Thanksgiving has come and gone---and Christmas is quickly approaching. AND THEN winter will truly be upon us. Historically our winter is the harshest in January and February. Our Texas forecast is rather bleak for this winter as predicted by "Farmers' Almanac ~
El Nino plays into this prediction. If you read the information, it predicts a major winter storm for mid January very similar to the one we had last year.
It should come as NO SURPRISE OR SHOCK to all of you that I am NOT normal. When they take my temperature it is always below normal. I laughingly same I am COOL! I also have inherited the slender genes from my father's side of the family. I am not complaining since fortunately I have never had to fight my weight. BUT with this normally cool body temperature and a harsh winter I suffer greatly from the cold weather. My lack of insulation does not bode well in winter temperatures. When I get cold---my core gets cold also. This leads to me feeling as if my entire body is clinching and seizing in an effort to warm up. My extremities hurt when exposed to freezing temperatures, and no amount of layers provide adequate protection. I literally ache when I am cold.
Over the years, I have learned a valuable lesson in warming up after exposure to the elements. A hot cup of tea or coffee begins the thawing process from the inside out. Until I begin to warm my core, the cold causes pain and suffering. Once that warmth is inside me--I begin to finally thaw and warm up. If your core is warm---your entire being follows. The warmth of that hot liquid begins the process from the inside out. It works every time.
As I thought this over, I realized allowing the Holy Spirit to penetrate your heart and soul is the very same process. When life throws hard balls at you---you will soon be down for the count--unless you rely upon The Holy Spirit to warm your cold and battered heart. It is a process from the inside out. Where your heart and soul goes---your entire being follows. This goes back to the post of a few days ago when I talked about practicing and preparing for the worst case scenario. Learning how to recognize the Holy Spirit in your life will serve you well in the bleakest of moments. It will protect you--from the inside out. Praise God!
"According to the riches of His glory
He may grant you to be strengthened with power
through His spirit in your inner being."
Ephesians 3:16
BEGINNING FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1,
I WILL POST DAILY ADVENT THOUGHTS UNTIL DECEMBER 25.
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Like you, Lulu, I have very little insulation - a good thing until I get chilled to the bone in winter. But if we are warmed from the inside out, we are more likely to recover and breathe easy. I loved how you turned a simple physical fact into a spiritual gem!
ReplyDeleteBlessings!