Thoughts-A-Muck

   The plane is on fire! Whoosh! They fell out of the plane. Yank! He jerked the release on the unconscious pilot's parachute. Oops, it didn't open. He held on to the pilot with all his might. Crash! They hit the ground. Yes! the pilot is still alive! 

     I sat watching my little brother do a victory dance over the top of his marble-rolling block set... ahem, I mean airplane. "Hooray! I saved the pilot!" 

     Now where did he come up with all of that? And why do I get caught up in his enthusiastic make-belief? I don't know about you all, but my brain runs like my little brother's... it never stops! the problem is, what is it running on, and where is it running to? With mine... that could be anywhere and everywhere. Especially places I do not want it to go. Why? Because I am a born again sinner. The problem is... what can you do with a brain? There is no 'stop' button. How do you control it? And if you can... do you really want to control it?

     This morning in Bible time, my brain phased out to think about it. Thoughts are important. Whatever I let my thoughts do, my mouth and my feet start doing too. "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he." Proverbs 23:7 More exasperating than that is that God expects me to keep my thoughts pure! "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Philippians 4:8. 

     I came back to Bible time just in time to hear Daddy read Ephesians 5:19-20; "be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God." Breath of fresh air! Can we control our thoughts? No. But... If we are filled with the Spirit, then He will help us evaluate and reject those thoughts that we like to dwell on that are not pure! So... we are to walk around all day totally out of it? Actually, if "it" equals thinking those nasty thoughts about someone or doing something we shouldn't, the answer is YES!
     Pure thoughts start with the beginning of our day, taking time to read God's Word and to think His thoughts after Him before I start His day. As I go about making breakfast, I think about what I read, and what that means about God and who He is, and how I can be like Him in that area today. As absurd as this may sound, I ask God questions about what He meant by this or that verse. It is startling how many times He will bring to mind a verse to answer my question. Sometimes, they are verses I don't remember memorizing.
     You can go throughout your day 'thinking to God' about whatever you are doing. Guaranteed, it is 90% easier to be willing to do whatever you are asked when you are singing 'Make Me a Servant' to yourself. With God's help, you can walk in the spirit and spread the joy of the Lord in your home. Does Satan want you to 'walk in the Spirit' ? No with a capital N-O! He will tempt you with everything he can throw at you! It is not a sin to be tempted. Jesus was tempted. It is a sin to give in to the temptation and 'enjoy' that bad thought. Am I filled with the Spirit every day? Or even all day? No. Could we? Is it possible? Yes! That is what I'm striving for today. Are you?


By the way, where do you think daydreaming comes in to all of this?



 

Godly Femininity

This poem I am going to post tonight was written by Beth Marie, on femininity and what it is-

Godly Femininity

What can it be?

What can it mean?

How do you describe it?

How can it be seen?

In a heart that belongs to God alone,

In whom His sustaining presence is felt,

And through whom the Love of God is known,

And is solely Holy Spirit indwelt.

Fem’ninity is a servant at heart,

Willingly submissive to authority,

Always seeking to shoulder her part,

With her spirit singing joyfully

Fem’ninity is seen in her modesty,

Of manner and tongue as well as dress,

In her sensitiveness to propriety,

Not overly proud, or with looks obsessed

Describe it as an inward attitude,

A deep well bub’ling with gentleness,

A soul at peace with God will exude,

Internal quiet and sweet restfulness

She works with her hands, is industrious,

She gives to all her hospitality,

Just looking for ways to be generous,

Not forced or with rigid formality

Fem’ninity asks for wisdom each day,

To know how to always please the Lord,

Pondering God’s Word, not ceasing pray,

One of character, virtue, and her word

Can this a girl upon herself take?

In her flesh and by herself labor?

And she a model of fem’ninty make

Success for herself to praise and savor?

No! I cry it aloud, and again No!

Without the Savior to support, sustain,

She is too weak, incapable to do so,

Only the Power of Christ can Satan chain

The undergirding harmony of her life

Can only be Christ, and Christ alone

He is the focal point of her strife

Against her ‘old man’, who is vilely prone

This is Godly fem’ninity.

This is how it must be.

This is what it must mean.

This is how you describe it.

This is how it is seen.

Crazy Dayz

Hello Everyone, 

I just felt like sharing with you all a poem that my sister BethMarie wrote, several years ago, after trying to conduct an old fashioned spelling bee with my younger sibling and I. (We had fun :) But I'm not so sure she did! 

Well, any way, I though you all might enjoy it. It makes me laugh every time I read it-

Class it is time for a spelling bee!

Who shall be first oh let me see…

The one on the left? The one on the right?

The scholar who is exceptionally bright?

I say let’s start with the one in the center

That way we won’t be right here all winter!

Hush now Suzie! Dan has the floor,

Unless you would like to stand by the door?

Sarah please sit up straight in your chair,

I don’t like the frown that you wear!

Joey! Stop crying! Your turns coming soon!

There now, can you tell me how to spell “moon”

Dan don’t lay on the bench, sit up straight,

And PLEASE be quiet while you wait!

She’s trying to think you little “dears”,

Can’t you see Suzie is almost in tears?

I guess we might…just as well as may;

Leave off the spelling bee for today!

Maybe we’ll try it the week after next?

Or maybe, for this month we’ll just have it x’ed,

Schools over children, go on your way,

Whew! This has been one long crazy day!