Genesis 46 (It's Raining Again)

Every now and again I find the need to wash my fishing hat undeniable.
However I'm not truly a domestic goddess of any note.
Herein lies the problem.
Of sorts.
Went to put hat on my head.
Discover it's mankyness.
Throw said hat into washing machine and get another one that will sort of do, I'm not overly happy to wear it but there are times when you just have to make do, particularly within the realms of manky.
So that was that.
My lovely wife comes along, does a load of washing, including the manky hat and a hand towel I found somewhere.
Great.
She's happy.
I'm happy.
Then it's dried.
And I notice a problem.
Last season, in light of landing some truly remarkable fish, I started trophying the flies involved in my hat.
When I retrieved the hat from the drying area, I noticed something missing.
Nothing particularly large.
But definitely noteworthy.
A fly simulating an emerging dun referred to as a "shaving brush" was DA DA DAHHHHH
missing.
A quick inspection in the washing machine was fruitless.
A quick look through the vital pieces of clothing, undies, revealed no fly.
Phew.
That could have been ordinary.
Nowhere else.
Probably lost in the machine. Oh well.
The next day I came home.
Got changed into something comfortable.
Or was it.
Something wasn't right on the inside of my trousers.
Marginally south of my left cheek.
Well you've already guessed what it was.
Shaving brush returned to daddy.
Donna giggling.
Kids grossed out.
I'm comfortable now.

Genesis 46
God takes the times of insecurity and doubt and brings comfort and assurance.
God reminds Jacob He is truly with him.
He has never left.
He never will.
When Jacob had to go into the unknown.
God went out of his way (figuratively speaking, literally going out of His way would be hard) to reassure Jacob.
He does this now.
When things are doubtful and the future unknown, God has never left.
He never will.

So the Egyptians despised shepherds.
Yet Joseph was determined that his family stayed true to who they were and what they did.
They were meant to be set apart.
Aaaah just got it!
If they weren't shunned they would integrate.
They would lose what made them who they were.
They would lose a reliance on God.
A nation would be swallowed by another.
God is so smart.

Don't bow to the pressure placed on you by others.
Be bold.
Remain true.