FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2024 NAUGHTY OR NICE (SPIRITUAL THOUGHTS)

 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2024 - NAUGHTY OR NICE - SPIRITUAL THOUGHTS

Two months from today is Christmas. 

“He’s making a list, checking it twice, trying to find out who’s naughty or nice.”

(Santa Claus is coming to town)

I have a lot of acquaintances and “friends”.  For example, I go to a convenience store (gas station) at least once iF not twice a day.  [Aside, they have a ‘coffee club” - unlimited monthly coffee for $10.  If I go once daily, that is about 33 cents a cup.  The first month, there were many times I went three times a day - about 11 cents per cup.  I can walk to this convenience store (part of my goal of 10,000 steps a day).  This is for any size and any hot beverage. The hot chocolate is great (the first month of my coffee club membership included my new dentures - so liquids were great.  I drank the cocoa and surgery cappuccinos  - and I added weight.  So, after the first month, I’ve cut back on the hot surgery drinks. (Although the pumpkin spice cappuccino is delicious)]

Four months into the coffee club and showing up every day, I “know” most of the checkout clerks. So, yesterday, Miranda asked if I was being nice. I joked and said I was trying to be nice to get on Santa’s nice list. Obviously, I try to be funny and nice. I try to brighten everyone's day and share that “Love Wins.”  

It’s part of my psyche to be upbeat and positive. I joke with the nursing home staff. I have friends who pretend to groan when they see me. I know that love can hide under the facet of joking. I also know they appreciate that I am volunteering and helping them.  

And they kid me about being nice.  

*****

Romans 3:10-18 talks about how sinful we are:

“For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.  As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;  there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, and they have become worthless together; there is no one who does good, not even one.” “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know. There is no fear of God before their eyes.” 

Oh me - “THERE IS NO ONE RIGHTEOUS - NOT EVEN ONE”, and “ALL HAVE TURNED AWAYS.” 

*****

I realize I’m not righteous - I’m part of that ‘ALL”.  My inherent being is “naughty”.  For me, I can’t reach the goal.  

A little later in Romans 3: ‘ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  

Friends, I have lived 77 years. I have realized that I need something more—something infinite, something with perfect love, compassion, mercy, and peace.  

As I write this blog post I realize that I am dependent on my thoughts of this infinite being - that I call God.  I also realize that this infinite being is so far from my understanding - and I have to just “yield”.  

I don’t understand God’s love - I can’t reach that level - but I have to try to live that love.

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

Karen Anne White, October 25, 2024

(I daily fight my “naughty” side.  No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8).