Obedience = Safety

Happy Friday everyone!

 

I am actually off today.  I will go spend some time with my momma.  Then, I will come home and try to make sense of my dirty, box littered house.  Oh, and, I'm trying to scan in a bunch of pictures of my immediate family (and my mom specifically) for a future slide show to celebrate mom's life.  That may end up taking up all of my time today...which is okay.  I'll always have a dirty house to clean..but time is running out on me (so to speak) if I am to complete this celebration slide show to display at a future memorial service.

 

Update on mom - she is declining every day now.  She is allegedly pain free and sleeps almost round the clock.  When she opens her eyes, they are glazed and unfocused...like she is seeing "beyond" this room she is occupying.

 

My dad and I spent last evening together.  My cousin, James Byron (my dad's nephew), had sent dad a copy of the memorial slide show of my Aunt Pet (Dad's sister).  She passed away on December 28, 2008.  With all that has happened with mom, we were unable to fly to Texas for the funeral.  Just when I thought we were "safe" to watch this DVD, up comes a picture of my parents and all my Aunts & Uncles from a family reunion 15+ years ago.  Up welled the tears.  Then, my grandmother Boyette appears on the screen and my dad starts to cry.  Oh boy.  I kinda thought the tears were never going to stop for either one of us.  Sheesh.  I'm not embarrassed any more.  If I'm going to cry...I'm going to cry.  It is supposed to happen.  It is a natural release of grief dammed up inside.  It just so puts me out of commission for a bit that I can't get anything done...so it annoys me when I lose it and cry.

 

Oh yes...on to today's devo from Planet Wisdom.  I had such a vivid sound in my head when the writer mentioned the Apostle Paul sounding like Clint Eastwood.  It really made me laugh.  Mr. Eastwood has that gravelly, doesn't he need to clear his throat, kind of voice.  Hence the picture today.  I always hear Bill Byars in my head when I read Paul's writings.  And, I always hear my dad's voice when I read just about anything in the Old Testament.

 

Okay, that is a rabbit trail (which I love to dawdle around on...).

 

Seriously, remembering that God is in authority over all things and has placed those in authority over us SHOULD make it easier to obey those over us.  No?  Okay, well...when your heart state is set on things above and seeking to glorify God in all your thoughts, words, actions & deeds...maybe then, it will come easier to you.  That verse which commands, "Do all things to the glory of God...and without murmurings & disputings..." should make us realize, whatever we are doing is in obedience to God and for His glory.

 

So...if I cry today, I'm going to do it for the glory of God. Strange.

 

I love you all & pray for you daily.

 

P.S. Go Cardinals!

PlanetWisdom.com Devotionals

No Terror Posted: 28 Jan 2009 04:39 PM CST "For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you." (Romans 13:3) So I'm sitting in my car in the grocery store parking lot, and I see in my side mirror a police officer getting out of his car and walking toward me. His arms are covered with tattoos, and he's making serious eye contact with my license plate. Here's the deal: I know my tags are expired. Driving my car around like that is breaking the law, and he's about to tell me about it. At first, I feel a little thrill of fear; nobody wants to get busted by a scary cop covered in ink. Then I feel a little angry: "Doesn't he have anything better to do?" Then I hear the apostle Paul's voice from this passage. Turns out he sounds just like Clint Eastwood. Actually, it's God's Spirit reminding me of truth: My fear and anger are my fault for breaking the law. The officer is God's servant (see the next verse); my frustration is with God's authority, not this guy's. And up close, the tatts are actually very skillfully rendered. I agree to get new tags the next day as humbly as I can; he mercifully keeps his ticket book in his holster. I stop hearing Clint's voice quoting Paul by the power of the Holy Spirit. Think: Do you ever feel fear or resentment toward the God-given authorities in your life? How much of that has to do with your own choice to break the rules? Pray: Ask God to help you to see Paul's challenging perspective on this issue of authority. Thank God for the authority he has placed in your life, from your parents to your president. Do: If you're a driver, choose to obey all the traffic laws today as an act of submission the authority God has placed in your life. Visit PlanetWisdom.com for more great resources!