plasticine
Grandpa and Nana came to visit today, as they often do. Grandpa and I worked on the kitchen, almost finishing it (just a few odds and ends), while Nana and Diane and Pen hung out. Luke floated between everyone, thoroughly enjoying himself.
Grandpa and Luke practicing tricycle skills. Luke is getting competent, but has trouble pedaling and steering at the same time. I think he just needs a parking lot or some other wide area to rove around in.
I was convicted today with regard to my previous post, specifically in the area of desire. I’ve been going through a devotional on Matthew lately, and earlier in the week read a commentary on Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. It emphasized His complete commitment to doing His Father’s will, to the point where Jesus effectively replied to Satan, “If My Father doesn’t want me to have it, I don’t want it.” This was demonstrated in all three attempts by the enemy to corrupt Jesus. God had made it very clear through circumstances (and other means) that Jesus was not to have things (food, safety, glory, honor, worship) before a certain time, and He was completely content and submissive in that. The application is, of course, how often are my desires not surrendered, especially in areas I think are innocuous? Just to cite one example, God’s made it quite clear through my circumstances that it’s not time for me to have a project car to tinker on. But how often have my emotions rested on the desire to have one? How many times have I told myself, “Oh, they’re just emotions; they come and go as they please; there’s no harm in indulging them as long I don’t actually do anything…” But that’s not right. Not only are my emotions and motivations not submitted, I am less available not only to Him but also to my family and the things my feelings should rightly be invested in. So something like trolling eBay ads or car buildup sites, harmless in and of themselves (“adiaphora” is the theological term), might be off limits for me for a while.
With that, though, there’s always the caveat that it’s not wrong to plan for the future and even desire things or places or situations, provided it meshes with the context of the things I should be emotionally invested in, in the here and now. It takes discernment and wisdom, and I am slowly, by His grace, coming into that.