A few evenings later, my sister spotted my little friend. She shrieked for me to come, but again, he was too fast. My sister is not quite as understating about creepy-crawly things in the house, so she freaked out. She went so far as to put a towel at her bedroom door so the lizard couldn't get in - and she still didn't sleep.
The next day, I went to take a bath, and I once again spotted the lizard. He had made his way all the way across the apartment to my bathroom and was hiding in the circular metal plate that a drain switch is often found on. I don't have a drain switch, just the plate, so there was room for him to hide. I considered grabbing him, but since only his tail and the smallest sliver of his hindquarters was sticking out, I figured that all I would accomplish was pulling his tail off (thinking he was a removable tail kind of lizard), and then instead of just having a lizard in the apartment, I'd have a tail-less lizard trapped in the drain plate.
My sister decided she had had enough, and she was going to catch the lizard. When she got home, she took a huge roll of duct tape and created this elaborate trap out of my bathtub. She folded the tape so that it would stick to the tub sticky side out, and created a flower of duct tape around the drain so that when the lizard tired of his little home and tried to leave, he'd get stuck. In case that didn't stop him, she also lined the entire rim of the bathtub with duct tape.
When I got up to use the bathroom about 9:00 that evening, I was greeted once again by my little lizard friend. My sister's plan worked and he was stuck to one piece of duct tape, and his tail was stuck to the piece next to it (I was right about him being one of those lizards with removable tails). I went to the other bedroom and informed my mom and sister. My sister fell apart. She hadn't thought through her plan far enough to realize that it would cause the lizard pain and suffering, and possibly death. Now, my sister can get a bit...hysterical and hard to handle in these situations, so my mom and I determined we were going to do our best to save the lizard from his sticky situation. Not out of any altruistic motivation mind you - its simply best to do anything to calm my sister down in these situations.
We took the piece of duct tape the lizard was stuck on and brought it to the kitchen. This was some phenomenal duct tape by the way - super sticky. My mom then performed lizard removal surgery using a bowl of water, a plastic knife, and a toothpick, while I assisted (and laughed and took pictures with my cell phone). In fact, I think pictures will best demonstrate what happened next. The first one is of the lizard still in the tub - in case you don't believe me - and the rest are of his extraction.
As you can see, a toothpick is the best method of removing a small lizard from a piece of duct tape, in case you ever need to know. Dunking it in water to dull the stickiness helps too. After about half an hour - when he was finally free (he lost another tail in the process - they grow back quickly!), I let him go outside and took a video of him scurrying away to soothe my sister's fears that she had tortured and then killed him.
Ironically, the next morning we evacuated in anticipation of Hurricane Ike and who knows what happened to our lizard friend two days later when Ike tore through our apartment complex.
Why am I sharing this crazy story? Believe it or not, I saw God and believers in the situation. I thought about how oftentimes we are like the lizard. Instead of letting the Holy Spirit lead us and guide us, we follow our own path - our natural carnal instincts and we get into places where we don't belong. Instead of getting out when we realize we're in a bad place, we dig in, and go deeper and deeper until we are backed into a small dark hole. We hit rock bottom and there is no way we can get our self out. Even then, our pride can prevent us from calling out to the only One who can save us. So we try to make our own way out, and instead end up getting stuck.
The only way that lizard was going to be free again, was if we intervened and helped him. Now I realize the lizard had no way of asking us for help, and my mom and I are in no way God - but stick with me (no pun intended). The only way we get out of these situations, is when we lay down our pride, admit our sin, and ask God for help. Thankfully, He is faithful to help us. Its not often an easy process though. God has to do figurative surgery to remove us from our sin and entanglements. And just as the lizard kept getting re-stuck every time he wriggled to get himself free, we only impede the process of being freed and restored when we try to take control of it. It's only when we are completely submissive to the poking and prodding of God - however painful it may be - that we are set free.
Next time you're in a potentially compromising situation, remember my little lizard. Remember that in 1 Corinthians 10:13, God promises a way out of temptation. You should look for and take those outs. However, if you don't, when you find yourself stuck in a hole with no way out, stop, ask God to pull you out, and then humbly allow Him to do what is needed to pull you out. Remember that the pain the process involves is ultimately for your good - and for your freedom and restoration to a right relationship with God.
1 comment:
That's amazing. And, you were right, it made me laugh...thanks.
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