Day 149 of The Red Shoe Project is a day of rest for me... no RED shoes for most of the day. I was catching up on my sleep - getting acclimated to being back in the USA. Oh how I love this country! Truly we are a blessed nation! A trip abroad will do that to you. It will give you a greater appreciation for Home. I know it might sound a bit cliche, but I must say it:
"There's no place like home!"
- Dorothy Gale, The Wizard of Oz
I'm not home yet. I'm in Boston a day, then I return to Florida. I can't wait to get back to Sunny Sarasota! I am ready to embrace the warm, sunny weather and all it has to offer. I did not fare well in the cold, gray, damp Scottish climate. Between the poor weather, high fat diet, hard water, and "going with the flow" for two whole weeks... well let's just say that I'm ready to get back to normal. Don't get me wrong, the trip was great! I absolutely loved spending time with my family. They were so generous and incredibly welcoming. I visited so many people and places. I ate some wonderful meals, but...
"There's just no place like home!"
I read an interesting thing in a book today. It's a different perspective on things. I can't quite stop thinking about it. In fact, I've read it over and over again. It's like a steak. It has to be cut into bite size pieces and even still, it has to be chewed well before you can completely swallow it, otherwise, you'll choke on it. It said this:
"You are not deeply spiritual unless
you are growing in meekness, in
submission, in yieldedness and
obedience to the discipline of the
circumstances and environment
in which God has placed you."
I found this list describing "Holiness"
-meekness
-brokenness of self will
-submission to God
-defenselessness
-selflessness
I always thought holiness was about following "the rules." But I'm realizing that's not quite it. As a friend pointed out to me, "You can follow all the rules to a "T" and be self-righteous and judgemental... and that's not so holy!" (Good point!)
As I look over this list, I realize that holiness is about dying to self. It's about surrender. It's about putting your ego on the cross. Anything that has the word "self" attached... is thereby anti- holy.
self-gratification,
self-promotion,
self-centered,
self-assured,
self-confident,
self- dependent,
self-fulfilling,
self-guided,
self-glorification,
self-indulgent,
self-interests
The list goes on and on. You get the point.
John the Baptist said it best:
"He must increase, I must decrease."
John 3:30
another version says...
"He must become more important.
I must become less important."
That means...
More of God, Less of Me.
Alive to Christ, Dead to Self.
God's way, Not my way.
This is a life FULLY SUBMITTED to God!
I looked over the list of "Selfs." My gosh, I've been taught, most of my life, that it's all about self... That you have to take care of your self. That if you don't do it, nobody's going to do it for you. That you've got to make it happen for yourself.
God is asking me to do the opposite.
This is about FULLY TRUSTING GOD.
I'm not sure how that's going to happen, but okay God.
I'm willing.
I'm trusting that You'll take me there.
I'm reminded of something God spoke so clearly to me thirty years ago.
He said,
"Do you keep doing something
just because you've always
done it... even once you know
it's not right?"
I believe it's time for me to turn and go in another direction.
That's what God's doing in me on this 149th Day of The Red Shoe Project.
Gail
