Once again I started yawning early last night and went to bed early - and woke up at 5AM when my alarm went off. I slept well last night, having taken just a tylenol to keep any pain at bay. Since I slept all night, I think the worst is over and I am doing just fine with this surgery recovery. I get twinges ever so often, but I ignore them, unless it is bad. I'll take another tylenol before we go to church this morning, just to be sure I don't start hurting during church.
My youngest made brownie points yesterday - he and his wife came to the funeral for a dear old friend. He didn't know him well, and of course hadn't seen him in years, but still, he came. And the church was pretty full. By the time we got there, hitting every.single.red.light. except for one or two, I think, it was 9:50AM. It was to start at 10AM. But, just before we got there, they made an announcement that it may start, hopefully, by 10:15AM. What they shared was the hearse had broken down on the freeway and another large car had to come pick up the casket and transport it to the church. I don't know who the Yukon belonged to, but it was long enough to transport it. It arrived just before we got there. It was a nice service, although the microphone wasn't working that well most of the time and we couldn't hear all that was said. We saw several people we hadn't seen in years. That's what always happens - at weddings and at funerals. We went to lunch with the youngest and his wife and had a nice visit. Coming home - guess who settled in for a nap? Yep, me.
I find it interesting that with the TV off, hubby isn't taking (or at least I haven't seen it) naps like he did before. He'd take 2 hour naps easily. And he says he is sleeping all night. Imagine that! Usually the TV comes on at 2PM and he's asleep by 2:30PM and wakes up around 3:30-4PM. I should bring that to his attention. Maybe. Last night he asked if I wanted to watch a movie. He didn't like my response - but I told him, "You have been doing so well with not even talking about the TV or asking about movies, and I know you said if I wanted to watch a movie, you'd turn it on. You have gone six days without the TV - and I don't want to mess you up.... if YOU want to watch a movie, then watch it; I can do without it. I'm just afraid that if you watch a movie, then you'll start rationalizing that you will just watch the news, and then before you know it, you'll be watching TV." He grumbled a bit, but he left the TV off. He has stuck to his vow of no TV. He didn't give up any food specifically, but is trying to stick to what I am, including fish and chicken. I'm not to judge what he does; that is between him and God, just like my fast is between me and God. Even at the restaurant, I had 4 vegetables. Hubby had fish and two vegetables. And we left the biscuits alone. And that was hard - I love bread, as you know.
I didn't get anything done yesterday that I wanted to. After the funeral, and taking a nap, naw, I wasn't getting up to do anything. I did some crocheting and some knitting - didn't even cook dinner since we ate lunch - and hubby realized I wasn't fixing anything, so he got up and fixed himself some leftovers from the other night. All by himself. Yeah, some sarcasm there. I have things I really need to get done today, and may... or may not.
Jesus was talking to several Pharisees who wore white clothing to sow how holy they were. He said in Matthew 23:26 (NKJV): "First, cleanse the inside of the cup ......" That's the alignment of your inner world. You cannot take the man out of the slum. You have to take the slum out of the man. That alignment in your inner world is your purity. It's your thought life. The Pharisees were so worried about looking the part on the outside, but on the inside they were full of dead men's bones. Some people worry about how they look on the outside only. You know, how they look, what do other people think, etc. But the greater thing is to be clean on the inside, in your thought life, in your purity and your attitude, in your spirit.
In other words, it doesn't matter how we dress, whether we smell pretty or not. What matters is that inside of us is pure and clean. What does that mean? It means you are following Jesus, you are obeying Him. You are following Him so close the dust of His sandals gets all over you. That what I want. To be so close to Him.
Sometimes, yes, it feels like He is far away. I'm sure you have felt that too. But He isn't. It is me, or us, who have moved from Him, by letting something in that shouldn't be there. Perhaps it was a cross word or two, an attitude. Things that we know are not of Him, who is perfect is every way. The devil has a way of sneaking in and when you are walking with Jesus, the devil will do everything he can to flip the scales in his favor. When you recognize something is different - and you will - ask for forgiveness and turn your way around. And you will find Jesus right there once again.
Life doesn't get any better than with having Jesus right by your side. Don't you want to experience that feeling, that joy that He brings? Think about it. Do it. Just once step. Acknowledge Jesus as Lord of all, and ask forgiveness. It's so easy.
Blessings!
