Darla Dumler

Darla Dumler
Darla Dumler

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Our "Precious"

This weekend I had a cold and settled down to watch a marathon of Lord of the Ring. This bad cold germ in my life was attacking the good in my life, just like the ring.  As I watched the movies unfold, I began to see the power, temptation, and danger all the rings in our lives hold.
I love this story of a group of unusual beings from earth who unite to help two small Hobbits take a ring of evil power to the lake of fire and destroy it so the powers of evil will not destroy man.
Frodo and Sam are the main hobbit characters.  They start off on their adventure unsure but strong and determined as they survive attacks from within their group and from other evil forces of the earth and universe. However, their biggest battle came from within Frodo as his destiny was to carry the ring on a chain around his neck. Even though he knew the ring was evil and he must destroy it, he is very attracted to it and tempted to keep it, as its dark side of anger and deceit were disguised as power and protection. Several times in the story he listens to the ring, places it on his finger and disappears to escape from his situation. The more he uses the ring to disappear, the harder it is for him to stay on the good side.  Evil takes a stronger hold and wears him down with each decision to use or caress it.
Frodo and Sam soon find out there is another creature, Smeagal, who is attracted to the ring.  Smeagal was a Hobbit-like creature who had killed his friend to take the ring. He carried the ring so long it transformed him into a wild creature with a split personality whose main purpose and desire in life was to get his “Precious” ring back at all cost.
In one of the last climactic scenes, Frodo takes off the ring to destroy it.  Instead, he chooses to keep it and he puts it on and disappears.  Sam is heartbroken to see his friend choose to be consumed by evil instead of staying with him.  Smeagal tracks Frodo from footprints, suddenly jumps on the invisible Frodo, and bites off Frodo’s finger as Smeagal falls off the cliff into lava.  On the way down, Smeagal is caressing his precious ring with a large smile on his face even with his last breath before the lava covers him.  Unlike Smeagal, Frodo is freed from the evil of the ring.  Frodo was so close to losing himself in the ring. Had it not been cut off, he would have ended up like Smeagal consumed by the dark side of evil.
In reality I also bore the ring of evil and have chosen to destroy it.  Unfortunately, I witness many people who choose to be consumed by their precious evil rings of anger, resentment, bitterness, unforgiveness, jealousy, and other dark evil emotions.  They use these vices to disappear into drugs, alcohol, abuse, sex, food, gossip, fantasy or any means of escape to avoid dealing with consequences and responsibilities of their thoughts, choices and actions. They just want to be free of the pain and not face or fix their hurts. They spend their time blaming others and being paranoid and protective of their escape, hoping to protect the precious ring they mistake for themselves. Their choice to be consumed by the ring makes them unaware of or callous to the pain, scars, destructive role modeling, and devastation their choice brings to their children and those who love them.
No matter who we are, at some point in our lives we have all had a precious ring. For me my freedom only came when God took it away from my spirit.  Only God can cut our evil rings away from us on this earth. Unlike Smeagal, God will not jump on us.  We must ask Christ to help us destroy our rings and choose to walk with him or they will destroy our thoughts, minds, and lives one secret choice and action at a time.  … Just this once … I can handle it … Only one … I deserve...

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Keeping Balanced

My new year brings new challenges and goals. One of the biggest challenges in my life has been to keep balanced in regards to loving and caring for myself with the same intent as I care for others. I often let my heart and emotions get consumed by my desire to help others and leave my health, spirit, and personal goals and dreams for my left over time and energy.
My goal this year is to love myself as I love others equally. In the past few years I have absorbed and accepted God’s pure unconditional love for me. I realize my self-value is no longer based on my service to others. It has taken me 46 years to realize God loves me for me and not for what I do. He is very interested and has given me guidelines on how I need to treat others and myself. However, his love for me is solely because he made me and his son Jesus died for me. In other words, I am to die for, just ask Jesus. The wonderful thing is, so are you!