“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Christmas is over and it was time to take down all the decorations. It took time to decorate, so it takes time to UN-decorate. Fortunately, when it comes to my outside Christmas lights, I created a quick and easy system meant to save time. And EVERY YEAR it goes well… UNTIL! This year was no exception.

Instead of using nails or screws to hold up my lights, I inserted screw hooks under the fascia board. Putting up the lights requires a step ladder AND an extension ladder to hook the string of lights into place. To REMOVE them, I take a long stick and simply lift the string of lights out of the hook from the ground. NO ladders needed! Well that’s the plan anyway!

There are 40 hooks around my house. Yesterday I easily unhooked ALL of them with a stick from the ground. Except for old #25! You can see from the picture where that one is located! Yup… right at the top of the peak of my gable. What does that mean to me? Well, to unhook my sting of lights from #25, I have to go get, extend, climb, unhook, un-climb, un-extend and put away my big ladder. Which takes longer to do than unhooking all 39 other hooks… combined! It’s troubling!

Jesus made it CLEAR that there would be trouble in this life. Since He didn’t qualify what kind, I just lump EVERY kind into the mix. #25 is just a tiny one! I have the same problem with rope, string and cords that ALWAYS get tangled when I touch them. It’s like a curse, and it may sound silly… but inanimate objects can easily bring out the real beast in me! Lately I have been forced to try a new system.

Inevitable trouble has a way of bringing inevitable anger and frustration that are NOT inanimate! It has taken me DECADES to learn this… but I have seen a connection that can’t be coincidence! In fact, I have come to believe that a little demon just watches to see if I am heading toward a cord or string… and then laughs hysterically as he pulls mine! You laugh? But using that mentality, I have come up with a solution to MY ‘string theory!’

When ol #25, a string or cord come into view, I have learned to be prepared for it. In my head I have PRE-determined that TROUBLE IS COMING (Jesus said so)! At the very second the tangle or snag hits… instead of getting angry and saying bad stuff, I am practicing smiling and saying… “Praise the Lord!” Hey… since trouble is coming… I may as well use it to Glorify the one who warned me… Jesus. Which… silly as it may sound… is EXACTLY the point of the verse!

You think that’s silly? What demon follows YOU? You may want to try out my string theory! It’s free!