things unseen

You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.

You hem me in behind and before,

and You lay your hand upon me.

Psalm 139:3,5

As we stepped out of the house early one morning, the boys and I were discussing the fog that was still lingering around us.  Then, Alex pointed out that the yard was spotted.  I looked with him and saw the spots were actually spider webs.  The dew had settled on the webs and made them almost glow compared to the leaves underneath them.  They were everywhere! 
I shuddered. 
I am not a fan of spiders.  They really do creep me out.  I don't run screaming when I see one (usually), but I do have a reaction to seeing them.  It's hard to describe the feeling I have inside, but it's the same every time.   
I know spiders exist.  I know the fall time is one of their favorite times to show up around our house.  I know spiders can be big, brown, and furry.  I know they have several offspring at a time who like to ride piggyback...until disturbed.  They then scatter their dreadfulness all over creation.  I know these things to be true without having a close encounter with the creatures. However, each fall I seem to find myself nose to nose with a spider. And, each fall the spider seems to be bigger, hairier, and uglier than the previous.
Just two days prior to the morning of seeing the dew covered webs scattered across my yard, I had my close encounter for the season.   The first and last, I can only hope. 

A bush I had been given this spring had bloomed and a cute, bright green grasshopper had landed on it and was happily munching away.  He was so cute, I grabbed my camera and started taking a few photos of him and the flower.  Only after I had put the camera down and looked at another bud forming did I realize my hands had been only inches away from a big, brown spider hunkered down on a leaf next to the second bud.  That feeling of dread I always experience when I find myself so close to a spider of the giant kind instantly came over me.
This is the thing.  I was perfectly okay after having been that close to a nasty spider.  Also, the boys were fine after going out to play in the yard/woods where there were so many spiders habitating in camouflaged webs.  Only after stepping back did I realize the potentially dangerous situation I was in.  Only after the dew uncovered the homes of the spiders did I realize how many spiders there really were where my boys enjoy playing. 
Knowing they exist and actually seeing their existance...huge difference.
God used those spider webs to remind me of the things that war against me everyday are not always visible.  Dangers lurk all around.  Spiritual warfare is real.  (Just hang with me on any given Tuesday and you'll see it in action).  I know this also to be true, but not always am I aware of just how close I am to something that could harm me or my family.  I walk through my days unaware of just how many hurtful things I am protected against. 
This week I was humbled by the new awareness of just how much God loves me.  He loves me so much to protect me from things I am unaware of around me.  He loves me so much that He still teaches me life lessons that help me realize just how blessed I am not only by the things I am given, but also by the things I am protected from.