Excuse Me, “Got a Light?”

Good morning Sisters, Ponnie is standing in for Sasha today. She will be back in 2 weeks.

Whenever I’m asked, if I have a light, I love to say, “No,” or “I don’t smoke.” But that wasn’t always the case. I smoked cigarettes for over 19 years.

I was blessed to have found the power of the Cross before everyone started banning smoking in public places. I never had to stand outside of my work in order to grab a smoke. Also what I paid for a carton with 10 packs of cigarettes, would only buy you 2 packs today. But I must admit I loved my cigarettes. They were the last thing I touched at night and the first thing in the morning after brushing my teeth. Oh, how good that first cigarette tasted in the morning. How wonderful the second with my coffee and that is how my day started—puff, puff away!!

I started smoking in 1970, because I wanted to be cool and sophisticated. Too bad January 1, 1971 was when the cigarette industry was no longer allowed to advertise on radio and television. But by then it was too late for me, you see, I had already grown up watching the rough and rugged Marlboro man, riding his horse, making smoking one of the most desirable things to do. The constant TV commercials had already drilled in my head, “That’s the kind of guy I want to hangout with!” And if you didn’t ride horses but were still the rugged type then you smoked filterless Camels. Tareyton smokers would rather fight (have a black eye) then switch, and only the most sophisticated and sexiest of ladies, smoked Virginia Slims or Benson & Hedges Gold. And if you were really cool and hip, you smoked Kool menthols!!

Such a dumb reason to start smoking, but at the time smoking in the USA was as common place as apple pie, and no one told you that you would become addicted to nicotine, and the longer you smoked the better your chances of dying from lung cancer. It wasn’t until January 1, 1996, did the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act take effect, and cigarette companies started labeling cigarette packages that smoking was hazardous to your health.

On Sunday, December 10, 1989 when I moved into agreement with God that I needed to be saved and decided I wanted my name in the “Book of Life” I was a heavy smoker and drinker. But on that day, immediately, I was no longer a drinker, but I still loved my cigarettes. One Sunday before the New Year, I went in my purse to get an ink pen and one of the church members saw my cigarettes and said, “You need to stop smoking and get rid of those cigarettes!” At first, I was enraged! “Who in the #!$?!!@!! does she think she is to be telling me I need to get rid of my cigarettes?!” (Remember, I was a babe, so my thoughts and words had not changed too much in that short time.) She saw the look in my eyes, yet proceeded to tell me that smoking makes me a poor witness to others. At the time I really didn’t understand what she was talking about, nor did I care. But the seed at been planted and every cigarette I smoked after that, just wasn’t as enjoyable as they had been before.

My pastor at the time was a mighty teacher of the Word of God, (and still is to this day), had been teaching on the power of the Cross. Did I understand a whole lot at the time” No, but I took to heart what I did and on December 31, 1989 I found myself on my knees praying in the New Year and telling God I didn’t want to smoke anymore and asking the Holy Spirit to help me. I got up off my knees, crumpled and tore up every cigarette I had and threw them in the kitchen trash can. And that was it for me. I didn’t go through a lot of changes or struggles, I believed with all my heart it was a done deal at the Cross. Now I wish I could tell you that was it for me, but then again, if it had remained so easy, I wouldn’t be able to encourage those of you who will have a struggle.

Three years after being cigarette free I ran into a huge obstacle in my life and I started smoking again. It lasted all of 6 weeks, but to my surprise, when I came to myself and crumbled up my last few cigarettes, there was a battle to be had. You see, it wasn’t as easy as the first time. Why? Because I chose to undo that which had already been done. This is when Matthew 12:43-45, opened up and had a very practical meaning to me. I had to pray constantly to not smoke. I gained about 12 lbs in the course of that battle, and there were days that I was down right miserable, because I wanted a smoke so bad. All the old triggers were back with a vengeance. After I ate a meal, the desire to smoke almost overwhelmed me. And to top it all off I was still dealing with the stressful situation that started it all! And the urge to smoke most days hounded me like a bill collector. It was ugly. But nonetheless, I still had the victory and did not go back to smoking again. It is now almost 2011 and I am still smoke free! Praise God!!

Also picking up smoking again, opened my eyes to the fact that if others knew I was smoking, it would tarnish my reputation as a Believer. For one, we are not as compassionate a people as we should be and instead of being concerned that something must really be wrong, we judge. I had an Aunt (who professed to be a Christian) who found out and she couldn’t wait to talk about it and try to rub my face in it. Of course she was after the fact and I had stopped, but I knew when I started again not to smoke before going to church and not in my car. (I didn’t want people to smell the cigarette smoke on me.) I knew that others were watching me and it wouldn’t look good, because they had seen a great change in me over the years and I had been talking to people about the great power of God. So not only was I smoking again, I was being a sneak about it. Well, so I thought anyway.....

Stay tuned tomorrow for Part II tomorrow.



Love & Hugs
Ponnie

Sasha will be back in 2 weeks, on November 29th


Tuesday's Blog: Part II "Excuse me, "You Got A Light?"