On My Mind...

I've got a lot on my mind these days, and not much of it translates well to my silly little blog.  But here's one thing I want to share because it keeps popping up in the oddest places and it's what I'm working on right now:

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me."

Luke 9:23 (NIV)

For the past 10, 11 years when I've read this same verse, I thought it meant denying temptations and worldly things.  Last Sunday when we read this verse in church, I had a lightbulb moment (and feel free to say, "duh," as it does SAY THIS right there...):  Jesus wasn't talking about giving up stuff or giving up attitudes...he was talking about denying MYself.  My ego, my pride--what drives me.  

Sigh.  They say when the student is ready the teacher appears, but honestly, I don't know that I was ready for the fallout of finally understanding what Jesus meant.  So that's where I am...I'm in progress.  

We'll call this part 1...so much to say, but that's a lot for today.  

On a lighter note, I hope y'all are enjoying a day off with your kiddos today.  My house looks like a pageant exploded with sequins and feathers and makeup everywhere.  (Emma is spending the weekend with us, and the girls are having a blast!)  

At some point today, I'm going to sit down with Kayci and watch Martin Luther King, Jr. speak.  She's old enough now to know WHY she gets a day off from school.  :)  Kristi trivia:  when I was in high school, MLK, Jr. was kind of an obsession.  I read tons of books about him and studied his speeches and just the way he lived his life.  He was truly as awesome as he's been made out to be, and I'm grateful for his sacrifices.  And you know what?  Today I'm going to look up "Pride" and see why U2 says "early morning."  I wonder if dinnertime is early morning in Ireland?  Hmm...