PERSPECTIVES!

It is interesting to me that no matter what you say, it depends on the other person's perspective as to how it can be taken. I know not everything matters in this regard, but in important things it does.

I have been dialoguing with my youngest concerning the relationship of her and her boyfriend. I will say something and depending on her perspective, she has to ask questions to make sure what I am saying. I know I assume too much sometimes and that causes a different perspective.

My point in saying this is how many times have I read the Word with a certain viewpoint or perspective in mind and taken it entirely out of context? It scares me to think that I can read the Word and not fully understand what is being said or how it is said because of the blinders I have on my eyes, in my heart and in my head.

I realize when we don't listen well and already have answers blocking the listening, then damage can occur. We become faulty in our decisions and can even be faulty in our convictions because of assumptions and differing perceptions.

We were asked in class once if the Word was truth? Of course! Also, if there was only one interpretation? I said a definite no and nearly every one else said yes. But we all interpret according to our own assumptions and perspectives. So how can we say there is one interpretation. There may well be one supposed interpretation but I find it hard to believe that there is only one and that when a certain passage is read it is interpreted the same by every reader. If that is the case, then why are there so many issues on the table and so many churches?

GOTTA RUN! LIFE IS GOOD!

I talked with my youngest last night after her visit to her boyfriend's. She was in Missouri for about 9 days! Wow! She sounded good. They had a good week with a few hitches, like a funeral! But that is everyday life and I am sorry they had that but fortunately for her it was not someone she knew. I know she is anxious to get her last semester of school over with. That is what is motivating her right now. I pray for her consistency and stamina as she completes this and makes enough money to sustain her while in her internship. She can do this. I am praying for God's hand to get her through to next May!

I will get Tollie to blog yet. John Alan Turner has a blog that has been addressing some issues we are dealing with right now. He has talked about not tinkering with what God has put in place and to stop praying for vision! Wow, that really hit me. But his point is that God already has a vision for the church. We need to be praying for strategy and working that strategy. It is indeed what our sheperds are doing this weekend. They had planned to get a vision for Christ Covenant, but now I think it will be a planning session to put into place a strategy for Christ Covenant. They need our prayers this weekend and I hope things go well for them.

I love my friends! Friends are the basis for my everyday walk while filling needs. Thank you God for friends. And speaking of friends, I have talked to my bestest friend this morning and then later I am going to have lunch with another best friend. So could life get much better? Don't think so. I will see my grandchildren and kids tonight and talked with my other kid last night. Life is good.

Gotta run!

Crafty Satan

I am currently reading a book to help me discover where my down spots are that hinder me from losing weight. According to the book, there is a line where we are above the line and happy. Coming down below the line causes us pain and unhappiness and that is when we go to external solutions, such as binging, drinking, really excess habit.

My biggest problem is finding when I am below the line. I think sometimes I am so caught up in my daily that I don't realize that I am below the line and it is really a long later that I see I was below the line.

Satan is crafty and fills my day with ho hum duties and discolors the truth so that I don't even realize what is happening.

Last night was an epiphany. I was laying there and realized that earlier in the day I had made a discovery quite by accident and it distressed me. I knew it distressed me but it was not until I was in bed, reading the book that I realized I had succumbed again to eating to mask over the distress I was feeling. Quite by quiet action I was hooked into an external solution without even consciously doing it. That is a scary thought. Doing something you don't intend to do.

Wow! I know how much I need to be conscious about what I do and why I do it.

At least I was eating Snack Well cookies so maybe they don't count as much as donuts?

I am praying for success in the actions that I hope to come about by acknowledging when I am below the line of happiness and using these external solutions to pacify my needs.