Fruit, Movies, Reading

I just finished a bit of gardening and pruning, and had some really good post ideas. But they have flown away--and I must trust the Lord to remind me of them if they are truly important.

---

Our morning sermons at Brainerd Hills Presbyterian Church are getting better and better. We're in Galatians, in the Fruit of the Spirit passage, and the sermons focus on a fruit, a weed, and an artificial fruit.
Fruit: Love
Weed: Hate
Artificial Fruit: Tolerance

Fruit: Joy
Weed: Ungodly Sorrow (self-pity/covetousness)
Artificial Fruit: Happiness

Fruit: Peace
Weed: Anxiety, Strife
Artificial Fruit: ___ (I think it is 'serenity now')

Fruit: Patience
Weed: Impatience
...and that is as far as has been preached.

I can't say how much this sermon series has encouraged me. The slow pace through the list of fruit has given me a chance to spend a week thinking over, meditating about, praying for just one character trait. It's been very calming and very growthful.

---

I got to see The Hunger Games onSaturday. I enjoyed the movie so much but may have to expound in a whole nother post.

---

My reading has become more purposeful. I recently finished Unorthodox: The Rejection of My Hasidic Roots and am working on Stroke of Genius and Freakonomics.

I'm struggling a little in Stroke of Genius because of the author's materialistic (believing in only the material world) conclusions.

And I'm struggling with Freakonomics because of a correlation the authors made between the fall in crime in the late 1990s with the beginning of legal abortions in the mid-1970s. Humph. They may indeed be correlated but it still doesn't justify the holocaust of 4 million kids since 1973.

---

Memorial Day lunch is awaiting preparation. Thus, this post is ending. Good day.

Five Minute Friday: Opportunity

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community.

---

Our dear pastor, preaching through Galatians, is in the midst of the verse listing the Fruit of the Spirit. He teaches us about one fruit each Sunday, so it's taking a while, but it is a gift to slow down and really contemplate just one fruit, instead of racing through such a familiar passage.

Last Sunday was patience day. The week before was peace day. It turns out that the week following the sermon is packed with chances--opportunities--to learn to exercise that gift.

I want to be more patient, but it's hard to be presented with 'opportunity' after 'opportunity' to be patient.

God keeps presenting me with circumstances that try my patience. Son J1 is developing his own preferences and desires. He doesn't always feel compliant with naptime,or snacktime, or travel time. So he pitches a fit, or whines, or fake-cries.

God stirs in my heart to be patient.

Do I take the opportunity? Or do I rely on myself, pass patience by, and make friends with anger, frustration, and yelling?

Cuddles, Games, and Comfort

I'm still surprised at how much I enjoy being with J1. He's playful, clever, and living. He initiates games--sometimes tag, sometimes hide and seek, and sometimes a variation that I know because we spend so much time together. He likes to cuddle and sit close to me--but not if I make him! He liked to play games--but usually of his own choice. And when he's hurt or sad, he comes to me. He sits on my lap to cry.

I get to thinking. If he wants something, he comes to me. Hungry! Where's mama? Thirsty! Where's mama? Bored! Where's mama? Hurting! Where's mama? Wanna go outside! Where's mama? In a sense, I'm food, I'm entertainment, I'm a door, I'm a cup of water.

For me, it begs the question. When I'm hungry, tired, bored, hurting, thirsty--where do I go? Do I invent something to satisfy myself or do I run to my Savior? He is the Living Water! He is the vine, the door, the way. Unless I run to him, I will never be satisfied.

"He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken." --Psalm 62:6

Blogger app

I just found the Blogger app, which means I can hop on my iPod and type up a quick post. Yay! Hopefully now I can post more often; it's hard to post from the ordinary computer when I might only have a few minutes. Thank you, app people-- this will hopefully bring back some writing creativity.