The House You're Building

For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment…He spoke and said to those who were standing before him, saying “Remove the filthy garments…See, I have taken your iniquity away from you and will cloth you with festal robes.” Isaiah 64:6; Zechariah 3:4 Here I am playing hooky from church!   Actually no; here’s the whole story.   There is lots of snow right now in Washington and our church purchased new speakers this weekend.   They are pretty hefty-over 100 lbs. each.   They and our family couldn’t fit in the car, our only covered transportation.   So they got to go to church today and not me!   I can barely drive my husband’s diesel 6 gear semi semi-truck when it’s bright and sunny so not going to attempt it today. I’m sitting here is quiet house, having bundled the kids to go outside and play.   It’s quiet, even soothing.   Watching the snow fall outside my window.   I’...

Prepare Your Heart: Read James 3:2-14.   Reflect through prayer or journaling the control of your tongue or any situations where it has put you in harm’s way.   What examples of this passage have you seen in your life? Happy New Year!   Everyone is making resolutions.   In the background behind me I can hear the beach body trainer on P90X because my husband has made a resolution to exercise more.   In my first grade class we even joined the fun and created goals as a writing project.   Many people become mindful of the dangers in what they eat, how they spend their time, and unhealthy habits like smoking, etc.   I’ve been known in the past to not make resolutions because I don’t want to break them !   Yet, it is great to look at your life and find areas that need tweaking.   How about in your spiritual life?   To see my thoughts on how I’m doing straight out of my journal from last year, reference my last post: Gleanings 2011. ...

For those of you who have been with me for three studies so far, you know that I like to end my study with a reflections process I call gleanings , based off the biblical model of allowing the poor to going back through the harvest after it has been reaped to gather what is left.   I am poor in spirit and need spiritual food!   I always like to look back and review where I have been with God and what I’ve learned.   We are forgetful.   We like Israel have a “Red Sea” experience and praise him, then days later grumble and complain and daydream that where He is taking us is far worse than the garbage and slavery we left behind.   I also have this habit as I finish a new journal, which I just did!   Timely as it’s the end of the year.   I read though it prayerfully, asking God to show me what I learned and any special words He needs to remind me of on the faith journey I’ve made so far.   Below I’ll list the things I noted in my new journal o...