He won - and not by default!

 Unless you consider my laziness this morning 'giving in' to Ralphd00d posting first this morning.  We went to bed around 10p last night, I think, and for the first time in 3-4 nights, I did not wake up during the night to go down the hall, nor did I wake up (that I'm aware of) during the night - and slept until 5a this morning - and only woke up then because my watch buzzed with a news flash of a shooting.  I think I could have turned over and gone back to sleep, even then, but saw the clock and decided I needed to get up.  Hubby arose about 5:30-6:00-ish, I think.  Huh.  According to my sleep tracker on my Apple watch - it shows I was only awake one time and that was about 11-ish; must have turned over enough to make my watch think I as awake.  I generally have 4-5 of these little red lines that show I was awake during the night - but there is only 1 this morning. Yeah, I slept good, and I needed the sleep with two 2-3a wake-ups recently.  I feel good this morning, too.  Did my reading before hubby brought in my coffee, and since he was up, wanted to get my shower in so that my hair will dry naturally before I curl it for church at noon.

Grabbed some eggs ole' I made yesterday morning and some watermelon and have eaten 'breakfast' this morning too.  My coffee had the lid on it so it's still warm.  Yeah, food in the belly, coffee to sip on while I write in here, then I will finish up on other things.  So, yeah, I'll let my son 'win' first place this morning. Well, not 'let', but he did 'win'. :-) 

Got the music flowing this morning while I write. Usually I don't turn the music on, but I still have 3 hours before I need to get ready for church so yeah, although I like the quiet, I do love playing - and sometimes singing along - praise music.  Gets me focused on where my focus needs to be - on Jesus!

As you can gather, this is Sunday and it's 'church day'!  Yesterday was confusing in that we went to church yesterday morning for 'growth track' and I tell you what, it was really interesting!  I have a copy of the slides and have requested a copy of the recording.  I'll do a transcription of it, if I can (put my computer on 'dictate' and in Word and let the recording play).  So because we went to 'church', it did seem like Sunday for most of the day.  Stopped at Whataburger on the way home, but for some reason the hamburger didn't taste good to me and I only ate about 3/4 of it.  Maybe I just wasn't hungry after having 3 cups of coffee at the church.  I don't drink that much coffee anymore - usually just one or two cups and I'm done.  I think that was my 'problem'. Anyway, after lunch I worked on my diamond art (I'm just about done!) and then decided I needed a nap. After all, two nights in a row with only 2-4 hours of sleep, yeah. LOL I had to apologize (although he said he didn't notice) to our speaker yesterday.  It was cold in the church and when I'm cold, you know what happens.... I fall asleep.  I was fighting sleep yesterday morning during the first part of the seminar.  At break I went out to the car and got my sweater and was ok for the second half. It was a really good seminar on Israel and the nations. 

And yes, I learned something.  I hope I'm saying this right... but, you know how we have read that Israel is 'God's chosen people'?  Well, the nation of Israel God 'created' through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  Actually, it was Jacob's boys who made up Israel, the nation.  Anyway, I guess it had been a 'wonder' in my mind at different times, but Dr. Jonathan Gannon spelled it out.  For one, the term 'Jew' is racial if you comment that (for example) someone 'Jewed' you out of something... or, well, you get the jest of that. I'm getting to what I want to say.... eventually.  

For one thing he said, when the Gaza was attacked, none of the Israelites were living in Gaza. It was other national Jews.   And there are all kinds of Jews - because they were dispersed to other nations over the years, escaping in WWII, there are all kinds of 'Jews' and most are not 'pure' Jewish.  Anyway - even though God loves Israel, they will not go to Heaven UNLESS they have accepted Jesus as the Messiah! Just because they are 'Jewish' or live in Israel, they will not go to Heaven unless they call Jesus Lord.  I mean, we always hear that Israel is 'blessed' by God.  But that is not true, God created Israel, but because they have turned their back on God, they will not go to Heaven any more than you or I will if we turn our backs on God. That may not make much sense, the way I said it, but Dr. Gannon, who was raised in Israel (but is not Jewish, he is Greek) made it very clear.  

The Bible clearly says if we bless Israel, we will be blessed.  But that doesn't mean they are going to Heaven and God is allowing Israel to live as it wants - unless they turn back to Him, accept Jesus as the Messiah, they will go to hell.  It was a really interesting seminar and I'm glad we went.  I hope I can get a recording so that I can transcribe it and share if anyone wants.  I found it very interesting.  I do have the slides now and they are the things Dr. Gannon shared, not pictures of Israel.

Wow - I've written a lot - and probably said nothing of interest to you - because that is on my mind this morning.  So today is Sunday and we will go to church at noon.  Pastor John's title on the current 'series' is "The Series that is not a Series'. The past two week, including today, have been taking scriptures that people would like more clarification on and he expounds on those.  Last week it was on women preaching/teaching, as I've already shared.  Ironically, the SBC voted once again that the Baptists will not allow women preachers/teachers (of men).  I wish they could hear Pastor John's message for he really broke down the culture and the reasons why Paul said what he said.  I know I have already shared about it.  Sounds like the SBC needs to do their own research on Paul's scriptures.  Right?

We may run over to Lowe's after church this morning. Want to look at washer and dryers (thanks to my son, he gave me things I need to ask, such as will they take the old washer/dryer). I need to measure them too; definitely do not want anything bigger!  I want to run up to Walmart too, but that's not important.  I got a new workout shirt yesterday - "I want to quit but my trainer is scary" is what is on it. I can't wait to wear it tomorrow when I go for my workout.  Morgan was able to get hubby and I both in 3 times next week.  I hope I can move by Thursday.  I know I have legs, then core... not sure if the third one will be upper body or another HIIT.  She will do whatever I ask when it comes to that.  I just want to get this fat out of me... but I suppose I need to monitor my eating too, huh, and work out more.

In reading my Restore daily reading - 'What you do is determined by what you think of you.'  is a sentence that caught my eye.  And it continued with 'And what you think of you probably isn't true.'

What do you think of those two statements?  We realize there are things in us that we need to change, based on a cost-benefit analysis of our behavior, but do we make the commitment to change?  Our decisions are based on our perceived identities and if our identities do not change, we will eventually go back to the same behaviors.  Getting unstuck (finally stopping this or starting that) won't happen because we try to change our behaviors; it will happen when we change our identitties.

And there is good news for that.  We can change our self-perception.  We can change our identity. How do we do that?  We think of how we perceive ourselves and compare it how we WANT to perceive ourselves.... does that make sense?  I think I will just refer you to TheRestoreCommunity.com to dive deeper into that subject - and others.  It's a free place to dive deeper, watch videos, download a free PDF journal, and interact with people on the same journey as you.

James 3:13:  Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

Sometimes, when we can rise up on the wisdom of others and get a new view of our situations, our next steps seem a little clearer.   When things seem muddled and you are confused as to what to do, take a pause in the hard times and go to your safe place. When the world beats you down, open up your Bible. Let His sentences finish yours. Let truth walk before you like a guide on a dark path.  And go to someone in your sphere of influence whom you know is wise. (see above scripture)  Let wise people help you. Stand on top of their wisdom when you feel shaky with your own. When we can rise up on the wisdom of others and get a new view of our situations, our next steps seem a little clearer.

Give God all the glory, honor, and praise, for only He is worthy.

Blessings!