Sometimes I think I already have. If being forgetful means I've lost my mind, then I am so there. Sometimes I forget if I've forgot something...you know, that feeling that you have when you think you've forgotten something important but aren't sure if it really was important, or if you really did forget it in the first place. Whatever 'it' is? Am I the only one?
Am I the only one who can't remember when child #3 learned to walk, or how much each child weighed at birth, or who it was that said that cute thing about such-and-such?
Am I the only one who has to ask her kids questions like who was it that used to say "hot lemons" because they thought that's what we said when something was 'off limits'? Who got stung by the bald face hornets? Who had their tooth pulled, and have any of you had chicken pox?
I'm not the only one, am I?
Alas, I've let it go. My mind, that is. I have just given in to the gaps in memory, and I always carry paper with me. If it's not written down, it probably doesn't happen. I have pictures, and now I blog, so it's there till everything crashes, right?
Of course, there are things I can't forget, hard as I try. Why is that? Why do I remember all the ungodly things I've seen, heard, read or said, but can't remember important things like the name of the sweet lady I met at church last Sunday?
My kids used a phrase the other day that was completely harmless, yet reminded me of a phrase that was not so harmless, from a movie I'd watched probably 20 years ago. I asked them not to use the phrase and told them why...told them how what we choose to put in our minds can stay with us and affect us for years.
Maybe all they got from that talk was that mom used to watch bad movies. And now she's a little hyper-sensitive.
But God is a Redeemer, even of minds.
He actually wants me to lose my mind. And He offers a brand new one in its place.
...be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. ~ Eph 4:23-24
Because my old man was growing corrupt, rotting, wasting away. My thoughts were futile. Like "the rest of the Gentiles" (vs. 17), I used to live by those futile thoughts and vain imaginings, justifying my actions with an "it will all balance out in the end" attitude.
Why do I still have futile thoughts sometimes? Putting off and putting on, continually being sanctified, and living out this righteousness and holiness He's given. It's a process till the end, and His grace is sufficient.
Chapter 4 of Ephesians has some good mind-cleansing remedies. If you are doing x, stop and do y instead. Put off this, put on this. Not just dos and don'ts, but life-giving, life-saving clothing to wear everyday.
I won't quote the whole chapter here, in hopes you'll open it up for yourself.
I am renewing my mind with scripture. Writing, speaking, thinking, reading, and typing it here. I am on and off with this, but I need it. This week it's Ephesians 4:23-24.
I believe He'll even redeem my memory (or lack thereof) and generate new brain cells, because that's what it is to be re-newed. Like new again.
Would you like to hold me accountable? And do you have suggestions, ways that you renew your mind and crowd out the old and rotting with the new He gives? I'd love help along the way.
