I was reading Water's Edge this morning and finding a lot of really deep stuff there. (More on that in a minute.) I decided to log on here and tell you all the deep, spiritual insights I was gaining, which I will, but first this. When you log on to Blogger, they have highlighted blogs just above where you sign in. The one highlighted when I logged on was called Fenian Ramblings, so of course I got sidetracked and had to go there and check it out. The subtitle is, "the site with the best craic", and at first glance it looks pretty interesting. It doesn't seem to be particularly "Christian", but I don't want to be a Christian elitist on the net the way I have had a tendency to be in life (and, no, the net is not all there is to life). Anyway, if you have an interest in Ireland as I do, you'll probably find it interesting.

So now, back to Water's Edge. I can tell that this is going to end up being one of my daily reads. Thanks, Kevin, for linking this one! When I find a blog that I really like, I try to go to the first entry showing and read chronologically, so I have been reading June entries. I got to June 19th and there was that word again, that one that God keeps shoving in front of my face, hoping I'll take the hint--"intentional". I am glad to know that God is talking to others in the same way He talks to me; it confirms that what I'm hearing might actually be His voice and not just my wheels squeaking. I have got so much stuff in my life, both material and otherwise, that I just feel cluttered and scattered, and I need more focus. This blogging thing is good for me, because it helps me examine my thoughts and put things into perspective.

Then I got to June 24th (in Water's Edge; are you keeping up here?), and realized that this is one blog I'm going to have to pace myself with, because there's so much to chew on here that I could really get overloaded and miss what God wants to say with each entry. Anyway, June 24th is entitled, "The Problem With Me", and it's really good; everyone should read it. It's about shifting our focus from the individual to the communal and not being all caught up in a "what's in it for me?" view of the Christian walk. I do think that, because God did make us as individuals with unique giftings to offer to the Body, we can say, "What can I do to further the Kingdom of God? How can I contribute to the edification of the community?" without being self-centered. I think that the difference is all in attitude, in whether your motive is using what God has given you to further you, or to promote Him. I will share with you a prayer of Mother Theresa's that I found in "Words To Love By", given to me by Tom Parker on my graduation from Bible school. Thanks, Tom; this book continues to inspire me.

Dear Jesus,
Help us to spread your fragrance everywhere we go.
Flood our souls with your spirit and life.
Penetrate and possess our whole being so utterly
that our lives may be only a radiance of yours.
Shine through us
and be so in us
that every soul we come in contact with
may feel your presence in our soul.
Let them look up and see no longer us
but only Jesus.
Stay with us
and then we shall begin to shine as you shine,
so to shine as to be light to others.
The light, O Jesus, will be all from you.
None of it will be ours.
It will be you shining on others through us.
Let us thus praise you in the way you love best
by shining on those around us.
Let us preach you without preaching
not by words, but by our example
by the catching force
the sympathetic influence of what we do
the evident fullness of the love our hearts bear to you.
Amen.

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