I love fall - the color of changing leaves, the smell of burning wood in nearby fireplaces, and the feeling of a crisp breeze. This time of year also reminds me of football and soccer - as both Steve and I's college seasons took place in the fall. So, in honor of one of God's most wonderful gifts to us, I wanted to post a picture of our front window which looks out to a beautiful colored tree in our front yard.
God has done a work in my heart lately as I seem to have much more of a peace about living here in Indy. At first, I wanted to get out of here right when Steve was released. But now, I am really enjoying our home, our town, my work, and just all of the wonderful blessings that I was missing when I was more concerned with leaving the place that seemingly rejected us. While I have known (since I accepted Christ) that we are to live in the present and be thankful for what we have (rather than worry and want for what we don't have), now I KNOW in my heart how to live this truth. Isn't head knowledge so different than heart knowledge? This reminds me of a passage that I recently read in "Screwtape Letters" by C.S. Lewis, where Screwtape (a servant of the devil) describes to his mentee, Wormwood, what God (He) wants for us humans in regard to our considerations of time:
"He (God) would therefore have them (Humans) continually concerned either with eternity (which means being concerned with Him) or with the Present - either meditating on eternal union with, or separation from, Himself, or else obeying the present voice of conscience, bearing the present cross, receiving the present grace, giving thanks for the present pleasure. Our (Satan's) business is to get them away from the eternal, and from the Present. With this in view, we sometimes tempt a human to live in the Past. But this is of limited value, for they have some real knowledge of the past and it has a determinate nature and, to that extent, resembles eternity. It is far better to make them live in the Future. Biological necessity makes all their passions point in that direction already, so that thought about the future inflames hope and fear."
Wow. Words cannot express how profoundly C.S. Lewis has enhanced my spiritual journey. I recently finished his "Mere Christianity" and am now in the middle of his "Screwtape Letters". Many of you may know of Mr. Lewis as the author of the "Chronicles of Narnia" or as good buddies of J.R.R. Tolkien (author of "Lord of the Rings" and the "Hobbit"). God has used C.S. Lewis to challenge, inspire, and provoke real Christian living in the hearts of many people.
To conclude, in response to the above passage, my prayer is that we as Christians do not succumb to Satan's temptations or to our biological inclinations to focus on the Future. May we avoid hoping and fearing about things that we cannot control. May we truly live in the present while always remembering eternity. For Christ is enough and He has conquered this world. Let us remember Him - His life, His crucifixion, His resurrection, and His promised return - every second of every day. For in the present "there, and there alone, all duty, all grace, all knowledge, and all pleasure dwell." - CS LEWIS
One more belly picture! Will be posting the sex of the baby soon! Peace Out!
