dar334

Jim is feeling the effects of the chemo so we are lying low at the home front.  The kids were all here yesterday, with the exception of their spouses, Mike and Michelle were both working.  I made the usual baked spaghetti.  I’ve found that garlic toast using hotdog buns is the favorite, though our kids make sure their kids eat the spaghetti too.  I have to chuckle to myself when a couple of the plates are returned with the hamburger still on them.  I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, I preferred my pasta with just tomato juice too.  Two of our grandchildren have August birthdays so I gave them their gifts; Josh will be 13 and buying for him is completely out of the question, he got cash.  Morgan is our little crafter, I hooked her up with card making items.

I slept in after having a rough night and Jim didn’t wake me for church so must be he wasn’t feeling up to attending today.  I’m sorry we missed some friends that are out of town now; perhaps we can catch up with them next weekend.

My cup of coffee and my daily reading plan have me opening my Bible today to Psalms 87-88 and Romans 13.  It was in Romans 13 that my pondering began.  Verse 11’s title is The Day is Near, my pondering began with verses 12-14.

The night is nearly over, the day is almost here.  So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.  Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in the carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery (extreme indulgence in bodily pleasures and especially sexual pleasures), not in dissension (disagreement that causes the people in a group to argue about something that is important to them) and jealousy.  Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

I admit, I still take the message as it is written.  Night being night and day being day.  Thank goodness for my study Bible, because off to the study note I went.

The night refers to the present evil time.  The day refers to the time of Christ’s return. Some people are surprised that Paul lists dissension and jealousy with the gross and obvious sins of orgies, drunkenness, and sexual immortality.  Like Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Paul considers attitudes as important as actions.  Just as hatred leads to murder, so jealousy leads to strife and lust to adultery.  When Christ returns, he wants to find people clean on the inside as well as on the outside.

As I pondered myself in this particular instruction, I have been guilty of drunkenness, dissension and jealousy.  The drunkenness for me wasn’t a problem to stop, I was never really a drunk.  To be honest, I really don’t enjoy drinking.  I only did it to fit in with the current person or people I was in the company of at the time.  As for dissension, I’ve gotten a lot better with that.  The majority of the people I have had serious  arguments with are always right and the arguing makes no difference anyways.  I will say, I will argue to my death if it involves dishonoring my parents, my kids, or my husband.  Besides, arguing uses up a lot of energy and I have none to spare.  Jealousy is probably my hardest to control.  The majority of my jealousy can be taken care of when I remember I don’t get to pick the cards I’m dealt.  I’m glad annoyance wasn’t listed.  That one may be impossible for me to quit, so I just try my hardest to avoid those things/persons that annoy me.

I guess this wraps up my current pondering.  I’ve noticed a hummingbird appearing just outside the window in my Quiet Room and the nector is old so I did take time to heat more up, it’s cooling on the stove right now.  And I have a sunflower now blocking the majority of the feeder so I need to move that to the south a little.  Some of the laundry I washed yesterday is still on the line, the “occasional” showers we experienced didn’t give the heavier stuff enough time to dry.  Thankfully our sheets got dry between showers and I made it out to get them before they got wet again.  I may try to get some mowing done, I’m not sure how Jim will feel in the next few days.  I also want to work on my puzzle some more.  Jim just told me some things he’s like to have in the house to eat, so a trip to the grocery store will be soon.  Seems like too much to do before bed, and tomorrow I’m back to work.

Always pondering,

dar