I Corinthians 5:9-11

In the past few years, I have encountered 3 similar situations involving married couples. The information given to me was unsolicited. The cases differ in detail but are basically alike. The cases all involved women who were separated from their husbands and /or divorcing due to sexual immorality of their husbands. One woman continues to go but is somewhat uncomfortable, one woman was kicked off the praise team, then asked to leave the church. The third left the church of her own volition. All 3 men continue in their immorality and in the church and seem to think it's okay. I call it the Solomon complex, gifted and wise to a degree, but blinded in their lust. I read this:

"I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people- not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat," I Cor. 5:9-11.

It is my understanding that this is done to help the immoral one and that such a one should be restored in love upon genuine repentance. Maybe I have this out of context. Has it gone the way of women covering their heads and not speaking in church? I am glad those things were for that particular time and place.

To avoid confusion, I will end my entries with KDR.(Karen Denise Rodriguez)

JOURNEY TO THE MOVIES

Today we went to the movies.


Journey to the Center of the Earth was a good movie. I didn't see it coming. I was totally surprised. One thing I really liked about the movie was that it got right to the story......did use any fillers. The action was good........there were a lot of those 'edge of your seat' moments. GO SEE IT!

JY-NORMOUS SUNFLOWERS

A few months ago Denise and I planted some sunflowers in our yard. They were supposed to grow to 12 to 15 feet tall. Well....didn't quite happen. In their defense I did plant them in a place where very few things have grown (other than weeds and yucca). I watered them pretty often hoping for a towering cluster of seeds.....
A little over five feet ain't too bad. I'm still looking forward to the clusters.....but they'll be eye level. I hope they survive our bird population. We have a bird feeder in our front yard.....they've been known to wipe that feeder out in a matter of hours. We do have a lot of pretty birds in our neighborhood. We enjoy watching them.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

This evening I attended a seminar hosted by the ADOR (Alabama Dept of Revenue). I'll leave it at that. It was an information overload. They said it would be. And it was. I did learn that I can't do my Contractor taxes like I do my Auto Sales taxes. Oki-dokey!

Anyways.......the past few weeks have been good. I've enjoyed spending time with my wife. I have not enjoyed the recent heat wave. Luckily I've not have to do much work outside. Right now I'm working on a few estimates and trying to find someone to do a decent paint job on a classic car. That's work in a nutshell.

This past weekend Denise's family had a family reunion. It was fun. I did enjoy making a DVD slide show of old and new photos for the reunion. That's always fun.

I'm realizing that I need to get more organized. I've got my business information in folders, boxes and even a cigar box or two. Not good. I guess I'll end up getting a filing cabinet. I've never liked the way they look. Too 'office' for me.....I mean to have in my home. Although they do make cabinets out of wood.

That's pretty much it for now........till next time.

Fenelon: A Holy Mind

Recently, a friend had written about how she and her group of friends enjoy making one another laugh and how key phrases develop as they spend time together. Things that would not have meaning or be understood by others without explanation. There is nothing wrong with that kind of fellowship. But it reminded me of times when I was a part of a close-knit group like that and we were also good at fencing with words and matching wits with each other. We were so incedibly clever! But God has me in a different place right now, not much fellowship, but lots of seeking and meditating on Him. I had to repent of envying my friend and her group and of contemplating forming my own or becoming a part of someone else's. I am enjoying where God has me, but for an evening that longing for belonging and memories of past times became so intense...

The following morning I picked up my devotional book of Fenelon's writings. I was on chapter eight. This is part of what I read: "There is a great difference between a clever mind, a great mind and a holy mind. The clever mind is pleasing because of its charm. The great mind excites our admiration because of its depth. But only a right spirit can save and make us happy through its constancy and uprightness..."

Another Tolkien Quote

Gandalf to Denethor, Steward of Gondor:

" '...Unless the king should come again?' said Gandalf. 'Well, my lord Steward, it is your task to keep some kingdom still against that event, which few now look to see. In that task you shall have all the aid that you are pleased to ask for. But I will say this: the rule of no realm is mine, neither of Gondor nor any other, great or small. But all worthy things that are in peril as the world now stands, those are my care. And for my part, I shall not wholly fail of my task, though Gondor should perish, if anything passes through this night that can still grow fair or bear fruit and flower again in days to come. For I also am a steward. Did you not know?' "

Sometimes it seems that few today still look to the event of the coming of our King. But we, as Christians, are a part of His kingdom. We are called to be salt and light and love in a sometimes grim and loveless world. For we also are stewards. "Did you not know?"

A favorite quote from Tolkien

Elrond to Council:

"It is perilous to study the arts of the enemy too deeply, for good or for ill."

2 Cor.3:18 "But we all with unveiled faces beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of theLord."

Phil. 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things.(fix your mind on them)."