Thou Shall Not Steal

What an interesting day...I spent the day inside this courthouse as part of a 7 person jury which would decide the fate of a man facing a felony charge for theft. When I arrived this morning for the jury selection I was crammed into a very small room with 19 other people of different shapes and sizes. No one talked. Just sized each other up. There was the guy who had the ZZTop lookin' beard. The gal with the gray vinyl sweatsuit that looked like she should be boarding a space shuttle. My favorite person to watch was the "Mr. Bean guy". Yup, had his mannerisms, walk, even that tiny grin...But, eventually, all those people left and the chosen ones remained!
The judge was great...very informative and gracious. So was the bailiff. The attorneys did their best to present their cases. One for the defendant, one against. Not to bore anyone with details...the case was interesting but I was distressed that so much attention (& tax payers money!) was going towards this case. It seemed more like miscommunication to me rather than "knowingly exerting unauthorized control over the property of ----with the intent to deprive----of any part of its value or use."
So after several hours, and having one of the jurors decide he needed to vomit during the closing arguments....the jury went into the deliberation room and after discussing the case for awhile decided that we could not prove the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
I was surprised tonight to attend New Community and hear Dr. Bob speak on thou shall not steal. Wow...
God provided an awesome object lesson for me today...and for once, I didn't have to learn it the hard way!!

Self-Image

What IS it about a haircut & color that makes one feel a little better about oneself??? Seriously, guys may not understand this but after an afternoon at the salon...I walk straighter, look in the mirror more often, do that little "hair flippy thing" and smile at everyone. Who AM I???? Was this the same person that was grumbling this morning over needing to lose 10+ pounds? Searching through my closet at the same old clothes...absolutely nothing to wear! Jotting down the name of that new facial cream that advertises "wrinkles and fine lines disappear like magic"!
Such a little thing...chemicals & scissors. I am thankful for those who know how to use them!!

Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades. The woman to be admired and praised is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God Proverbs 31

BORED

What IS there to do in this town in the middle of February??? I work, go to the gym, go to church twice a week, maybe grab a bite to eat with friends....same old scenario. My husband bought tickets to U2-3D...Yah, something to look forward to!!! But no! It was cancelled!!! The last couple of Netflix movies haven't done anything for me...I am trying to avoid the mall (thank you very much Dave Ramsey)...Yes, I think it is official. I have come down with a case of the winter blues! YUCK!!!

My Valentine

"...God has no favorites, that no matter where you're coming from and what you've done and who've you've been with and how badly you've screwed it up, the cross is the place where God looks past it all and forgives and accepts and wipes the slate clean.....In matters of love, it's as if God has agreed to play by the same rules we do. God can do anything--that's what makes God, God. But God can't do everything. God can't make us love him-that's our choice." Sex God-by Rob Bell
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Faith

Is Your Faith In Your Fear?by Jon Walker
“But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid.” (Matthew 14:27, NIV)
Across the breadth of the Bible, God consistently sends the message, “Do not be afraid, for I am with you.”
The Bible reveals that God knows we tend toward fear, particularly as we respond to uncertainty and change. Yet the Bible also reveals that God is the only unchanging certainty in this world – or out of it.
Yet, is it possible we have more faith in our fear than we do in God?
No matter how complex life becomes, it still comes down to this basic choice: Will we place our confidence in the All-Powerful Supreme Being and Sole Authority of the Universe, or will we place greater confidence in our fears?
Although the choice is black-or-white basic, God knows it’s not simple. It involves a challenging stretch, and that’s why God continually reminds us, “Fear not, for I am with you.”
God is clear that our abilities, our resources – even a belief in the myth of luck – will not be what strengthens us for the journey. (Philippians 4:13) We fear we can’t do the things God calls us to do, and we fear that God will not protect us or provide for us. We choose this fear, embracing the unholy lie that our circumstances are bigger than the One True God.
Our faith in God gets placed on the altar of our own perceptions when we should be placing our perceptions on the altar of unflinching faith.
If you’re like me, you often fear what’s behind the curtain of God’s call, and God – frustratingly – won’t let me peek behind the curtain, and so:
Our fear shouts – “Pay no attention to the God behind the curtain; he’s just another wizard from Oz, using smoke and mirrors to give you the illusion of power and grace.”
Our God whispers – In that still, small voice, he calls us to develop confidence in him; he calls us to abandon the confidence we have in what we see and the confidence we have in our fears. God keeps the curtain of our future drawn so we will learn to live by faith and not by sight, so we will become certain of what we hope for and become sure of God, even when we cannot see how he’s working in our current circumstances. (Hebrews 11:1)

Whew! I read this devotional this morning and it hit me between the eyes! I am such a creature of habit and I hate the uncertainty of the unknown. How often do I awake in the middle of the night with my mind raising with questions of what's to come? Job situation...economy...health of family...friends that are struggling...my inadequacies. I was once again reminded today to "live by faith and not by sight". Amen.