The Rock

"And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock." (Matthew 7:25 ESV)

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You Must Remember This

“It is always possible to be thankful for what is given rather than resentful over what is withheld–one attitude or the other becomes a way of life.”
Elisabeth Elliot


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Grabby Hands

Saw two cars almost collide today on the parkway, trying to merge into the same space from opposite directions. Seemed to me like a keen analogy of how we get ourselves into trouble. Each of us live in our own little imaginary kingdoms where we fancy ourselves to be wise rulers. Other people are allowed to visit and we may delude ourselves that we are benevolent dictators, caring for our loved ones, serving our neighbors. But ultimately we behave as if our agenda were of primary importance. And since everyone is doing that, friction is inevitable. Eventually we will find ourselves trying to occupy the same space on the road as someone else. And rather than loving compassion, I almost always react with anger and self-righteousness. I never want to yield, I always want to grab what I think is mine. I always want to justify, to defend my point, to insist that the other person is mistaken.
Sometimes that is even true; sometimes the other is in fact wrong. And there may even be times when God will use me to show someone else their error. But how rare that must be, compared to my constant desire to be right, my insistence that I always occupy the moral high ground.
It's taken me almost 40 years to figure out that I can be technically right, and still be wrong. That even good things can be idols if they prevent me from loving God and loving my neighbor.

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Listening

Lord please today and every day let me listen carefully to everyone who speaks to me, and not compose my reply in my head before they have even finished speaking.
Let me speak with grace and truth. To everyone. Let me share my opinion when I think it is helpful or encouraging, and keep my big mouth closed when there is no good that can come.
Let me be zealous for truth because it is YOUR truth, and not because I am getting my kicks out of Being Right and feeling superior to someone else whom I think is mistaken.
It's not about me. It never was and it never will be. And thank You Lord for that, it is such a HUGE burden off my shoulders.
Amen.

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Hmmm

I just finished my workout and had a brainwave! Thinking of a bunch of folks from various corners of my life who have been having some conflict and I was wondering...maybe I could offer to arrange a private Zumba class for us all? You'd have to wear your ugliest workout gear, and also either a Santa hat or reindeer antlers.

Wait, maybe that's a bad choice.

How a menorah, if you're Jewish? Or a cowboy hat, if you are opposed to all holidays? Or a Green Bay Packers cheesehead, if you disapprove of cowboys because of the crimes they perpetrated against Native Americans. Or maybe a leotard, if you're a dude. Whatever makes you snicker and doesn't clash with your values.

What? It might work!? I just know that I can't stay mad when I'm laughing.


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Message (Kinda) Received

I got the kids a toy Nativity set this year and as part of our Advent countdown they get to open a different piece on some days. Not every day, cuz there aren't enough pieces.
Anyway, I'm have a tough time fighting the temptation to just give them the whole set now, because it's been great fun watching them play with Gabriel and Mary. Ok, technically the angel in this set is probably intended to represent the angelic choir who brought the news to the shepherds, but I figure he can handle playing both parts.


I let them have the angel first, and they mostly ignored him until they got Mary. And now Spencer can often be seen with a figure in each hand, shoving the angel RIGHT.HERE in Mary's face and saying, 'Hey! You're gonna have a baby! A baby! Hey! You're gonna have a baby!'
Cameron has picked up on it too now. Pretty frickin cute.

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Shot to the Heart

My Bible reading this morning made me sweat a little:

Titus 3 (ESV)


Be Ready for Every Good Work

1Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. 3For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. 9But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.

Ouch. Lord grant me grace to be gentle and courteous to everyone, and devoted to good works, in view of the great mercy shown to me. Let me put away foolishness and disobedience. And when I mess up, let me be quick to repent and make amends as I can, confident that Jesus is working on me. Because my memory verse this week is this:

Philippians 1:6 (ESV)

6And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

And in case you're just here for the kid pics:

Lost in Translation

Spencer, singing 'Piano Man', accompanying himself. On the drums.


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Therapy

I want to 'talk' but am having trouble saying nice things...so I'm going to just quote some verses that are pinging around in my head, in hopes that they will settle in my brain.

"Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." (Colossians 3:2 ESV)

"But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth." (Colossians 3:8 ESV)

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful." (Colossians 3:12-15 ESV)

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:22, 23 ESV)
"Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil." (Psalm 37:8 ESV)

I've been writing the fruit of the spirit on my arm lately anyway and I think I really need to do it again today.

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