Christ Is All and In All

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 i need to praise God for what i have.  i remember my parents providing a fantastic and secure roof over my head, clothes, food, a comfortable bed.  i don't remember ever being jealous of someone else for anything they had.  it was never an issue with me.  Looking back, i wish i had been aware of thanking and praising God for the good parents i had.  Good schools, good teachers.  i wasn't always a good boy, and i thank God i didn't wind up in juvenile detention.  i was a strange kid, i guess, doing weird things, used to rock back and forth while watching television or in my bed in the morning while grabbing onto the covers because it "tickled my tummy"--you know, that sensation one gets while riding over a bump or on a roller coaster, although now ferris wheels and roller coasters would make me sick to my stomach.   i may have wanted to be somewhere else or wanted another job once i'd gotten over the honeymoon periods, but i don't remember ever envying somebody because of the house or apartment they lived in or job they held, or even the clothes they wore.  

As long as i can keep my Bible open, i can keep my mouth shut.  i want to discard and burn the old clothes of sexual, mental, social, and vocal sin.  i intend, i desire to be a pure clean generous patient honest believer in Christ.  May the Great Physician step into my picture and take care of the inside of my mouth and my heart.  "...Christ is all and in all."--[Colossians 3:11]

People look at me differently when i'm wearing my J's.  i don't want to be coveted, i just want to reflect how good they feel on my feet when i walk in them without getting sores and blisters on my feet.  People are free to misconceive all they want:  Oh, who does he think he is wearing those retro sneakers...wonder what obscene amount of monry he paid for them, must be nice -- and in this day and age they probably are scoping me trying to figure out when they can mug me and tear them off my feet while i'm walking home in the middle of the day or night.  i just wanted to feel better walking.  i'm in the process of letting Jesus Christ change me.  i can't let others who are embedded around me mar that progress.  

But now you yourselves are to put off all these:  anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.  do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds. --[Colossians 3: 8-9]  i want my tongue to bring life not death.

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