Just like Martin Luther King Jr. I, too, have a dream. To be honest my dream is much like Dr. King's. It's a dream that all people would be able to live in freedom. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that Dr. King's dream and my dream are probably rooted in the same belief, too. He knew, as do I, that freedom, TRUE freedom, doesn't come from changing a law...it comes from changing a heart.
Today I read the following verse: Ezekiel 11:19...
And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart...
verse 20 goes on to say that they will obey His decrees and they will surely be HIS people.
Dr. King and I knew/know that it is in Christ true freedom comes. In what other religion do you find people who are not only willing to die for their beliefs, but live in persecution for them? Oh, and while living in persecution not strive to *kill* their persecutors, but instead seek to love them and share their Lord with them so that those people who are persecuting them..torturing them...making their lives so very hard will also be able to live in Freedom?? How many do you know of any other religion who would not falter or add to the Word of God so as to make it more "acceptable" to the world around them because they know that it is in obedience to the Very One Who created all things true freedom is found?
Dr.King and I knew/know that it is in speaking truth to those who will listen that the Gospel is lived...and when one lives the Gospel, one lives in Freedom.
As you go about your day today think on this ~ how many times do/am I...
...smile when I don't want to because I don't want to appear that I may have problems beyond the little stuff...
...complain about something because I don't want to accept responsibility...
...agree with someone when I don't really agree with them because I want them to like me...
...laugh at something I don't think is funny because I want to be with that person and they think it's funny...
...tell a friend a half-truth so as not to hurt their feelings in the short term though you know they'll be crushed when the whole truth comes out later...
...anything but your authentic self according to the Word of God because you want to fit in better in this world?
There are many other ways we live in bondage to this world, but it is in living the whole truth and nothing but the truth that we find Freedom. I saw a great picture the other day. It said something to the effect of, "The Holy Bible is not Chex Mix. You can't pick out your favorite parts and leave the rest in the bowl."
Dr. King knew...and I know...it is in changing people's hearts that we are able to bring about Freedom. What are you doing to love your neighbor in to The Kingdom of God? How is your heart changed by His Word, His Love, His Sacrifice for you?
Why not live in Freedom today?
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Monday, January 7, 2013
January, 2013
How many times have we said it? You know, the phrase, "wow! Is it really January already? And how did we get to 2013?" I know I've said it out loud as many times as I've thought it...and I've thought it a lot.
The Bible refers to "the Fruit of the Spirit." ...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22b-23 RSV) The one that gets me every time is "self-control." The control of self. To stop or begin something without outward prodding. To do something that would be a good idea if it were followed through on.
Let me give an example...
So what are your New Year's Resolutions?
We have some interesting ones in our home ~ from "becoming a better artist" to "eating less and losing a little bit of weight" (not who you think it is!). I've already seen them lain aside, though, for the empty art of TV or iPod games and the temptation of fresh baked cookies. Funny how quickly resolutions becomes passing thoughts...dreams...hopes unfulfilled.
I myself have lived through 43 New Year celebrations now, and in the amount of time in which I knew how to make a resolution I can honestly say I've made and left at least 43. Yes, I realize I could not possibly have made a resolution each year of my life, but 43 is probably a low number of resolutions made and broken in my lifetime. It is the making and discarding I am getting at.
Let me give an example...
It's morning and the kids have gone to school. The Hubster is upstairs in his office working away and I'm having some problems getting motivated to do anything other than bits and tibbles of work here and there. Although I'm not tackling big projects I am certainly getting our house in order and doing those tasks that need to be done. Maybe not very quickly, but hey, they're getting done, right? Then I start to feel hungry and realize it's after noon. I make a somewhat healthier lunch than I would have prior to the New Year and sit down at my computer to eat and "take a quick break."
I finish the sandwich. I finish my water. I have not, however, finished surfing all these great blogs about what to make for dinner. Oh! I wanted to check on another recipe a friend was telling me about...and someone else mentioned on Facebook (it's still open in a tab ready to be checked at any given second or while I'm waiting that 2 seconds for a new blog to load) a pin they saw on Pinterest for something or other to do with the boys...and all of the sudden my oldest son is walking in the door saying, "Hi, Mom!"
Wait. WHA??????
I sat down at 1:00...I was just going to eat and check on a recipe or two and now it's 3:00??? How. Did. That. Happen???
Yes, you're correct...lack of self control.
Here's another one. It's one that I heard about from a friend and would NEVER have a problem with! (okay, so I was pretending to write a blog about it one day while getting ready in the morning....it was still a friend who told me about it. :) )
Son #1: 'Night Mom, will you pray with me?
Me: Sure ~ (prayer)
Son #2: 'Night Mom, will you pray with me?
Me: Sure ~ (prayer); 'Night boys. I love you! Sweet dreams!
Both boys: Love you, too, goodnight!
Hubster: wanna watch an episode of Hawaii Five-O we have on DVR?
Me: sure!
(watch one episode and hubster gets up, throws me the remote and heads to bed saying, "here ya go, night owl...see you tomorrow.")
I press the DVR button and up pops a Chick Flick I'd taped from the Hallmark channel a while ago and hadn't watched yet. Settle in with a cuppa and enjoy the quiet solitude of my house while checking Facebook, Pinterest and assorted emails, etc, all the while following the story onscreen.
Movie ends.
I'm in the middle of a game of Nerts on my iPod...must finish...start another episode of something taped.
Ugh. It's 12:30 am! ...should go to bed. But this is a good part! Just finish this and then head to bed.
1:30 am ~ I. Must. Go. To. Bed!
2:00 am ~ great! I'm in bed, why can't I fall asleep?? Oh...maybe I should put the iPod down.
7:15 am ~ alarm goes off...SNOOZE!
7:24 am ~ alarm goes off...SNOOOZE....somewhat groggy brain kicks in to the fact that I don't hear the regular noise of a child getting ready for school downstairs. I pull myself out of bed to wander down the hall to wake up said child and let him know he now has 15 minutes to get ready and out to the bus.
7:27 am ~ Coffee. COOOOOOFFFFFEEEEE. Why am I so tired this morning? Oh, yeah.....
Why? Because I lack self-control!
I am a Spirit led woman. I love the Lord with all my heart, mind, soul and strength, and try to love my neighbor as myself....but where on earth did my self-control go???
No, I didn't leave it in High School when someone else was in charge of my schedule.
No, I didn't leave it in College when a professor's attendance chart determined my success.
No, I didn't leave it in Hawaii when the Hubster and I returned from our honeymoon.
I have never had it.
I will rise to the occasion and learn the arias, songs and various pieces necessary to perform. I will clean the house in a day if company is coming (don't go to my room, please). I will plan, instigate and complete a $12,000.00 Book Fair in two weeks simply because I have to.
I will not, however, wake up each morning and know what tasks need to be completed today to insure that tomorrow's dinner will be ready on time. I will not start a paper due three months from now with an outline and a rough draft that will be re-written a number of times in order for the paper to be handed in on time with no mistakes (I will, however, do research here and there and write the paper the day or two before...hand it in and get an "A").
Some call it procrastination. Some call it laziness. Some call it unmotivated.
God calls it lack of Self Control.
He also says it's a fruit of the Spirit. Which means that He is willing to help us with it. Which means HE has the ability to instill it in is, grow it in us, and help us to live up to the potential He has placed in us.
WHEW!
Want to know what one of my resolutions this year is? To write more.
Want to know why I sat down at the computer today? To look for something to make for dinner tonight.
Want to know what I've done instead? Written an entry on my "Apples of Gold" blog and written a post here. (Of which I had no idea what to write about when I sat down.)
Maybe there is a breath of self-control in me after all.
NAH. That's all God! Thank you, Lord!