Remembering - Part 2

November 2006 entry in my fire journal by my sister and friend.

Thank you so much for taking the time to write down these words Danina.

"When I pulled up to see your house you were picking up the mail out of your mailbox by the road and the front of your house, apart from a broken and blackened window upstairs, looked normal. Your porch was nicely decorated for Fall and the beauty of Fall's leaves and landscaping was everywhere . Then I went through the front door and inside and felt overwhelmed by the smell, destruction and black darkness left by the fire and smoke. This reminded me of when Jesus talked to the pharisees in Matthew 23:25 - 27. Jesus said, "For you are like white washed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and uncleanness". And then another illustration; "For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside are full of extortion and self-indulgence."



I've read back over that many times and thought Wow! What a great lesson to be learned from a real life experience.



How often do we wake up and our day is not going the way it should. We've had ugly thoughts, used harsh words toward our spouse or children, gossiped behind someones back, participating in something sinful..unethical but yet we were able to pull ourselves together outwardly. Adorn ourselves with our cute clothes, our make-up or favorite jewelry and go out into the world as if everything inside our heart is full of joy, beauty, peace......love. I know that I have sat near those I'm very close to at a dinner date, at a church service or in a home with a very broken heart, an angry mind or a shameful burden weighing on me and yet I've looked like I have it all together and that my world is beautiful, happy, sinless.



May we all challenge ourselves to be authentic this holiday as we see our family and our friends. May we pray that God will cleanse our minds and our hearts so that we are as beautiful on the inside as we work to be on the outside.