Brief Break from Africa Chronicles...

I am supposed to be cleaning my kitchen, folding 3 loads of laundry, creating a syllabus for my new Humanities class at KOR, packing bags for 5 people and calling 2 people back......

Instead, I am sitting here blogging.  I have a problem!

Oh well.  I wanted to say/share two things today.  One- I just read a little devotional article about Philippians 4: 4-7 and I am sitting here trying to absorb it.  The scripture is

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I have read this scripture many times.  It speaks to me in a very personal way, because I really struggle with anxiety.  This scripture instructs me how to deal with that anxiety...and I rarely handle it the way God instructs.  But He promises to replace my anxiety with peace, if I give it to Him.  The devotional I read spoke about how this peace is a 'natural fruit' of the Spirit. The HOLY  Spirit.  And I have to admit that I sit here, IN AWE...again....that I have THE HOLY SPIRIT living in me.  I am ashamed to realize that I live out most of my days in complete spiritual amnesia.   

What an incredible truth.  I, Michelle Marie Lively Skow.....a complete idiot most of the time, have the completely undeserved privilege of having the Spirit of the one, true GOD, dwell within me!!!!  

I know this is not breaking news.....but oh my goodness!  

Praise the Maker!

And Two- I am officially starting a campaign to stop the use of the word "HOLY" in our colloquial phrases.  I am so guilty of this...and have been since I started using the phrase 'holy cow' in 2nd grade.  But I have been so convicted lately that we have abused and overused the word 'holy' so much (even pairing this sacred word with 'crap' and worse) that it has lost its meaning.  Our human languages are so limited in how we can describe our God....we shouldn't taint the few words we have reserved for Him.  (cue exit from soap box)

ho·ly[hoh-lee]adjective, ho·li·er, ho·li·est, noun, plural ho·lies.

adjective

1. specially recognized as or declared sacred by religious use or authority; consecrated: holy ground.

2. dedicated or devoted to the service of God, the church, or religion: a holy man.

3. saintly; godly; pious; devout: a holy life.

4. having a spiritually pure quality: a holy love.

5. entitled to worship or veneration as or as if sacred: a holy relic.