Make Insight a Priority

The first day of August...

I am struggling to believe it's the eighth month of the year 2009 and am really challenged by the fact that summer is escaping us this fast. Truly, each day has been cherished, and I've done quite a bit with more to come before the start of another academic year, which is almost a month away.

This month I will take on reading and studying a Proverb a day. This is a common practice in Christian homes when the seventeen/eighteen year old is about to leave for college or the high schooler is reaching a rite of passage, etc. I find that with each time I read this book, more and more wisdom manifests itself, which I suppose is a good thing since that is really a theme of Proverbs.

In tonight's read, I've already captured a few of the highlights of chapter 1. The theme verse I'll meditate on is Proverbs 1:7 - "Start with God—the first step in learning is bowing down to God; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning."

While the sentence appears simple and clear, it is so hard to at times do. As I traveled to my hometown this morning, there was a sermon I tuned into on one of the radio stations. The pastor used a metaphor of having this bird who had built a nest close to their home. As a result, the bird was creating quite a "mess" and his wife wanted the bird gone. What they discovered was the bird had a nest of eggs, so his wife was willing to "put up with the crap" until the eggs hatched and the babies could leave the nest. Similarly, this is how sin manifests its way into our lives. If we're not careful to catch it early enough we have to deal with the "crap" because we're sensitive to the eggs--or problems--that need to be tended to due to our negligence of not guarding our hearts. Deep, huh?

Personally, I know there are areas of my life where I intentionally sin and fall short due to wanting to accomodate the "layed eggs." The end result is putting up with crap. The writer Paul in the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 10 speaks of the importance of us guarding our hearts. The only way this can fully and successfully be accomplished is when we keep His laws and the Word close to our hearts.

They say it takes 21 days to develop a habit. I pray that in focusing this type of attention to the book of Proverbs and going beyond 21 days I'll be able to better myself and grow, ridding myself of some of the unnecessary crap in my life to allow for God's showering of blessings...

This word makes for insight on another level. I took part in a beautiful showering of blessings in a gathering for a childhood friend who recently married. The coolest thing was this was my church family of second mommies and their daughters all coming together in celebration of our sister. The little girls I've grown up with and our moms were all under one roof, keeping Him at the forefront of our joy and laughter. It was inspiring and uplifting, making me once again add to my list of wonderful blessings. As we sat in the family room for the last part of the shower, words of wisdom and blessings were expressed to the new bride. It was priority to have insight in loving and accepting the generations of beauty and wisdom that all graced the room.

My life has been blessed and touched in many ways, and as one of my friends leaned over and shared with me, "I just love all of our moms and hope we'll all have that when we're that age." In my current role I try to model and pave a road daily for the students I am in contact with to help them see the joys of life. I'm hungry for this wisdom study to grow me and motivate me into another year of making a difference in the lives of others. That action alone is going to allow it to me returned to me in ways that only God knows.

I am smiling.

To God be the Glory!