Slug Bug

Read: Numbers 13:25-33; 14:6-9 “Slug bug blue!” Zac exclaimed when he spied a blue Volkswagen. As he spoke, he slugged his brother Teague, who was sitting beside him. The boys were playing their favorite game on the way home from school—seeing who could spot a Volkswagen first and slug the other guy. They kept count to see who got the most. Violet sighed. She pulled down the mirror on the sun visor and looked at herself. “My freckles look awful,” she said. “Slug bug yellow!” Teague yelled and slugged Zac as a yellow Volkswagen sped past them. Violet frowned. “If I can’t do something about these freckles, I think I’ll go into hiding.” “Violet, lots of people have freckles. Besides, I think they make you look cute,” Mom said as she turned onto their street. “Slug bug red!” Both boys laughed as they spotted the same Volkswagen at the same time and socked each other. “You hit me too hard,” Teague said, “so I get the point. That’s the rule.” “Is not!” Zac appealed to his mother. “Mom?” “Boys,” Mom said, looking at them in the rearview mirror, “that’s enough slugging. It’s time to end the game.” Violet turned around and glared at her little brothers. “I think you’re making those up. I’ve never seen that many Volkswagens in one short ride home from town.” “You aren’t looking for them,” Teague said. “You only see what you look for.” “That’s true, you know,” Mom said, looking at Violet. “It’s easy to overlook the good things in life—or in others or even ourselves—when we’re constantly looking for things to criticize and complain about. That’s why the Bible says to look for the blessings God has given us. When we remember that He loves us so much He sent Jesus to save us and promises to be with us in every difficulty we face, even things we don’t like won’t seem as bad to us anymore.” Violet looked at herself in the mirror again. This time she looked at her shiny brown hair and bright green eyes, and suddenly the freckles didn’t seem so bad after all. Mom pulled the car into their driveway. “Let’s try to remember to look for the good things God has given us and thank Him for all He’s done for us.” –Barbara J. Westberg How about you? What do you see—good things or bad things? When Moses sent twelve spies to check out the land of Canaan, most of them only saw problems because they didn’t trust God. Only two were able to see the blessings God had for them there. Instead of finding things to criticize, trust Jesus to take care of you and look for all the good things He puts in your life each day. Today's key verse: Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms. Psalm 68:19 (NLT) Today's key thought: Look for good things