I Hate Sin and the Consequences Thereof

This is one of my mother's many sayings that I've adopted as my own. Something I've heard her say and tell me and teach me through since...well, since I can remember. I have been thinking much over this as God's brought me here recently dealing with pain and hurt myself. (See a couple blogs before this about pain.) Feelings of being so hurt that I am tempted to close off, shut down, so I can't feel. Not completely...just keep "going" in life without really "doing" life, if that makes sense. 

I hate sin. Not just dislike it. HATE it. I've grown tired of it. It makes me sick. sad. hurt. I look forward to the day it ends...in heaven. For now, I'll hate it.  I hate it in me. I hate it in you. I hate seeing it all around us. I don't care what it disguises itself as, I hate sin. Sin is sin is sin. I hate sin. 

Not only that...I hate sin's consequences. I hate what sin causes...what it brings with it. I hate the pain. guilt. shame.  I hate what it cost to get rid of it.

And yet it is. What is the purpose? Why? To make us feel bad? To make us drown in sorrow and guilt? Oh no!  What joy there can be, even in the midst of sin...when we see it as the backdrop it is. My hubby often says that sin is the backdrop for God's glory. Sin helps us see God's glory even clearer. Like black velvet behind a diamond ring. When forgiven, cleansed, set free...we see the depth of His love.

And THAT is glorious!

And so, in the midst of the fight against sin...not against each other...I will praise God. I am seeing more and more how the real enemy is not someone else. It's not even myself. It's the sin in me. The sin in you. Ultimately, Satan himself who rules this world and uses sin to his advantage.

Sin gets in the way of knowing God...not knowing about Him, KNOWING Him. The experiential knowledge of Him, what John 17:3 says eternal life is: knowing God and Jesus Christ whom He sent. I want to KNOW him this way more than anything else. What keeps me from this is what I hate most- sin. Not so and so who...or that one who...or somebody else that...Sin. That is it's name. Sin keeps me from my Treasure. 

But praise be to Jesus! We're not left alone with Sin! We're set free from it's bondage through Christ Himself! He fights on my behalf. That is a hallelujah!  Free from and victory over my own sin. And free to truly love those who sin against and therefore hurt me.

Help us, Lord. Help us to treasure you most and to hate sin and its consequences. For your glory. For our joy in You.

Week in Review: Fun with Gammy and more

So, this past week, we:

• Had a fun date night- dinner at subway, a long talk, good laughs...and a few rounds of games in the arcade section at Super Walmart. (I know...but we live HERE, so it's something to do!) And anyway, it really was fun, even if I did get whooped at Ms. Pac Man and air hockey.
• Had dinner with the Wiehes and made some battle plans for the flower selling bus. Yes, you heard correctly. 
• Took advantage of Gammy's day off and the beautiful weather on Wednesday and headed to the park. It was so pretty and we had a great time.

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The only way to get them all to be still and get a pic was to feed them cookies...so, keep 'em coming! 

My girls took up the whole swing set!  What will we do when we have more? haha.

• Had a final dinner with our friends Adam and Shannon before he left for his final training and then heads overseas to Afghanistan with the National Guard. Pray for them these next 18 months. But, it was a fun night, tough steaks and all. Good laughs.
• Took a really spontaneous trip to Springfield- Mom, Me, and all four of the girls. We're crazy. But it was so fun. We hit Target (woohoo!), Hobby Lobby, and the mall. And were blessed with a surprise- Todd, Heather, and the kids walking our way while in the food court enjoying Chick-fil-A. So, we got to eat and visit a bit. I was so glad to see them!

In the play area...Bethany wanted out. She ran around in joyful circles, squealing the whole time.


• Celebrated Taylor Igo's 10th birthday with a little bowling. It was Bekah and Belle's first time bowling for real. Wii doesn't count in Bekah's opinion. They're hooked. They're asking when we can go as a family. It was fun.

Belle and Bekah in their first pair of bowling shoes. 

That was our week...lots of fun things going on, lots of learning going on. It's good stuff. God is faithful! Hope yours was a blessed week too!