them. I awoke today with a heaviness on me. After considering where that heaviness arose from, God revealed much of its source. Believe it or not, it arose from yesterday's coverage of the Casey Anthony trial and the verdict.My kids go to the school feet from where they found the body of little Callie Anthony. We drive past that site every day. As much as you try to guard your kids they have ears and very attuned ones. It was the topic of many discussions with them over the course of the last 3 years. It's proximity to us has had me attuned to the proceedings of this case. But none like I was yesterday. Somehow I found myself trapped by the coverage of this final chapter in this 3 year long saga.
This climaxed last night when barely 7 hours after the verdict was read "Not Guilty," 48 hours did a full one hour long episode of the case as an "Unsolved Mystery." This had me stunned and perplexed more than the 2:15pm verdict reading. What is the word God was wanting to speak underneath this frenzy of media fire.
It wasn't until this morning it hit me. Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things."
The trap of the enemy is to monopolize your hearts energy on things dark and not of light. When he can get us fixated on darkness it taps our humanity on the shoulder and un-cages our sin nature. The darkness swallows our heart and confuses our thinking and feeling until what is produces now is unholy and unrighteous. Our thoughts words and actions follow suite to what our mind is fixated on and before we know it we are on an unmanned train racing toward populated areas. That hurt, frustration and fear are then unleashed on everyone around us.
Who is most susceptible are our kids. Remember those attuned ears I mentioned earlier. They are all too eager to get on board whatever train their parents are on. They long for connectedness to whatever has our hearts. It is shameful to admit to ourselves that what has our hearts too often is not those qualities of Philippians 4.
Monitor your heart. Measure it's volume of peace. Peace is what guard our hearts and minds. If you find yourself short on it lately, turn off the T.V. pick up your bible and be reminded of what God's dream for you is.
