dar334

Since Jim has chemo Wednesday the 20th, he knew he would miserable next weekend so he offered to take me away this weekend for my birthday.  Gracie the nail lady told me about The Cross in the Woods at Indian River so that was our destination. As I know most of you ……. (inserting an attention grabber here. We are following a pack bikers on M-115 and it has dawned on me they are like a flock of migrating birds.  You have a leader and several followers and the one in the back seems to let the outsiders behind the flock know when there will a change in the flight pattern.  He will be the one to pull over first when changing lanes and then the ones in front of him move over as one unit.  Although they may be 30 individuals, they ride as one flock.  I respect them) ……. now back to my story.  As most of you know, I like to visit casinos.  I admit it, and I can justify it as good as anyone else can justify their faults or lacks in complete obedience, what we do is between us and God.  Enough said.  After having dinner at Soaring Eagle we spent Friday night at Houghten Lake.  We visited The Cross on Saturday, did a little shopping in the gift shop, and then spent a couple hours at Odawa Casino and then Little River Casino in Manistee, before spending the night on the the fourth floor of a historic downtown refurbished bank.  No elevator, but it had those beautiful old carpeted stairs with the traditional shiny wide wood trim.  It reminded me of my Aunt and Uncle’s home in Brant years ago.

As we are headed back home today, and since radio stations rarely come in good on two lane State highways cut through hills and forests, I read my daily scriptures out loud as we headed east.  The verse that grabbed me was in 2 Corinthians chapter 10, verses 17 – 18:  ‘But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”  For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.’  I get a lot out of the study notes so off to them I went. ‘When we do something well, we want to tell others and be recognized. But recognition is dangerous—it can lead to inflated pride. How much better it is to seek the praise of God rather than the praise of people. Then, when we receive praise, we will be free to give God the credit. What should you change about the way you live in order to receive God’s commendation?

I’m guilty of boasting. I have been working on this peticular issue and notice it so much more since completing the Disciple series.  I notice it in me and in others.  I’ve become comfortable in not trying to impress others,  I get no benefit from them knowing what I’ve done.  I’ve also noticed that when I hear someone boasting, I actually feel the opposite affect of what they are boasting for.

So here’s my pondering for today.  I hope you do something today to make someone else feel good.

Always pondering,

dar