Puffing Up or Building Up?

Today I am grateful for the moment I took to appreciate the moon and stars in the early morning sky, and for the warm house I returned to after being out in the cold.

As I wrote about spiritual beings in yesterday's post, I thought about how I consider myself far more spiritual than religious. I don't attend church services as regularly as some, but when I do I seek to approach the service with an open mind and an appreciation for the time to reflect. I like the music and singing at times, and I support my husband Darcy's involvement and commitment to our church.

That is a better approach than the one I had in my teens--often hungover, Sundays would find me tuned out as soon as the sermon started, probably dreaming about the cold Mountain Dew I was going to get after church for my cotton mouth.

An open, and sober, mind can go a long way at church and anywhere.

As I tuned in on this most recent Sunday, I heard this line in one of the readings:

"Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." 

Being puffed up makes something look bigger, but it's not really stable. Deflation only takes a pin hole to get started and soon the knowledge I thought I had crumbles. But love- real care and compassion- they are solid. Actively giving and receiving love build us up, give us a true foundation.

I am not discounting knowledge, but I am prioritizing. Today, I will look for ways to extend care and compassion to others. And to myself. 
Starting with not being able to fix the format issue in this post :-)