Controlling my tongue.
Yes, me.
In particular.
Psalm 34.13 - Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile..
Is it so hard? Yes. Mostly. I mean, mostly for me.. many of my sweet Christian girlfriends- I cannot even imagine guile from their mouths.
But me?
Guile-full.
Word? Judges?
OK- so I made that one up- but you know what I mean. But, can I be honest? It is not a tongue problem so much for me as it is a pride problem.
I feel like if someone is attacking me, that I have to attack back! If someone has aught against me- I need some aught back.
That is SO NOT CHRISTIAN, lp!
So that is my new prayer!
Lord- you wonderful heavenly Father. You are gracious and holy- and I am unworthy and nothing without you. I cannot even begin to fathom the works you have for me. Please minimize me and my sin and tendencies and maximize you in my life. Make you increase, that I may decrease- take my pride, Lord! I have nothing to be proud of other than what YOU have done in ME, and I cannot even claim any credit in that. It is all what you have done- and I have been blessed enough to be in your plan- in your almighty awareness. And get me out of the way of that- because all I do is ruin it. In your Son's name- and thank you for that- Amen.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Look what I can do/When did that building fall down?
I found the new post button with relative ease!
How easily I can be discouraged! Glad Paul had Silas and not LP in jail.
Thanks http://doodleaday.wordpress.com/2009/07/15/doodle-151-paul-and-silas-in-prison/
haha! I posted a pic. And I love that one. I may do the pics more often. I digress.
I love to plan. And I love lists. But when I write these things, I write them with pen. (this is kinda an analogy) And I should write them with pencil. One that has a huge eraser. And I need to work on growing my faith! Isn't that the root of discouragement? No faith?!
Perhaps.
Be prepared. This one will make you crazy.
We live in a deeply rural area. So rural- that is is past the rural area close to us. There are lots of fields, houses barns, that have been long since abandoned. When we get ready for church- it is a PROCESS. So about the first 15 minutes of our 40 minute ride to church- I stare. Out my window and unwind. Prepare. Veg- whatever you want to call it. Quiet time. Off in the distance I always see a barn. Traditional in shape- and when my mind wanders, I think about the barn. how did it get abandoned? What's the story? This has been a focal point for me for about 2 years. Last weekend- as we passed by it- I realize. One side of the barn has collapsed. Demolished. History. El Fin. What happened? It happened SO SUDDENLY!
But- it didn't.
That barn had been rotting for a while. From the inside out- it probably started with an innocent rainstorm. Some sun- some time went by- with no repair- probably rained again- then, maybe some snow accumulated on the roof, probably- some more rain. Maybe- a really harsh hot, dry summer. Some more rain, a little more snow. Maybe a rainstorm- still no repair- small mundane things, and then years of that and BAM.
There goes the barn.
What am I neglecting in my life? Slowly? Not noticeable on a daily basis.. What is slipping by? What is ignored and rotting away? What is not cultivated? What is not nurtured and protected? What is slipping by me? What is pushed off to the side to be picked up another time? Or not..?
How easily I can be discouraged! Glad Paul had Silas and not LP in jail.
Thanks http://doodleaday.wordpress.com/2009/07/15/doodle-151-paul-and-silas-in-prison/
haha! I posted a pic. And I love that one. I may do the pics more often. I digress.
I love to plan. And I love lists. But when I write these things, I write them with pen. (this is kinda an analogy) And I should write them with pencil. One that has a huge eraser. And I need to work on growing my faith! Isn't that the root of discouragement? No faith?!
Perhaps.
Be prepared. This one will make you crazy.
We live in a deeply rural area. So rural- that is is past the rural area close to us. There are lots of fields, houses barns, that have been long since abandoned. When we get ready for church- it is a PROCESS. So about the first 15 minutes of our 40 minute ride to church- I stare. Out my window and unwind. Prepare. Veg- whatever you want to call it. Quiet time. Off in the distance I always see a barn. Traditional in shape- and when my mind wanders, I think about the barn. how did it get abandoned? What's the story? This has been a focal point for me for about 2 years. Last weekend- as we passed by it- I realize. One side of the barn has collapsed. Demolished. History. El Fin. What happened? It happened SO SUDDENLY!
But- it didn't.
That barn had been rotting for a while. From the inside out- it probably started with an innocent rainstorm. Some sun- some time went by- with no repair- probably rained again- then, maybe some snow accumulated on the roof, probably- some more rain. Maybe- a really harsh hot, dry summer. Some more rain, a little more snow. Maybe a rainstorm- still no repair- small mundane things, and then years of that and BAM.
There goes the barn.
What am I neglecting in my life? Slowly? Not noticeable on a daily basis.. What is slipping by? What is ignored and rotting away? What is not cultivated? What is not nurtured and protected? What is slipping by me? What is pushed off to the side to be picked up another time? Or not..?
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Twin the Fish
When Mckynsi turned 3 we had just moved into our house. Like, her birthday party was an open house for all of our friends to see it. At that point- her Pappy (Pitts's Dad) gave her a fish tank with like, 5 fish. Two were identical and were both coined "Twin". Many fish have come and gone..(ha ha-sorry- bad humor) and Twin- (one of the two) has thrived. We think Twin nips at other fish. And it is no longer pretty- fish don't age well. Twin is pretty translucent and Twin is kinda ugly. (I am trying to stay away from masculine and feminine pronouns) But Twin is kicking around.
The other day it was definitely time to clean the fish tank. We kinda let this task fall to the wayside-- due to the yuckiness of it. And Twin is so resilient at this point that we can just pour in new water and Twin is fine with it. Well, Twin is a bit cranky, but I will get to that.
So whilst cleaning- I broke Ubertwitter when I was having this thought. Unrelated. But Twin is ungrateful. I cleaned Twin's tank, Twin's slimy castle and hiding spot plants, Twin's tunnel and all Twin's related items. Ew. And you know, as badly as I wanted to bleach it out- you can't do that with fish. That will ruin their day. And life.
And while I got slime on me, and had to TOUCH Twin to get Twin out of Twin's tank-- it was gross and Twin was yuck, as was Twin's things- I couldn't help but think-- follow me here-- as I swim through this world and get all the slime of sin on me, that God cleans me out- no matter how ungrateful I am all the time. If I was grateful- I'd swim above the current. I'd stay out of the muck.
But I sink, into the muck, time and again. Me and Twin- Ungrateful and sludgy- the only difference is-- it is OK for Twin.
The other day it was definitely time to clean the fish tank. We kinda let this task fall to the wayside-- due to the yuckiness of it. And Twin is so resilient at this point that we can just pour in new water and Twin is fine with it. Well, Twin is a bit cranky, but I will get to that.
So whilst cleaning- I broke Ubertwitter when I was having this thought. Unrelated. But Twin is ungrateful. I cleaned Twin's tank, Twin's slimy castle and hiding spot plants, Twin's tunnel and all Twin's related items. Ew. And you know, as badly as I wanted to bleach it out- you can't do that with fish. That will ruin their day. And life.
And while I got slime on me, and had to TOUCH Twin to get Twin out of Twin's tank-- it was gross and Twin was yuck, as was Twin's things- I couldn't help but think-- follow me here-- as I swim through this world and get all the slime of sin on me, that God cleans me out- no matter how ungrateful I am all the time. If I was grateful- I'd swim above the current. I'd stay out of the muck.
But I sink, into the muck, time and again. Me and Twin- Ungrateful and sludgy- the only difference is-- it is OK for Twin.
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