12/8/09 Good chilly morning!

I am enjoying one of God’s personal blessings to me: a delicious pot (yes, a pot…back off) of my favorite Peet’s coffee. It’s 27 degrees here in Fairfield. The East Bay had snow. I had to dust off my long wool coat yesterday and I’m going to buy some thermal undies today . Pray for the homeless and the children who walk to school without the proper winter gear. Buy a coat, hat, scarf, gloves, etc., to help someone else warm up against the external elements. Buy them a meal and a cup of hot chocolate to help them warm up inside.  There is no shortage of charitable efforts taking place this time of year, but their supply of donations has gone down considerably. Do you really need another flat-screen TV? Do your children really need so many toys? We drive past some of these folks as we leave the parking lots of grocery stores and shopping malls…hand them a couple of dollars. No one wants to be homeless, hungry and cold.

My congregation (Bay North Church of Christ, Fairfield CA) will be distributing clothes and food on Saturday, Dec 12th. It isn’t necessary to wait for an organized effort in order to give; people are in need every day.

So, the next chapter in our bible study class deals with envy, Overcoming Envy. This may be just as difficult as Overcoming Unforgiveness. Envy is being resentful of another person’s good fortune; believing it is a personal afront to you.  Socrates (you know, from Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure ) said: “Envy is the daughter of pride, the author of murder and revenge, the beggeter of sedition, the perpetual tormenter of virtue. Envy is the filthy slime of the soul; a venom, a poision, a quicksilver, which consumeth the flesh and drieth up the marrow of the bones.”  Hmmm…the filthy slime of the soul; poison. We don’t think of envy as affecting our souls.  This workbook is a little dated: the examples of wanting what the Jones’ have are a Plymouth and an Oldsmobile. LOL…the principle is still the same but I’ll use a different method to bring the point home. Jane has a Honda, one of the best brands on the market. Excellent resale value; will last long after she pays it off. She’s satisfied, right? Nope! Her co-worker, Mary, just received a brand new Mercedes SL 500 for Christmas. (OK I used Mercedes because I want one !)  Jane is seeing R.E.D. Why does Mary deserve a Mercedes? Jane believes she works harder than Mary but Jane has to drive around in a 10 year old car! That’s not fair!

How do we overcome envy? Put on Christ; walk in love (Rom 13:13, 14). Love envieth not (Titus 3:3). Be content (Philippians 4:11). Mature spiritually (1 Cor 3:1-3).

This is going to be an interesting lesson.  I thought I had my forgiveness problem 99% conquered…HA!

Have an outstanding day!