Random thoughts for the day

It's been raining off and on today, which has been nice. A cool, refreshing, rain that smells so good! And I'm sure my plants are loving it. Sorry for all the fragments; I guess I don't feel like thinking in sentences right now...
Jeremiah is getting closer to walking. He loves pushing around the plastic chair, and can stand for a few seconds by himself before he sits down. He is also a very good helper with laundry. I dump the laundry on the ground. He hands me an article of clothing. I make sure to tell him thank-you (and I sign it too). Then he giggles and give me another piece as I fold the first and lay it on the bed. Of course, it's hard to keep him going at that for long before he gets distracted.
In my quiet time, I'm currently going through the book of Daniel. I did an in-depth study of it on my own, and am now doing a Beth Moore study with it. It's a reminder and encouragement that this world is not our true home and we need to be careful not to get to sucked into the culture that tells us to indulge, satisfy our every desires, and build our worlds around ourselves. Babylon, the place Daniel and many other Israelites were being held in captivity, was at this time a place that offered it all- every kind of entertainment, pleasure, fun, success, beauty, etc... Daniel was a shining example of a man who resisted conforming to that culture and instead demonstrated integrity, faithfulness, trustworthiness, and wisdom; assets that, as a result, benefited the king and people of Babylon for the better. It's a challenge I want to strive for- not being conformed to the pattern of this world, but instead being a light. I need the continual reminder; it's a constant struggle! I'm sure I'll have more thoughts on this as I continue the study.

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."
-Romans 12:2