A DOUBLE CONTEMPLATION

I am contemplating this statement.

"If you do something on purpose (not by accident), you do it purposely. But if you have a specific purpose in mind, you are acting purposefully."
(Common Errors in English Usage: The Book 2nd Edition, November, 2008)

I enjoy looking up the meanings of words. I wanted to read the definition of PURPOSELY. I found the above statement in my search.

Now I have two words to contemplate.

A DOUBLE CONTEMPLATION!!

BELIEVE

Yesterday my sister, Lorie, called to tell me that the house where we lived in Darlington has sold. Well, we have a contract, and we are BELIEVING it will close on or before the date on that contract.

She told me a story. I love stories. Her story involved her family, our mother, and the word BELIEVE. It truly is a wonderful story and maybe she will write it on her blog.

I just want to share what I read this morning.

"I do BELIEVE we're all connected. I do BELIEVE in positive energy. I do BELIEVE in the power of prayer. I do BELIEVE in putting good out into the world. And I BELIEVE in taking care of each other" - Harvey Fierstein

Baby Jude Morrison

About 7 years ago I met the Marchette family in Florence. I worked with one daughter, Rose, and helped in the treatment of another daughter, Rachel, in therapy. Rose and her husband's second child, Jude, was born at MUSC a little over a week ago. Please go to her blog to find out about Jude and please pray for this precious child.

http://babymorrison2.blogspot.com/2011/12/big-blue-eyes.html?showComment=1323919277175#c1870623448394942431

Self Pity

I've had an especially stressful two weeks. As I was driving home and just thinking to myself I heard something like this on WMXK:

Self pity is self worship.
Self worship is sin.
Sin drags you into a pit.

I actually laughed out loud and said, "Thanks God. I think I heard you!"

"NEVER"

Received this blog from John Piper's blog today: J. C. Ryle in Be Content —

Stick to that word "never." It is worth its weight in gold. Cling to it as a drowning man clings to a rope. Grasp it firmly, as a soldier attacked on all sides grasps his sword. God has said, and will stand to it, "I will never leave you!"

"Never!" Though your heart often faints, and you are sick of self, and your many failures and infirmities; even then the promise will not fail.

"Never!" Though the devil whispers, 'I shall have you at last! In little while, your faith will fail, and you will be mine!' Even then, God will keep his Word.

"Never!" Though waves of trouble go over your head, and all hope seems taken away. Even then the Word of God will stand.

"Never!" When the cold chill of death is creeping over you, and friends can do no more, and you are starting on that journey from which there is no return. Even then—Christ will not forsake you.

"Never!" When the Day of Judgment comes, and the books are opened, and the dead are rising from their graves, and eternity is beginning. Even then the promise will bear all your weight. Christ will not leave his hold on your soul.

I pray I will NEVER forget!!

Forgiveness

This morning I read in David Seeking A Heart Like His by Beth Moore:

"Had those who crucified Jesus asked for forgiveness? No. had they admitted their wrong? No. Then why did Christ ask God to forgive them? I believe His purpose was not for His persecutors to be let off the hook but for Christ to disavow bitterness. he chose to continue His painful destiny with the love of the Father in Him. He made no room for unforgiveness".

I am asking God to show me if there is any unforgiveness in my heart. If so, I know He will help me deal with it and move on to peace in Him.

Turn Your Eyes

I just completed my morning exercise. Only because I have the day off. I do not usually exercise in the morning.

I left the house with a plan.

1. I would walk the first block to warm up.

2. I would run from the first break in the median to the second break in the median.

3. I would walk from the second break in the median to the third break.

4. I would continue to alternate running and walking until I arrived home.

5, My goal: to move at 4 mph.

I was doing well. Cardio trainer on my cellphone was keeping me up to date on my progress. I was warmed up. My breathing had gotten under control. My hamstring was not hurting. My left foot had not gone to sleep. I was marveling at the wonder of God's world. I was moving at 4.1 mph. I was pretty pleased with myself.

My cellphone alerted me to a text message and I slowed down to a walk. I read my message. I responded. I hit the wrong button and my workout program paused. I tapped my phone again and heard:

WORKOUT COMPLETE!!!!!!!!!!!

Nooooooooooooo my workout was not complete. I still had at least 1 mile to go. I had not burned all the calories I wanted to burn. I had not. . . . . . . .

My warm muscles WERE getting cool. I started to run. My excitement WAS gone. I slowed down. My hamstring WAS hurting. I started to walk. My goal. Well, my goal of having a pace of at least 4 mph WAS not achieved.

As I WALKED home I reflected on what had gone wrong. I RESPONDED to a distraction that did not need a response. And I asked myself,

"How often do I TURN MY EYES away from the race God has set before me because of a distraction"?

These lyrics came to my mind:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the Light of his Glory and Grace

Did I commit a sin by answering my text message? NO!! But it did give me a LIFE LESSON for my day.

1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

I pray as I run through this day following God wherever HE is leading me, that I will run to get the prize. The prize of keeping my eyes on Him so that I will bring glory to His name.

Counting my BLESSINGS

My friend, Roxie, asked me several weeks ago to join her in a using a devotional book. She asked me to be her accountability partner. I accidentally picked up the wrong book. She is using Becoming the Woman God Wants Me to Be and I am using Becoming the Woman I Want To Be. They are both by author Donna Partow. Today in the section "Action to take" I read, "Count your blessings. List five things you can be grateful for and choose to focus on them today. Then go a step further and remind your family and friends how blessed they are too". My list: 1. HOT shower - It was my very first OUT LOUD thank you to God this morning. I had not read my devotion yet. It just happened to be my first OUT LOUD thank you to God. A local church group has adopted a battalion in Afghanistan. The men and women only shower once a month. Makes me cry. Makes me thankful. 2. Friends 3. Love of my husband 4. Choose what I eat 5. Laughter That's my list, what's yours? And how do you begin a new paragraph? Can you tell I don't blog very often. I want paragraphs!!