To Repent or not to Repent - Is that even a question?

Bear with me here.....
Did you ever notice how easy it is to see clearly an opportunity for someone else to live what they believe - yet if you were in the same position, you would never see it?

The crux of the matter is that there is a person that I know, let's call them Pat* for their anonymity.
So, Pat tells me this story of an acquaintance, an unbelieving acquaintance, who just railed them.
Pat had gone to the retail place of employment of the unbeliever and was having polite conversation, when out of nowhere the unbeliever works themselves up into a lather about some issue, of which Pat has no knowledge of and proceeds to yell at Pat.

Pat is dumbfounded......and as Pat tells me this story, I can see the 'I'm right and what was done to me was wrong here and I'm clinging to my rights" type attitude in everything coming out of this person's lips. (this does not say much about me, since it truly DOES take one to know one, and I wouldn't recognize this sin, unless I was guilty of it myself from time to time - thank GOD for my little brother who lovingly gets in my face about my hardness of heart and appeals to me with the Love of God in Christ Jesus)

Sum it up - Pat, I believe had done nothing wrong....BUT this unbeliever accused Pat in front of Pat's spouse and the unbeliever's spouse unjustly.

What does Pat do here? The flesh and the world would say "write this unbeliever off, you don't want friends like that anyway." Sadly, Pat is avoiding this unbeliever and doesn't feel the need to go to them in humility and say, "However I have offended you, I want you to know that I am very sorry and I wanted to know if you'd let me do what it takes to make it right."
(seriously, the hardest thing to do is apologize when you haven't any idea that you have done anything worth apologizing........but how much humility does it take to do such a thing? = A lot.)

But who else was wrongly accused and assaulted, spit on, and murdered for the false accusations?
Our precious Christ was..........and he says to our unsettled hearts that are trying to cling to our 'rights' - "Pick up your cross daily, and follow me, this is the Calvary road, the narrow way that leads to life"

WHAT glory would be to the Lamb of God - if we walked in his footsteps.
How many unbelievers would be quieted in their angry rages and false accusations to pay attention to the good news, if we who bear his Name - acted like we belonged to him?

Oh, great God - change our hearts....we are foolish and stubborn of heart. Please remove the blind spots where our sin hides and keep us from being tricked by our American freedom mentality that forsakes those who sin against us.........because YOU never forsake us stupid sinful sheep. Break our hearts Father, for the sake of your Name.

In Christ Jesus Name.

laters,
jenb

Forgetting the Blessing of Blogging?

So, I had a conversation last night with our small group leader about blogging......and I forget how helpful it is in getting my heart to the crux of the matter..........to aid in articulating thoughts and emotions so that I can discern what God might be doing.

Truth is, that I've been struggling with so much randomness that it's hard to narrow down to one topic. Some of it is just sorting through my current struggle to be a better wife. I want to be the homemaker....to have the home neat and in order always, and to be able to have time to cook and search out healthy recipes and etc. But the season I'm in doesn't really allow for that. I work my tail off at work, and keeping up with bills and budgeting, our social calendar and working out. The things that SEEM most critical. Then, I relax and/or read in my free time.
But, should there BE FREE TIME??
My sister in law is very admirable. She's the most organized woman I know. Her home is huge, and yet ALWAYS clean. She was over last weekend, and I just asked her some questions about how she does it with 3 small children.......she makes it sound so easy...but also tells me that she gets up at 6am and doesn't sit down until 9pm. dood.

The sermon last Sunday was about the Prov 31 woman....how she stays awake late into the night working, and yet rises before her household to prepare for the day.
HOW DOES THIS PROVERBS CHICK do it??
I know that if I'm training (working out) as hard as I have been, the studies I've read show that I NEED 8hours of sleep to help my body recoup. That means, bed by 10pm, up at 6am.

So where do I get this time that I need to devote to my home from?
Do I forsake spending time with people during the week to tend to chores and my household for the sake of my husband? Is THAT most honoring to my Father?
Is this what God asks of me as my PRIORITY??

I think so......though I'm not on the CONVICTION side of it yet.

That's HARD for me, because I love people so very much and would look for any reason to get out to spend time with them. (especially some who are a tremendous blessing - as we have REAL fellowship and a burden for the lost)

I've been fighting it a bit....though I had so looked forward to being a blessing to my husband......it's hard to be all things at once.

I will seek the Lord in this. He will supply all that I need to be what He requires and desires from me.

up out,
jenb