12.22- Sometimes we want to help people and yet they know they need to do it for themselves.

 12.22-

Sometimes we want to help people and yet they know they need to do it for themselves. There are other times that we need help to do something we cannot do for ourselves.

The butterfly comes out by pushing his new wings against the cocoon. You can take a knife and rip it open for him ajd it will not live. It needs the push to gain strength.

Each stage of life requires pushing forward.

To learn to walk

To learn to not be able to walk.

To learn to tie your shoes

To learn to use velcro.

To learn to button your shirt.

To learn to let someone else button your shirt.

These are stages of life and transformations of some sort.

They require us to do all we are supposed to do and not be slothful.

Tuesday a lady asked me how did I handle my cooking. I told her it was a process of learning what I like and what has an easy cook and clean up cycle.

After my 78th birthday I started to reflect on this current stage of my life. I have learned to adjust to the new stage by pushing myself to be stronger in areas I need to be and accept the areas I need to leave for others to do for me.

So thankful for good neighbors and friends. Ten of them came to my home this week and brought me and musical 80 year old man in a chair with glasses acting like Santa Claus.

Another brought a lemon cake slice. Another some homeade choclate and peanut butter candy and a cheese ball. All brought joy, laughter and fellowship of grace.

It's been good to be a butterfly this week.

Romans 12

12 Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, [a]acceptable to God, which is your [b]spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this [c]world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may [d]prove what the will of God is, that which is good and [e]acceptable and perfect.

3 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. 4 For just as we have many parts in one body and all [f]the body’s parts do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually parts of one another. 6 However, since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to use them properly: if prophecy, [g]in proportion to one’s faith; 7 if [h]service, in the act of serving; or the one who teaches, in the act of teaching; 8 or the one who [i]exhorts, in the work of [j]exhortation; the one who gives, with [k]generosity; the one who [l]is in leadership, with diligence; the one who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

9 [m]Love must be free of hypocrisy. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; [n]give preference to one another in honor, 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the [o]saints, [p]practicing hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute [q]you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be [r]haughty in mind, but [s]associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 Never repay evil for evil to anyone. [t]Respect what is right in the sight of all people. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people. 19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but [u]leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.