Mentally Reset

I went to Northbrook today, which was slightly terrifying because I went by myself like old horrible times. I sat next to an older guy that I kind of recognized, and we massively bumped heads when we both reached for our Bibles. Oops.

But the service was awesome. I miss Northbrook sometimes. The sermons are always so practical and hard hitting and personal. Today's was about humility, and the various sneaky ways pride manifests in our lives (mine is not sneaky....I think I am better than people, and I think I deserve everything good and nothing bad, and these are things I know God has to work on in my life). Anyway, we focused on God's grace, and how God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble, and how really, we just need to forget ourselves and always focus on God. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. It's so simple, but I always need to be reminded of it.

I think God works most powerfully in my life in really small ways. Last night, as we were entering the Jackson city limits, God reminded me of my water bottle sitting in the cup holder next to me. I automatically thought "eh, I'll leave it there for Erin to get rid of." Hello, ever-present pride! But then I immediately felt like God was rolling His eyes at me, and I knew I had to take the water bottle with me. It was a tiny thing, but I really struggled with it. I simply didn't want to be bothered with such a stupid task, but in that little decision hung this monumental philosophy of "is it more important for me to serve and help my friend, or for her to serve and help me?" God got me to take the water bottle, and I won a small (but huge) battle with my pride. God has to start small with me. I am a slow learner.

I surprised Dr. and Mrs. Guthrie after the service, and it was super great to see them and hug them. I adore them because they just sent their 17-year-old son to war-torn Sudan all by himself because they knew God wanted them too. Mrs. Guthrie is really into OCC, so she ate up my stories of our distributions, and then honestly told me she wanted to be updated on my application for Samaritan's Purse. I love them a lot, and I will miss them not being in my life.

At home, Jennie and I had a great conversation about what we learned in church, and what God has been teaching Jennie about gratitude. I really miss our Sunday conversations. It's so nice to get life perspective from someone in a different life stage than me. Plus, she is wise and stuff, and she has different struggles than me, which makes me learn from her in roundabout and sneaky ways.

Then I went to Jackson, hugged Brother (Tim) goodbye, and took Erin to Memphis. We drank coffee at Otherlands and talked for a couple hours about materialism. I miss college and Jackson, and all these awesome conversations about big life philosophies and Christian decisions and how to best live a life that will please God. I need to find that sort of comfort and passion in Peoria.

I love Erin a lot. I'm so excited she is marrying someone I love, and I'm so excited that no matter where God sends us in the world, we will save up our money and visit each other.

When we got back to Jackson, I bought strawberries at Kroger (I realized I was getting nostalgic for Jackson when I got bleary-happy in my local grocery store) and junk food at Sonic. I ate while the kids bathed, then played with them before they went to sleep. Jennie and Dusty and I watched Dr. Horrible, but they did not appreciate its awesomeness. Then Jennie watched more LOST, and it made me want to watch the whole series through really badly.

I want to be humble, and I want to be anti-materialistic. Dramatically so.

Quote of the day:

Jennie: Hm!
Dusty: Hm!
Jennie: Okay, you're mocking my epiphany.
Dusty: I'm having my own epiphany.
Me: You are lying! You are sinning while you sit!
Dusty: No, I'm epiphanizing.
Me: You're epiphanofalizing!
Jennie: You'd better not do that on the couch.