Monday, March 24, 2014

Spitting In The Milk Carton




When I was a very little girl, there was an older couple who lived right behind us. Their names were Dovie and Sterling. He fascinated me. I’m not sure why other than the fact that I remember him in his rocking chair on the front porch saying he didn’t believe in God. Even as a little five year old girl, I thought that was odd. I thought at the time, everyone believed. He also always had a swollen cheek. I didn't understand why until I got older.

 Another thing that fascinated me and I guess I thought it was odd was the screened in porch on the back of their house. When I would go visit,  I would enter through this screened in porch and walk into their kitchen. Lined up all along the walls of this porch were empty, quart sized, cardboard milk cartons. I found out in my young years as well as my sister what chewing tobacco was.
 
I just remember watching Sterling as he would stick a wad of Bazooka Bubble gum in his mouth and chew until it softened up. Then he would take it out and wrap it around a piece of tobacco and start chewing again. . .and spitting that nasty looking juice into the milk cartons. My sister tells the story of when she was little and visiting them too, wanting to have some of Sterling's tobacco, so he gave it to her. But instead of spitting, she swallowed hers. Can you guess what happened? She got sick.
 
As I pondered this story, it made me think of sin. When we allow sin into our lives, it eventually will make us sick. And just like my sister, we need to remove the sickness. We can't throw up the sin, but we can throw it off.

Ephesians 4:22-24

22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

 
. . .and we could also spit. . .
right on the ol' devil's head!

Years later, I can't look at a piece of bubble gum without thinking of Sterling, my spitting neighbor and wondering if he put off his old self and put on the new in time.
I sure hope he did!


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4 comments:

  1. a joyful noiseMarch 24, 2014 at 4:02 PM

    My Grandpa on my dad's side chewed tobacco, and he used a large used coffee can to collect his spit. He picked up the habit when they lived in the south and it is one of those habits difficult to break. I do believe my grandpa loved God, and my dear sweet grandma too. Your post brings back memories, and your illustration of sin was a good one.

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  2. DeniseMarch 24, 2014 at 4:26 PM

    Glad you shared.

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  3. JoyMarch 24, 2014 at 8:43 PM

    I think it was a disgusting habit and it was not good for the body either like sin.
    yes, we need God's words to guide us to sin free life and to pray for others.

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  4. Grandmabeckyl.blogspotMarch 24, 2014 at 9:17 PM

    what a story and thanks for sharing it. I've known people and still do who chew tobacco. What's even worse is when they come into the hardware store where I work, with it in their mouth! And talk! I almost got one guy to lose it by laughing too hard! When will they ever learn? But tobacco in chewing gum? Now that's icky! Have a good day!

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