saved. Because God loves us so much, we are somehow freed from ourselves.

But…what..? I mean…if we are freed, then why do we opt for plastic fixes again and again and again?

The truth is, God will free us from what controls us, but he also gives us the freedom to choose to stay controlled.

The point is, Ralphie’s mother made a choice. She could have given up, but she went the riskier route. She took action, and she broke the damn thing!  Go woman go.

And a highway will be there;

it will be called the Way of Holiness;

it will be for those who walk on that Way.

The unclean will not journey on it;

wicked fools will not go about on it.

No lion will be there,

nor any ravenous beast;

they will not be found there.

But only the redeemed will walk there,

and those the Lord has rescued will return. – Isaiah 35:8-10

(Thank you and Merry Christmas my anonymous friend!)