A Great Day

Today was a really good day.

We had a very good meeting. Bro. Marshal & Sis. Connie were visiting and after church we all went to a nearby park and had a picnic. We all visited and ate while the kids played. It was a really good time. I kept thinking in my mind "this is what it's all about". The fellowship of the brethren is wonderful.

Here are a few of the points in meeting that really came to me. I even stood up and asked the brethren to pray for me that I could actually take it home and improve my life with what I heard today. So many times I think what a great meeting, but it seems like it's not very often that I go home and really try to put what I heard to good use. Anyway here's what I heard...

We heard about building your house on the solid rock. I remembered a prophesy I got once that told me to build my house on the solid rock. When looking at my life I can see where I've let that rock become sand and I need to get back to the strength of the rock. Close to the beginning of meeting Matt had a song book open to "Honey in the Rock". I was reading the words, but didn't feel to start it; and he never started it either; but as I was reading the words it really got me to thinking about how the Rock of God is not some horrible set of rules that we have to follow to make our lives hard and boring, but there is such sweetness that comes when your house is truly built on the rock. I would like to partake of that sweetness again. It seems like I've let so many things muddy the waters I guess you might say that I don't have the peace, joy, comfort etc. that I should have.

Bro. Rusty got up and read the 12th Chapter of Romans. I was actually out with my baby, but there were some things that he said that really jumped out at me; so I found the scripture later and read it to myself.

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

I would like to renew my mind that I through my life can prove the perfect will of God.

"Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Not slothful in business; fervent in the Spirit; serving the Lord:
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality."

There's so much in there that I need to work on. I've really been slothful and not fervent in the spirit. I need to rejoice in the hope that God gives us and patient with my little trials (which aren't much of anything really) I need to pray more. It needs to be something that I do instantly without even thinking about it. I need to look more to the needs of my brethren and invite them over more and visit them more.

"Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
If it be possible, as much as lieth within you, live peaceably with all men."

There's so many times that I wonder if people that know I'm a Christian look at my life and see the ways where I'm not doing things like I should and think I'm a hypocrite.

Anyway, I was very glad for the day we had today; and I really, really want to act on the instruction that I received today.

Also, there's been a scripture that a read a while back that I've thought about a lot. It's the 9th and 10th verse of the 12th chapter of 2nd Corinthians:

"And he said unto me, "my grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

Sometimes when I reach my weakest points, where I see what a failure I've become; it's easy to be even more discouraged and down on myself; but I feel like this scripture is telling me that when we are weak it makes us realize our need for God's strength more. If I was never weak it would be easy for me to become puffed up and think I'm really something, but the times that I'm weak makes me realize that the only strength I have is from the Lord. Because when I'm left to my own devices I can really mess things up.

It seems like we hear a lot about rejoicing in tribulation so that we can become stronger, but what I noticed in this piece of scripture is the word necessities. I guess when trials come our way we know that we need to be strong to get through them with God's help; but I think what gets me down the most often is the necessities of life. The boring day to day stuff that can really grind on you. I need to take pleasure in the dirty diapers, the whiny kids, dirty dishes, laundry and all that other stuff that I'm sure you all know about. I can remember when I did take pleasure in these things because I was so happy that God blessed me with a husband and a home and then children to take care of. I'm still happy that God has blessed me, but I don't take pleasure in these things like I should.

Anyway, I've kind of went on and on and I have laundry, dishes, vacuuming, etc to do...

So, onward I go, trying to take pleasure in these necessities!