A Hole in My Tooth

I lost part of a tooth yesterday. Yep, that one up there on the top right (It always helps to have a picture doesn't it :)

Doesn't hurt too much right now, just a gaping black hole where there used to be a dentin & enamel (googled that one :)

But what is really driving me crazy is that my tongue just keeps going there. Uncontrollably. I'll notice my tongue rolling over the (now) jagged edges and pull that sucker away ('Get out of there!')

But as soon as I'm not thinking about, there it goes again. I'm believing more what James said: ". . . no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil . . ." (James 3:8)

But kidding aside, it reminds me what happens when I allow dark gaping holes in my life. (Yes, God even gives spiritual lessons in teeth!) The writer of Proverbs said: 'Above all else guard your heart; for it is the wellspring of life!' (Prov 4:23)
Paul said 'take off the old self . . . put on the new self.' (Colossians 2)

I so kid myself, we all do, when we allow darkness that drags us down to remain in our lives! And we kid ourselves into thinking that our tongues (minds & hearts) won't go there. Huh? We will go there and roll around the rough edges. Our heart and mind will. They do. They're enticed by it, drawn to it.

Whether it's an attitude I have that stinks, or an addiction that's undealt with, a relationship that's unhealthy, or whatever --- when we allow it to remain, unchecked, it will (not maybe) draw us away from God and abundant life!

Hopefully my tooth is going to get fixed today (or tomorrow). I know that if I went very long like this, it would get ugly (and I'm not very pain tolerant).

But remember, 'You are a new creature in Christ! The old has passed away, the new has come!'

In Christ you are alive! We don't have to live with that junk! Get those teeth fixed!

Fuge Reflection

I preached a couple of weeks ago about how Jesus is ALIVE . . . and has made the way for us to live in the Light and not the darkness . . .



"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." (Col 1:13-14)



And how we must 'resettle' our lives in the Kingdom of Light . . .



"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him . . . Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." (Col 2:6; 3:1-2)



At Student Camp last week I failed. Miserably.



I was tired (4-5 hrs of sleep a night - and yes, Cindy took this pic of me as I was dozing in the cafeteria), dirty/sweaty, in a wicked smelling room, way out of my element w/900 wired teens, and the food was . . . camp food . . . and did some permanent intestinal damage :)



But the point is that when I got out of my 'comfort zone' I began to get selfish and irritable. I started to focus on John and somehow recovering some of my desires and dignity.


And then God reminded me: 'It's NOT about YOU!'


That's always a bummer to hear.



I was reminded that I really know nothing about the suffering that Paul talked about in Colossians (1:24-27) and elsewhere . . . until I get out of that place of comfort and security and see what's inside. It wasn't good.



But now, I'm thankful that I had the opportunity. By Day 3 I had to agree, 'OK, God this isn't about me. It's about You and these students. Now you gotta help me!'



It didn't really make it a lot easier physically, but it helped me to retrain some of my focus on God in the midst of everything, and move maybe a little more towards Him -- and what it really means to deny myself and follow Him.



As I took my eyes off myself, it also gave me an opportunity to watch and see how God was moving in the student's lives . . . Wow!

And it makes me want to live more of my life in the Light . . .

Help me God to keep my heart - and my mind - on things above . . .