Ego

It's been a busy week. Jon started physical therapy and is spending about 3 hours a day on doing his water therapy and exercises. He's very diligent! There is still a lot of swelling in his hand which we hope to see improve soon. Wednesday night I went to my ladies' group. Last night we were invited out for supper to a really great new restaurant...Tony's BBQ Bistro in Walnut. The food was REALLY good, and the spinach artichoke dip appetizer was the best I've ever tried. It's a small place with very personal service. Tonight we went to a casual get together for Jon's work that was very nice, too!
Tomorrow we go to Tre's first basketball game, and it will be great fun. We have plans for Sunday afternoon and evening, too...we're invited to Greg and Megan's for a visit. Jon will be busy just fitting in his therapy!

Thought for the day

I was comparing some scriptures the other day and was looking at the verse 1 Peter 2:11. In the NASB it reads "...abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul." Now "fleshly lusts" makes me think of the bad stuff...you know, the kinds of sins that you think you'd never commit. But now read it in The Message..."Don't indulge your ego at the expense of your soul." Ouch! That hits a lot closer to home! That is addressing my attitude, my pride (again), my thought life, my patience, my...myself! So every unkind thought, word, or action is an indulgence of my ego and costs the welfare of my soul in every instance. Okay, then I remember Romans 13:14 "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts." There it is again...lusts of the flesh. Though The Message takes that verse a different direction, I should think that we can make the connection that we should not make any provision for our egos. For one thing, that seems to point to being very aware of our motives...why do we do or say what we do or say? Do we try to be noticed or take an upper hand? Do we pick our associations or activities based on the opinions of others? Do we live our lives to make an impression on someone else? All these things would be making provision for our egos. Instead, "put on" the Lord Jesus Christ...become the servant of all, prefer others over ourselves, and show mercy as we've been shown mercy. All these heart changes begin with a decision...a definite line in the sand...but are also moment by moment surrenders of the will and will require a lifestyle of dependence on the Holy Spirit. Isn't that what Jesus has had in mind all along...a lifestyle of dependence on Him? He loves us enough to make real life impossible without Him.