403 - Blending In

Oh Lord, thank you for a great night's rest and for a beautiful morning to wake up to. I have gotten slack this last couple of weeks about getting up at my regular time. I need to get back disciplined about that because school is on its way. It seems like since the middle of July I have been going 90 to nothing. I have not had time to write You any letters on my blog and that bothers me. When I don't write out what You have just taught me after studying, it just doesn't stick as well. On top of computer problems - I want to give a huge shout out to PB for taking the time, every time, to fix my computer!!! I am gonna start calling him Bourne, Computer Bourne! Alisha, thanks for allowing him to come to my computer rescue so often! - OK, so i was saying on top of computer problems i have been traveling to Nashville and back, to Kentucky and back, all over Southern Illinois looking at hole in the wall antiques shops, fixing up our new/old house, painting, school shopping, ran a road race, and then got my foot stung by a yellow jacket. My foot on the bottom is huge. I have never had a swollen foot pad - weird!

I was saying that I ran a road race, 3.1 miles. Andrea and I are training for a half marathon in October and in our training we decided to throw in a little race. YES, it was hard! It was hot, it was hilly, and it was bumpy. Andrea did awesome. I think our time was just over 30 minutes and she probably could have shaved off 2 or 3 minutes easily, but she was so kind and stayed with me. After the first mile i was toast. We passed the marker and my clock read 8:24!!!!!!!!!!! UGH, i don't run that fast so i knew i was in trouble for the rest of the race. I am barely any good for a 10 minute mile. Then as we turned the corner to go into the forest, trouble was ahead. I did fine in the forest for the first 3 or 4 minutes, but then i hit a root going downhill and ate it!!!!!!!!! It was funny, but not at the time. I went into the forest clean, but sweaty and came out a muddy, filthy mess. How embarrassing! Andrea was so good about quoting scripture the whole time and pushing me on. I am telling you, she was incredible. I could barely breath. She was telling me to say it out loud and I could not even find my whisper. I was dieing, it was a slow death, and would not come quick enough. Survival was a must since i was being challenged by a 8 or 9 year old boy towards the end of the race. Humbling!! I am glad it is over. But I would do it again tomorrow!

Jesus, I am on the last week of my Believing God study. Today I was in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 talked about the end times. It explained all the things we can look for, but specifically behaviors in others. Lovers of money, lack of self-control, unforgiving, without love, proud, boastful, rash, etc. Man, some of those things are not too far from my behaviors, but are certainly exactly what we see today. Are we in the end times? - well, we are closer every day that passes. But verse 5 is the kicker - "having some form of godliness, but denying its power." So these are people that probably look a lot like you and me, but are denying the power of the Cross. So while they are non-believers, i think we call them "good people" or a "good person". They sit with us in church, they go to Bible study with us, they live in our homes, they talk a good talk, but when life begins to press or the heat is turned up it is then that the blatant sin rears its head. I think this is the time we look the most like them! They are great at blending in and so are you and I!

I feel You asking me Lord, how do I look different? Am I giving into all the ways of man? There is a huge pressure right now all over the world to be "fixed" - do something to your body to look better or feel better. Right or wrong - I will not judge, but there is a pressure to be fixed. In business, do we deal honestly, do we treat employees kindly, do we go above and beyond what is asked from our employers, etc. With friends do we find ourselves talking about the latest, do we quickly judge each other (ouch), do we write each other off after a disagreement, do we throw one another under the bus? At home do we scream at the kids, do we argue to the death with our spouse, do we neglect our ministry at home? With money, am I willing to give my last shirt, am I willing to give what is His, am I willing to give sacrificially, do I hoard, be stingy, or try to make things even at all times? With our spouse, are we competing, are we cheating, are we stealing, are we always trying to win, are we negative, are we grumpy, are we no fun?

How am i different or am I just blending in? Can you even see a difference at all? Oh Lord, reveal to me my blending points. Reveal to me that times I look no different due to my actions or reactions. Reveal to me the sin that causes others to wonder about my faith. Reveal to me the places in my life that show no evidence of my faith in You. Show me Lord. I love you!

Last thing - I know this is the weirdest thing, but I believe God has asked me to do this. My last time I spoke in Charlotte was powerful. What i mean is that the Lord took over - like I pray so often - but was speaking things out of me that I had not planned. It was if I had stepped aside and He put another that looked just like me to speak the message. So i want to offer that message to whomever wants it. It is His message and something I think He wants to tell others. I have it on CD or DVD form. I would just be thrilled to send it to you if you feel the Lord telling you to get it. Or if just curiosity has you and you want it that is fine too. I know I could be in trouble if 50 people asked for it, but I will trust Him. It is all about Him!! You are welcome to leave a comment or email me directly.

Busy, busy week! Going to get the girls ears pierced today, tomorrow we are going to St. Louis zoo and register for school, Thursday we are going to Holiday World - Rachel, want to get away and go with us? -, and who knows what else in between and after all that. He is Lord!!! May we shine differently and never blend in!