Some sites said temperatures will be down to 15 last night, others said 11, none predicted 5 degrees.  At day break the hummingbirds were out demanding to be fed and then when I put the feeder out, they demanded to be fed first and chased each other around for a while – in 5 degree temperature.  You would think that four florets would be enough to satisfy three of them, but it doesn’t.  I could leave out, like I do in the other seasons, 4 or 5 feeders and there will always be one who wants to dominate and keep them all to himself.

Carla had to open the store this morning so she had to be there at 0730 and she had to pick up one of the employees on the way.  I got the pickup started with the defroster going full blast, for her.  The frost on the windows was/is that icy frost that is difficult to scrape off, so leaving the pickup running for a while helped get the windows cleared off. 

The pickup is more expensive to run, especially in this weather, warm up is longer and 4 wheel drive eats more gas, but I want to make sure the truck is fully warmed up and the fluids are circulating as they should.  Her commute is just over a mile and only takes a few minutes, not enough time to get the engine heated up and running well.  But with as much snow on the ground and the weather as it is, she is safer in the ‘WCSO family pickup.’

The next few weeks are going to be demanding for her.  She normally works about 20 hours a week, and that isn’t too bad.  But the store is down one full time employee – Carla doesn’t want to work that much so she refuses to take the position.  However, they need her experience and willingness to work, so until the position is filled – and/or at least through these busy holidays - she is working full time hours. 

That means she is on her feet all day, and not real good for her.  I try to get her to tell them to cut her back, but you know Carla, she is going to do it, if for no other reason to prove she can (some people might say she is ‘stubborn’ but I would never say that....) she is her mother’s child.  She is tired and needs more restful rest at this time, and we covet your prayers that she will get it.  

Psalm 10:3-5  For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth.

⁴ The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

⁵ His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.

Jeremiah 13:9-10 Thus saith the Lord, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.

¹⁰ This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing.

One of man’s greatest sins is the sin of pride.  It leads to one of man’s biggest downfalls.  Man believes he is capable of doing anything – which in of itself is not a bad thing, when placed in the right perspective; under the service of God.

The problem with pride is that the person focuses on himself.  “‘I’ did this!” there is an inward pleasure that becomes the person’s reason for being.  It is what A. W. Tozer, Christian writer and teacher, would call a self-sin.  Others include ‘self-righteousness, self-pity, self-confidence, self-sufficiency, self-admiration, self-love and a host of others like them.’

These sins are deep rooted.  We have them from an early childhood.  Most, not all, children are very self-centered, it is all about them.  They go through a demanding stage, a ‘mine’ stage where if they see it, it is theirs whether it is or not.  They do not want to share and will either fight to retain a toy, or throw a fit, hide it or anything else to deprive another of the enjoyment of the toy, it is ‘theirs!’

Loving parents correct the behavior and teach the child to share.  They help them understand that the world does not revolve around them and that they must consider the needs of other people.  Very few people grow completely out of this stage, at least without the assistance of God.

The sin of ‘self’ is deep rooted, and often not fully appreciated by those of us who have this ‘condition.’  AND to some extent, most of us have that condition about something.

I am still striving to deal with the sin of pride; even though I have little to be proud of.  I look at Peter who felt he was above the others in his willingness to suffer for Christ, and then found himself buried in self-pity – he lost Christ, he was unable to do what he said he would do, actually denying Christ to others, and then giving up the past three years or so to go back to fishing.  And I know there is hope for me, too.

So how do we deal with pride in our lives?  Frankly, I don’t like to be around people who are not proud of the things they do; who do things in a haphazard manner and do it just to say it was done.  They don’t care about what they are doing, only the accolades or pay check that comes from putting in their time.

I am reminded of one of the astronauts when asked what he was thinking as he sat on top of the missile that would be taking him into space; he replied, “I wish this thing wasn’t built by the lowest bidder.”  He went and came back fine, but his thoughts are valid. 

If people cut corners to get a job done, is it going to be good enough to look good, is it going to function properly?  I would want to have complete confidence in the person that builds something that has my well-being at stake.

Yet, we know that there are a lot of people out there that don’t care – at least about certain things that are important to others.  They may have their job, do it half-heartedly and without a desire to do the best they can, so they can pursue other things – and be good at those things.

But I also don’t particularly care to be around people who are so proud of their work that they shove it in our face.  They boast and downplay the contribution of others; they belittle the efforts of others – even if those results are better than theirs.  They are condescending and obnoxious.

Neither is the attitude we want in people we associate with, so how do we have ‘pride’ in our work without partaking in the sin of pride?

Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

We must come to the conclusion that we are not our own.  It is not something done easily, and must involve time in prayer, in studying God’s Word and listening to the Holy Spirit – and then putting into practice what we have been taught. 

Paul knew what his calling was; he knew he was writing down the commands of God to God’s people.  He was teaching them, chastising them, leading them as a great Apostle and one that we recognize – and most of the New Christians recognized – as the one Apostle God trusted the most in teaching His Church.

Paul was well qualified to teach.  He gave his qualifications to be an Apostle and a teacher.  His calling was different than the other 10 who had walked and been in the inner circle with Christ.

Yet, Paul was always careful to point out that what he was came from God; that he had turned everything over to Him.  He was not boastful, but he was confident that God had given to Him a position of teaching and leading – helping people understand the difference between their old life and their new life in Christ.

Colossian 3:22-24 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God;

²³ And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

²⁴ Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

If you ask most people who they work for, the business owner may say he is self-employed, the employee might say I work for the business or the owner.  Government employees might say government or whichever branch of government they work for – the more prestigious the position the more likelihood they will name the specific appointment.

Some may say, I work for myself, or my family but I am employed by so’n’so for a paycheck to support myself and family; which is closer to the truth.

However, as a Christian we must understand that we may be employed by someone, we may have responsibilities for other people, we may have a family we must provide for, but the real person we are working for is God.

IF WE look at everything we do, no matter how little or how much; no matter whether it is a menial task, or one requiring great skill – if we look at the work and the accomplishment as being responsible to God for the work, then we can start pushing past those sins of self, and focus on Him.

If we keep in mind that we are His and the service we provide – whatever it is - must be done as perfectly as possible BECAUSE we are working for Him – we put things in the right perspective.

Later, Art :-)

From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again