Sprout Time

I enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday  - being around family, eating good food and just being thankful for our blessings.  To cap off our visit, the other day, all of the Blossoms, the Sprouts, the Mommies and Daddies and the Grammie and Pappy went out to eat.  The waitress brought our drink orders with a wry face and said, "I'm sorry, we're out of lidded cups for the little ones."  Full glasses for the Blossoms and Sprouts who vary in age as follows: 8yrs, 7yrs, 6yrs, 5yrs, almost 3 yrs and 2 1/2 yrs!  So, we Mommies did the best we could.  All was well for a while.  I turned around to hear the Sprout Mommy say to the youngest Sprout, "Use two - - - - SWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH - - - hands!"  Water flooded the table, his pants and his chair.  The (guilty) littlest Sprout shouted, "TA-DAH!!!!!"  Evidently, he likes making a splash.

We just smiled and cleaned it up, being thankful it wasn't soda and chuckling over his humor.  I'm thankful for those moments that don't become embarrassing, frustrating, mad-at-a-child moments.  It just isn't worth it.  I love my little Nephew-Sprout.

Thoughts

"'All sorts of thoughts cross one's mind - it depends upon whether one gives them harbor or encouragement,' said Molly."

From Wives And Daughters, by Elizabeth Gaskell

Distance

Our pastor shared these thoughts recently:

Understand that satan wants you to turn your back on God.  He wants you to walk away from God.  He wants you to become distant with God little by little.  Every scheme is concocted with this in mind.  Some people don't like the devil just because he brings sickness, pain, etc.  This is all true.  We must remember that he is EVIL.  He is your adversary.  Perhaps that term doesn't mean anything to you.  He is your enemy. 

This challenged me to see through every scheme of the enemy, to see that he is trying to make me distant from God.  He's trying to get me to grow cold in my love for God.  If I see and realize that in the trials I go through in my life, I can fight it. 

Fight distance from God.

SP6 - Conclusion

If you're proud because you have the Holy Spirit:
Remember that God the Father is the One Who sent the Holy Spirit to us.

If you're proud because you have no lack:
Remember that it is because Jehovah Jireh is your Provider.

If you're proud because _______________________________________: 
(You fill in the blank... your kids obey, they're saved, you're husband is Godly, you're not backslidden, etc.)
I guarantee you, the response points right back to our Father.  He is Everything.  That is why pride in spirituality is truly unfounded and grossly sinful.  I hope that reading this has been a good reminder for you, as it has been for me.

SP5

If you're proud because God heard your prayers:
Remember that He hears the cry of the righteous and the reason you are righteous is because of Jesus' Righteousness... not your own!

If you're proud because you have faith:
Remember that God is the One who dealt to you your measure of faith. 

If you're proud because you have grace:
Remember that God is the One who abundantly lavished His grace upon you.