Wisdom and Curiosity

I don't light candles much at home because my cats are climbers. This candle was on the mantel and Mali was athletic enough to make it up there. But watching her with it got me thinking about wisdom and curiosity.

Which one of these pictures are you?

I think the picture on the left shows some reserve, some decent caution. The picture to the right is when curiosity bombarded in. While she never actually touched it, she did sniff and hover about it for around an hour. Then I blew it out because I didn't want to keep tabs on the candle with her around!

In someways, I think curiosity and wisdom go hand in hand. Curiosity about how things work are probably what has brought so many inventions. But there has to be wisdom in knowing when and how to use them.

With a little help from the serpent, Adam and Eve grew curious about the fruit on the tree in the middle of the garden. They could eat anything else, but they wondered if the serpent's lie was true. Would the fruit really make them like God? A bit more wisdom might have been in order.

Moses was curious and wise. When he saw a burning bush that wasn't burning up, he went over to investigate. I probably would have run for help. In his wisdom, he knew he was in a holy place and when instructed to take off his sandals, that is exactly what he does!

Nothing too profound today, but I do wonder where wisdom and/or dangerous curiosity come in to play in my life. Do I know when to turn to God rather than listen to lies? Do I know when I stand on holy ground/or are among holy moments in my life so that I can metaphorically take off my sandals?

Just a Few More Days -- a Lament

I met some one for lunch today, but I must confess. I was quite ill prepared in dress. I walked because it was just a few blocks, but the whole time the wind whipped about my raven locks. My hands were cold as I hurried on. I thought two layers would be quite enough. Alas, I think that summer has gone and I lament that there aren't likely to be even just a few more days of hot summer days to sit in the sun at lunch and read a book or take a walk.

Tell me how I can trade these

for these?

How can I trade this

for this?

Because I know the ONE who paints
skies even in suburbia that look
like this:

He is bedding down His creation in preparation
for next summer.

Why Not What

It's week 5 of Lisa Whtittle's book hosted by Lelia. This week was on "Miss Spirituality." So, here is my 5 point sermon outline. Just kidding! But it is something Miss Spirituality would have on hand for moments like these when she is feeling tired. She would whip it out of her binder and wow you all.

Though, I've at times played the part of Miss Spirituality, I think the biggest thing that hit me this week was Lisa's statement on page 79:

"The point is not that Miss Spirituality does these things , rather why she does these things."

What kind of things does she do: Sunday school -- teaching, going, leading, serving the poor, organizing, helping out local organizations, memorize scripture, . . . . The concern is that she does them out of concern over what others will think or notice.

It made me think of the Pharisees being concerned that everyone saw their godliness. In the temple a woman gives out of what little she has (Luke 21). She doesn't do it because of how much she has and the need to show it. Rather, she does it because she believes it is what God calls her to do.

People may do the same things, but the difference can often be found in the why or heart posture behind what they are doing.

Sometimes, for me it is running back in the house at the last minute to grab my Bible so people won't notice I forgot it. God wants me to have it in service, but what people think is the wrong reason. I guess, in some ways, I am Miss Spirituality.

What good things do you do for the wrong reason?

The Metal Detector

Iron. We all need it in our bodies. We get it from food. Some take vitamin supplements. But it is generally agreed upon fact that we need it.

My body, however, has other ideas. Sigh. A couple years ago I had a routine physical. They thought my iron was low and had me take a supplement. Not much happened so they sent me to a hematologist. He prescribed horse pill, prescription only iron pills. The thing they measure the iron with is actually a protein that the iron bonds to. The first time they did the test, I was an 8. I took those horse, pills and it moved to a 12. Right direction, right?

Yes, but not enough it seems. I guess the level should be between 60 and 120 or something like that. And I'm at a 12? The doctor said that for whatever reason, my body was not absorbing the iron so he suggested intravenous iron. By the time I had my 8 appointments for it, I was at 499. Can anyone say, "Beware of metal detectors?"

Over the last couple years we've watched it drop. Suddenly, in the last month or two it's dropped significantly quickly. So, I'm back on my iron IV's.

It's not that big of deal but they cannot tell me why. That is the frustrating part.

So, if we travel together and I set off the metal detector you'll know what to tell them!

The Package

This brightly wrapped package has been sitting on the edge of my coffee table since mid June. I'm not sure why I've left it there. I really should put it away somewhere because it has been a constant reminder of the friendship that almost was.

I met someone in kind of an odd way early this summer. For some reason, I had voiced the feelings of loneliness that sometimes plague me. Her response was that she would be my friend and after she got some exams out of the way within the next month we could hang out. I was thrilled. She genuinely seemed to like talking to me and called me a few times.

One day another friend and I were going to see Prince Caspian. When I told this woman this, she voiced how she wished she could go and how she wished that she had read all of the Narnia books straight through. She really couldn't go to the movie but later that week I spied a thick volume of all of the Narnia books in one. I picked up one for her and one for me. It was suppose to be a 'just because" kind of gift.

I invited her to come by. She had several things going on. I told her that I had something for her and it wouldn't take long to pick it up. She never came by and I was never able to reach her again.

So, that package has sat on my table while I keep hoping she will call. But now it is more of a reminder of a friendship lost than anything. I think it is time to put it away or find someone else to give it to. It has been 4 1/2 months.

The last several days it has gotten me thinking of all the packages that go unopened in our lives. Yes, maybe one is a friendship. Another might be some talent we've longed to develop but haven't taken the time for. It could be a book or THE BOOK that remains unopened on our night stand.

All things keep us from opening them. Time. Fear of rejection. Fear that things won't go the way we hoped.

But each time we leave a package unopened we close ourselves off to the joy that might be packed away in there. And maybe even miss the joy of being able to bless others with whatever the package might contain.

I have this thought of God sitting on His throne in a package strewn room. Some of us are there, too shy to take the one He offers or too fearful it may not be what we wanted. But then we need to trust that God knows best.

What package will you open today?

For me, I need to concentrate on my book proposal -- who else to send it to and just keep writing it. Yes, it is a long shot, but I think I took the chance at She Speaks and then packed it away. Now, it's time to reopen it and start working on it all again.

Welcome

Welcome to anyone hopping over from Lysa's site (and anyone else). She has quite the list of blog reading to do last time I checked.

If you've never been by before, you might want to check out my sidebar welcome. The blog is geared to be about seeing God in every day life. However, another huge component in it is something called Hope Chronicles. I struggle with depression and decided that for at least a year I would commit to writing weekly about some aspect of hope. I missed a couple weeks, but some weeks did two or three. It has been a great way for me to focus on God and all the reasons I have to hope.

Happy perusing. Hopefully, I'll be able to pop over your way as well.

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