Loop Hole

With yours truly, it's the small things that cause me problems! This is an example, from May 28, 2012.

I can't be the only guy with this problem. I'm about 6'1" and I wear 34/32 dress pants every day to school as part of our faculty apparel code. Twice in the last six weeks or so, my belt loop has caught on the strike plate, the part of the door jamb where the lock tongue from the door knob is inserted, while exiting other people's offices. (Honesty requires me to divulge I did not know the term strike plate until just know when I googled it.) Both times, the loop was completely ripped off from my khakis, left hanging on a thread. With the first pair, the wonderful folks at Jos A. Bank restored it while they were altering the length. The second time, just two weeks ago, the amazing Ann Arnold, who oversees our large number of international students, repaired the damage with her sewing machine. It was a pretty intense sewing job as the tear damaged the fabric of the pants. Ann was worried the loop would not be wide enough after her tailoring but it is perfect. I just have to make sure I keep wearing thin belts!


You know, if I were an inch taller or an inch shorter, there would be no problem. These striker plates are in perfect position to wreak havoc on the pants of a guy of my stature! I'm usually in a hurry when it happens so I'm careless as I leave one office on my way to see someone else. I never see it coming so I don't protect myself. And belt loops seem like such a small thing but believe me, when you are evaluated fashion-wise by a bunch of female teenage students on wardrobe issues daily, it matters. Margaret/Laura/Angela, my committed trio of ensemble police, would spot the misstep from six desks away. So a small accident isn't really small for me.

Isn't that how temptation works? We all have weaknesses and what catches you might not entrap or even entice me. We often don't see the temptation coming but it grabs us when we aren't paying attention. I've never intentionally walked into one of those door jambs and yet, I'm having a hard time avoiding them. I think Satan puts people and situations in our path to cause us grief. Maybe the Lord allows it to test us- He did with Peter and Job, at least. Do you remember the old country song, Somebody's Knocking by Terri Gibbs? It had the great line that she never thought the devil would have blue eyes and blue jeans. I just wonder if those blue jeans had belt loops. Oh well, I won't be wearing dress pants much this summer so I'm safe for now. Maybe I'll grow a couple of inches taller in the next three months!

Applicable quote of the day:
"God is better served in resisting a temptation to evil, than in many formal prayers."
WILLIAM PENN

(The pictures are courtesy of Jos A. Bank.com and hometips.com/repair-fix/door-knob-locks.html)

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
E-mail me at shawley@westburychristian.org