I am constantly amazed at how my life lessons weave together without my intention or purpose.    Often it feels like everything is weaved together like a beautiful quilt, overlapping lessons made with the same fabric and bright new ones every day.

We have bought a house that had smokers living in it for over 40 years.  I walked in the door, got an immediate headache and had to walk out.   My husband smelt beyond the smoke and saw the great structure, new roof, windows, furnace and he knew that he could work to get rid of the smoke.  Me, I was not so optimistic.   I have not been overwhelming optimistic about this whole renovation project.

I grew up with a mother that smoked for a long time.   My sister and I finally harassed her enough that she stopped.  If I would go to a place where there was smoking, upon returning home I would immediately take off my clothes, put them outside and hit the shower.  The clothes never came back into the house until they were to go into the washing machine.   The smell of smoke repulses me.

I have a beautiful desk that I was given to me by my grandmother.  I remember my grandmother writing letters and in her journal at this desk.  BUT this desk lived in a smoking home for over 30 years, thus the desk has not make it inside our house.

Here it sadly sits in my parent’s garage:

One of my greatest life lessons has come this week, through the book of Daniel in the Old Testament and it is all about the smell of smoke.

A good friend and I are studying it with the help of Beth Moore.  This week we hit chapter three.  In this chapter, it talks about King Nebuchadnezzar building an image of gold ninety feet high and nine feet wide.  When everyone heard a sound, they were told to fall down and worship the image or they would immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace. Three Jewish men refused to bow down. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were given another chance, but they refused to bow down.  Here’s what King Neb did next:

– ordered the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual

– commanded some of the strongest men in the army to tie the three Jewish men up and throw them into the blazing furnace

Here’s what God did:

– the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took them up, but not Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego

– there were FOUR men walking in the fire (no longer tied up!)  Perhaps it was Jesus?

– lastly, the fire did not harm their bodies nor was a hair on their head singed; their robes were not scorched and there was NO SMELL OF FIRE ON THEM!

Whew, so I am going to exhibit a little faith, these men were thrown into a fire and didn’t even come out smelling like it, our house with a bit of elbow grease isn’t going to smell like smoke.  Thank you Jesus!

Now, I am feeling brave enough to use a little elbow grease of my own and get my grandmother’s desk ready to go into our new home.

Isn’t she a beauty?

P.S. If you want to know more about the story of King Neb and the gold statue, check out Daniel 3 in the Old Testament.  I had never read it before last week.  Pretty amazing!