Know Yourself--A Key To Life

Knowing yourself is a life-long study of the quirks of human nature--your own. But ever since I heard about "knowing yourself" I have been more at peace with myself, our family and the world in general.

Not everything is consistent. For example, I love to hunt and we all know that a successful hunt ends in the demise of a beautiful animal and of course provision on the table for months to come. A lot of men like hunting, I think, because it satisfies a primordial instinct to pursue and provide.

But then there are pets--animals also. We are watching over a fifteen-year-old dog whose end is not far off. I have to touch him several times a day, I talk to him though he does not understand, and in the end I will likely be emotional when he passes.

Another passion is hockey specifically, and sports in general. I try to stay alert to various sports while concentrating only on one--I don't want to surrender too much to any of them. The Calgary Flames are my present enjoyment.

Then I am a newshound--I read a lot of news, avoiding the most liberal press by habit. Certain columnists (my favorite is Anne Coulter, an acid tongued blonde) get my loyalty so you are becoming aware that I am an inveterate reader. My blog, website and books all attest to that.
In fact, it is not just reading but writing that absorbs my time.

Then I am a theologian--I think theologically without any help--my mind seems to work that way. This morning I read the phrase in the prophet Joel--"Declare a holy fast;" and I immediately began to wonder, "What is a 'holy' fast?" Since I am to preach on fasting January 21-22, expect the "holy" fast to get some attention.

Then there is humor. One of my great joys is to make Marilynne laugh. Why do you think I have Phil Callaway on the website? I honestly try to write humorously, sometimes. Making fun of myself is a lifelong pastime. (Others have made it an art-form as well.) In my preaching, humor gets in only when I make it a matter of prayer beforehand. Will there be any humor in the upcoming sermon of fasting? I'm hoping so.

I could go on here to a fascination with business and money--but garrulousness (annoying talkativeness) is a habit into which I can fall--so I'll stop--the main point of this ramble being, obviously, know yourself. I am getting to know me.