God working

Sometimes I am discouraged in my love for God's glory and my hope for His blessing upon others because I see sin and can't help change it. If we were all mature and humble and could take the correction we are supposed to offer in Christ things might be different. But these days I mostly stay shut up. Cal preached about exhorting one another last night, and it only discouraged me. At the morning service there was a tot reading a superheroes catalog while the rest of us were opening our worship of the majestic triune God with the first command. Why aren't his parents teaching him what it is we are about? I was discouraged to tell them what I know, though I love them, and perhaps ought to. But am I being "censorious"? I am comforted by what I read in 1 John 5:14-15: "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death." So I pray for God's favor upon this family. It is not always clear that my words shall be a means of grace for another, but I learn to wait on God, to be patient, above all to pray.

Last month while taking care of cousin Kim I came to know her pride and stubbornness. This often keeps her from learning. It is a trait that has been fostered by an ignorant mother over many years of trying to do her best. One day she came out dressed to go to a luncheon. She had spread darker-than-her-skin pancake makeup all over her face, ending abruptly at her pale chin line. Not saying anything then, I later suggested that she blend it down on to her neck. She cut me off with "I like it that way." I made sure to mention it to Kilby so that she did not tread on the same territory. And I continue to pray for Kim's salvation and reformation.

Today Kilby wrote:

So Kim just knocked on my door and came in to ask me to do her a favor tomorrow. "I been puttin' my makeup on too thick; tomorrow could you help me with it?"

I said, "Yeah! Definitely! I love doing makeup."

So tomorrow before we go out we'll do beauty parlor and I'll try to teach her how to do nice sexy makeup. =D