I often find myself struggling with negative thoughts in my mind.  Usually about myself, how I’m not good enough or wise enough or smart enough, etc.  I came across a lecture by Luther on Galations and in reading it I found this very insightful way to deal with the temptation to fall back into living by the law.  He says:

14 So learn to speak to one’s heart and to the Law. When the law creeps into your conscience, learn to be a cunning logician-learn to use the arguments of the gospel against it.Say:

“0 law! You would climb up into the kingdom of my conscience, and there reign and condemn me for sin, and would take from me the joy of my heart which I have by faith in Christ, and drive me to desperation, that I might be without hope. You have over-stepped your bounds. Know your place! You are a guide for my behavior, but you are not Savior and Lord of my heart. For I am baptized, and through the Gospel am called to receive righteousness and eternal life…. So trouble me not! For I will not allow you, so intolerable a tyrant and tormentor, to reign in my heart and conscience — for they are the seat and temple of Christ the Son of God, who is the king of righteousness and peace, and my most sweet savior and mediator. He shall keep my conscience joyful and quiet in the sound and pure doctrine of the Gospel through the knowledge of this passive and heavenly righteousness.”

How awesome.  I was sharing this struggle with Katie D. and she had this to share:

“I think we all have to come to grip with the fact that our flesh is not eradicated when Christ comes into our heart. And, in fact, it seems to become more determined to distract us from the goal of knowing Christ and loving people. I have learned over the years when negative thinking comes in, I just have to close the door on the thoughts. In my mind, that is literally what I do. It is like opening a door and seeing a horrible mess. I can either decide I have to go in and clean it up, or slam the door shut and do something more productive. So, which way will I spend my emotional energy?…trying to clean up the impossible mess, or build something constructive?”

I thought this was good insight on dealing with my negative thinking!

I came home today and turned on the tv to veg for awhile.  The news was covering the sentencing of Bobbi Cutts who killed Jesse Davis and her unborn child.  They were at the part where family members come up and face Bobbi and say whatever it is they want to say.  Jesse’s sister was talking at that moment and was saying how she would never be able to forgive him.  Jesse’s dad came up and said a few words, basically he will never forgive him.  Jesse’s mom came up and what she had to say was awesome.  I can’t remember word for word, but basically she told him that she serves a great God and that He has the ability to forgive and she can forgive him because He has forgiven her.  She said she wants to forgive him for what he did because she doesn’t want to live with the anger and an unforgiving heart. She said that she would be praying that he would find God and that God has the ability to heal and change peoples lives.   I was really touched by her boldness and heart felt desire to show God’s love for this man who murdered her daughter and unborn granddaughter. 

I had just taught about forgiveness in the 6th grade girls cell and we watched a clip from the “Passion of Christ” film.  Christ was in the garden praying and asking his Father to take this cup of suffering from him, but that he wanted to do His will not his.  I was really hit by his intense desire to do his Father’s will knowing he would experience much pain ahead.  Yet he did it so that we can have our sins forgiven and enter back into a relationship with God.  It’s only because he did this that we can truly offer forgiveness to others.  “We can get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.  Instead, we can be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven us”. (NLT Eph. 4:31-32).  What awesome power we have through Christ to forgive others.   I know that I would absolutely not be able to forgive others without having Christ in my life.  I am so thankful that through Christ I can forgive others!

Did you know that there are actual Pet Cemetaries? I had no clue. You can actually buy a plot of land, a casket and have a service for your pet. Or you can choose to have it cremated.

So, I was working out on Monday when I found myself listening in a very interesting conversation. It was about burying your pet vs. having it cremated. I remembered around Christmas time Joe had a post about the commercials for buying stuff for your pets, so I thought this would interest some of you.

One lady in the conversation decided not to have her pet buried because she doesn’t plan to live in Ohio the rest of her life. If she had her pet dog buried then she wouldn’t be able to take it with her. She had no plans to come back regularly and visit the grave. So, she had it cremated now she can take it with her when she moves. Another girl paid $400.00 to have her dog cremated. I do remember a gal in our church who had her cat stuffed and she kept it in the attack.

I naively asked the question, “Don’t people just bury their animals in the back yard anymore?” Well, I didn’t realize that would be so offensive. Now I know.

I think a good business to get into would be the funeral and cemetary business. You must be able to make a lot of dough. Well, I am going to rebel and ask to be cremated (Rick can burn me in the fire pit in the back yard) and throw my remains over the Smoky Mountains or some such place.

For as much as I like to talk I can’t believe I haven’t entered into the world of blogging yet. The nice thing about this, I don’t even have to worry if anyone is really listening. I can just talk away. Anway, I just wanted to see how this works. More later.