Day 4 (6-17-2011)

Since I have made a point to read my bible and pray everyday I have had different songs stuck in my head. Not just any songs, though... church songs. Hymns, vacation bible school songs, worship songs. Without even realizing it, I will be singing songs to God throughout my day, and it is awesome. Many times the songs are comforting and once I realize I am doing it, it almost seems like it was put in my heart for a reason. For the past few days I have had the same song in my head. Over and over... you may recognize it.

Oh be careful little ears what you hear

Oh be careful little ears what you hear

For the Father up avove

is looking down with love

Oh be careful little ears what you hear

Oh be careful little eyes what you see

Oh be careful little eyes what you see

For the Father up above

is lookind down with live

Oh be careful little eyes what you see

I have been singing this song for at least 4 days now. I thought it was kind of random and funny until yesterday. I was googling the top 100 christian songs and before I clicked "enter" on the google homepage the option "top 100 christian blogs" popped up. I was intrigued so I clicked on it. There were lists upon list of christian blogs. I happened to come across a blog entitled "Sex tips for Christian girls." Now I won't lie... I was curious. I needed no tips considering I am very intent upon not being sexual until I am married, however, I couldn't help but wonder what this was about. Was this for newly married women? Or were these tips to help girls stay virgins until they were married? I had no idea. So I decided to check it out. Well... ummm.... there was absolutely nothing "Christian" about this blog. It was basically pornography. I was shocked. I didn't read much of the blog, and I clicked out of it as soon as I could. None the less, what I read stuck with me. I couldn't get some of the words they used out of my head. I had subjected my mind to things that I didn't need to be thinking about. That is when I remembered the song that I had been singing. I didn't guard my eyes.

God wants us to believe fully in him. He wants us to trust in His will for our lives. He wants us to rely 100% on him. But satan fills our lives with lies. He tries to sneakily insert things into our minds (whether obvious or not) to keep our focus off God. Any distratction he can come up with, he will use.

I have mentioned that my faith is often weak. I need to see proof that God is working in my life. But how can God show me when I am letting things like "Sex tips for Christian girls" take up most of my thoughts. I don't know about everyone else, but when I get visuals like that in my mind, it's hard to get them out. It consumes me. Just like satan wants it to.

Proverbs 4:20-27

20 My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. 21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; 22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. 23 ABOVE ALL ELSE, GUARD YOUR HEART, FOR IT IS THE WELLSPRING OF LIFE. 24 PUt away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from our lips. 25 Let your eyes looks straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. 26 Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. 27 Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

I am a kindergarten teacher, and I often tell my kids this:

If you fill your heart with good things, good things will come out.

If you are happy on the inside, you will treat people in a way that will make them happy.

If you fill your heart with bad things, bad things will come out.

If you mad, angry and bitter on the inside, you may treat people in a way that will make them feel lmad, angry and bitter.

We can't control other people or how they treat us. However, we can control how we react to it, what we let come into our hearts, and how we manage what we see and hear.

There are different things and people in our lives that effect us in different ways. I have had relationships that have brought me down, discouraged me and made me feel bad about myself. Those relationships needed to be severed. On the other hand, there have been friendships that have made me a better person. Those friendships are God sent.

I guess today I have learned that there are things that are good for us, and things that are not so good for us, and God has given me the wisdom to discern.

Today I praise him for discernment and the ability to know when things are not good for me.

Today I am going to give up needing to be with someone every second of the day. Since my recent break up I haven't been able to be alone for a second. Today I am going to take some time to be by myself and trust God to give me the same sense of peace and solace He has given me since the very first day.