Lions, and tigers, and bears - OH MY!

Last week Daryl and I got the chance to go to Hovatter's Zoo in Kingwood. If you haven't been there, I would highly suggest it. It brings me much joy, and fortunately, Daryl loved it too!



Told yah...

Anyways, last week a bunch of us were talking about memorizing Scripture and how Ephesians 6 lists "the sword of the Spirit" (the Bible) as our one offensive weapon. In youth group that night I shared a story about a man who killed a lion that had attacked him with his sheath knife. Had he not had the knife, or had the knife not been sharp, it would have been all over for him.

In the same way, when I don't have the word of God in an attack, ready to fire, I can get mauled, or tangled up in the devils claws and teeth. 1 Peter 5:8 calls the devil a "roaring lion seeking whom he may devour."

It was cool to go to the zoo the next day and watch these lions. They are so massive and muscular and scary. They are not nice. They are not house cats. They are mean and they will eat you.



Satan is looking for who he can devour. We don't want to just scare him off, we want to wound him. Have your sword ready.

Keyless

Daryl went out of town this week for a conference and oddly enough both sets of my car keys are with him, under the passengers seat of his car.

Who does that?

This just serves as another obvious sign that I need to do better at keeping order in my life, which requires some slowing down.

I didn't know that they they were in his car until yesterday so I spent Sunday night into early Monday morning searching. When I realized that all hopes of finding them in my home were gone, I decided to sleep in, cancel my 11am meeting that I had scheduled on my day off and...continue to sleep.

I got up around 12:30 which is craziness for me, watched Family Feud, prayed, journaled, read, and prayed some more...

I haven't felt so good in months!

Some times less stuff means less stress. It was one of the most relaxing days I have ever spent.

Oh how I appreciate the sovereignty of God. Truely.

Back from the dead

Okay, so I most certainly haven't been dead, but maybe that got your attention!

This morning I was up working fairly early for me. There was a CD playing in the background and the singers were singing about being all happy in love with God.

I wasn't necessarily all "happy in love," but I was extremely delighted when God reminded me that love isn't "a feeling of ecstacy" or "overwhelming excitement about someone" (although these feelings are often associated with love).

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

The two greatest commandest are to love God and love others. I wish I always had the ooey gooey feeling towards God and others, but the truth is sometimes I don't have that ooey gooey feeling. Sometimes I just have to choose to love the way 1 Corinthians says to and that's okay. Sometimes I have to choose to tell Him that I love Him. Choose to hug a friend. Choose to sit and read His Word. Choose to listen to others. Choose to sing. Choose to smile. Choose to raise my hands and delight in Him. Choose to serve the desires of others rather than my own. Choose to obey. Choose to submit.

I choose because "the law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them is your servant warned; in keeping them is GREAT reward." Prsalm 19:7-11.