Cleanliness Vs. Godliness

Well hello there,

After some prompting.... Thanks Kim... I am finally putting up a new blog entry. It has been over a month. So sorry. I no longer have a computer at my house, and my computer time has been split between typing Sunday school lessons and Lesson planning for school. So that's my excuse. But let us not live in the past. As it has been said we aren't even promised tomorrow, so how silly is it to hold on to past mistakes.

This brings me to my first topic of this blog (this topic has nothing to do with the forementioned title. I will get to that.) my October's resolutions. I find myself thinking a bit about my past and all of my mistakes. I have thought to myself...well I have my debt and as much as I don't want to hold on to past mistakes, those are here to stay. But I have been thinking what is with in my control? How can I follow the Word? I saw a reader board a while back that said something like "God says not to let quarelling tear you apart." This stuck in my head. Not because it was overly profound, but because it is something that was already weighing on my heart. I have found in my efforts to protect my own heart, I have grown selfish and impatient with some of the people in my life, and been quick to shut the door on them. But if they are friends or people I call family, or just my brothers and sisters in Christ, I should be working just as hard to protect their hearts. So back to my October resolutions.... Much like that of any anonymous treatment program.... make amends. This hit me when I found out a former friend of mine, who hurt my heart pretty badly, was possibly wanting to finally come to church.... and she wouldn't because she knew I would be there and that would be awkward. I was saddened by this. If in my effort to protect myself, somebody is prevented from the possibility of knowing Jesus better, or surrounding themselves with people who do, what good am I? How am I serving Jesus?

So it begins. I have contacted a couple people that I have left in my wake. I have let them know that I forgive them. And even sucked it up and apologized for my haste in throwing away what may be precious friendships. But I continue on this quest and find myself needing to be in constant prayer to humble myself and swallow my pride. Some of these ones are harder than others to forgive, as they are far more deep rooted.

Onto resolution number 2 ( I think there will be 3 in total...stay tuned for November resolutions...hopefully before January)... For those not in the know.... I have been on an elimination diet for about a month now.... This is for health purposes. Quick run down... I can't eat most things I love...ie mac and cheese and mexican food.... in the end the hope is I will find out the things my body doesn't like (probably mac and cheese and mexican food) and remove them permanately from my diet. This is scheduled to end the day before Thanksgiving (praise the Lord). So what I have learned in this... is that I don't hate it. I don't miss the foods as much as I thought I would. Food is nourishment. It can be delicious... but it doesn't have to be the focus of social activities. So my resolution is that when it is all over I will be able to take these lessons with me. My energy is up and my pain has lessened a bit. I like that.

Finally resolution 3: My house is finally unpacked. Having more space than I have had in a long time... my stuff is more organized than it has ever been. Stay tuned I will probably add some pictures soon... mainly for Andrea and Kristen who are far away.... the rest of you are welcome to come over anytime. That said.... I find myself more at peace. I find myself making dinners at home. Lighting candles (unscented...allergen free candles...). Wanting to entertain and open my house up for fellowship. I find my Bible open more. I find more energy and better sleep. I find myself more happy. Which is why God wants us to be clean. I think by design we are meant to live a life uncluttered so that nothing blocks our view of the cross. So my final resolution.... to stay that way.

I guess this is it on this blog.... a quick note.... or request. My best friend Kristen's house as of Sunday was 1/2 a mile away from the wild fires in San Diego. This is when her and her husband Jeremy and her 2 year old Joshua and her newborn Abby evacuated. Since then she has not heard a thing and is not sure if she is going to have a home to come home to. She knows for sure that when the Santa Ana wind started it blew of the bottom part of her house. Please just keep her family in your prayers that they would be protected and their home would be safe. Her mother, brother, sister, and step father all have had their houses effected too. But she does not know what extent. Thanks.