Kelly's Day 10: Freedom.

Yesterday was interesting.

Took our van to the Honda dealership. We were hit in December. The mechanic set our car on fire while they were fixing it, scoring us some new carpeting throughout! We had a rental for six weeks. After getting our car back, we kept getting locked in, and the turn signals would randomly stop working. And, the temperature gage would flat line. After our car sat there undergoing "diagnostic tests" for SIX HOURS, they could not replicate the problem. That's always nice to hear. I guess I should call them the next time my doors lock and refuse to open when I'm dropping my children off at school in the morning. !)

Dallas came to the rescue so I wasn't stuck at the dealership all day. We went to lunch at Luna's Living Kitchen. I chowed down unashamedly. I had a Volcano Juice, Vegan Chili and a scrumptious salad!

We had a nice conversation about legalism in the church. Brothers and Sisters...WHERE...did all the FREEDOM go?! If it was for FREEDOM that Christ has set us FREE, WHY...WHY...do we put ourselves back into the chains of legalism?! Granted, our fast is something along the lines of the epitome of legalism...can we have nuts? ...seeds? ...only raw food? Ultimately, Jesus did say "WHEN you fast..." We are called to withdraw from certain things for a period of time to refocus. Following a set of RULES is NOT what sets us apart! Following JESUS sets us apart! It brought me back to Matthew Chapter 23 again.

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. Woe to you, teaches of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are." Matthew 23: 13-15.

We cannot become a stumbling block to people who are trying to seek out the kingdom of heaven! We cannot place onto them a set of rules to follow to "clean up shop." That is such a sobering statement..."you make him twice a son of hell as you are." If someone sees how I am living and only sees a hypocrite...a "son of hell," I am no follower of Jesus.

Lord, I repent.

Grace and Peace~
Kelly