Lies which the evil one uses

All of his lies are intended to make us disbelieve either our identity as God's children or our destiny in living in His love. In the broadest sense, they include:

• God's blessings are burdens.
• The things and actions from which God tells us to abstain are blessings.
• The remarkable things God has done in others' lives are beyond us.
• We are incapable of that to which God calls us.
• God's timeless truth is outdated ignorance.
• We have plenty of time to be obedient and trust Him. "It can wait."
• Living for the moment means putting off God's will for later.
• My sins are greater than others'.
• The particular way that I am disregarding God is not that important.
• A small and understandable disobedience is no big deal.
• Other's sins are greater than mine (or mine isn't really a sin).

(The critical reader may note that there is significant overlap among these.) Now, the specifics to which our adversary applies these lies vary greatly from one person to the next. But the general theme of them is the same in all of our lives, and they are all intended to keep us from embracing our identity and our destiny of beloved sons and daughters of a Father who knows what is truly best for us and reveals it through His Word and His Church.

So whether the thing with which we compromise be connected to lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, or pride, let us renounce the lie beneath it and embrace God's greater plan for us as sons and daughters destined for eternal holiness.

Today's word

A couple recent Words of the Day:
orgulous /OR-gyuh-lus/ - proud

This is definitely a new one on me. I think for most of my usage, "haughty" (which I thought of before scrolling to the Test Your Vocabulary portion of the post) will suffice.

lapidary /LAP-uh-dair-ee/ - 1. a cutter, polisher, or engraver of precious stones usually other than diamonds 2. the art of cutting gems

So, just to be clear: a lapidary is a practitioner of lapidary.

And a bunch from the Dictionary Devil:
sidereal /sī-ˈdir-ē-əl , sə-/ -  of, relating to, or expressed in relation to stars or constellations : astral

I have encountered this word before and have always understood it in context, but didn't get it without context around it. 

anfractuosity /(ˌ)an-ˌfrak-chə-ˈwä-sə-tē , -shə- ; -chü-ˈä- , -shü-/ - 1. the quality or state of being anfractuous 2. a winding channel or course; especially : an intricate path or process (as of the mind)

I've heard of, and perhaps even used, the term anfractuous before. I've always used the last pronunciation

campanology // - the art of bell ringing

I've practiced this, if hand bells count, but don't know if I've ever heard it called this. Don't know why they don't give a pronunciation, but it's pretty standard.

loblolly /ˈläb-ˌlä-lē/ - 1. dialect a : a thick gruel  b : mire, mudhole  2. dialect : lout  3. loblolly pine

The puzzle used the first definition. The only one I'd ever heard used was the last. 

qiviut /ˈkē-vē-ət , -vē-ˌüt/ -  the wool of the undercoat of the musk ox

Another completely new word for me. I hope I recognize it should I encounter it again.

Today's words

slimsy /SLIM-zee/ - flimsy, frail

Pretty sure I've never encountered this one, but I agree with the post writer's assessment that this should be apparent by context. I got it even in the absence of context.

weald /WEELD/ - 1. a heavily wooded area : forest  2. a wild or uncultivated usually upland region

On the other hand, I'm pretty sure I've seen this one before, and am also pretty sure that the only way I'll recognize it in the future is by context.

If joy is the mark of the authentic Christian life . . .

. . . then i must be an utter fraud . . .

. . . but if it is love . . .

. . . then perhaps not.

Balance in relationships?

Gotta be careful about this one, because you can take this valid and important thought and carry it all the way to obsessively twisted.

One indicator of a dying relationship is when the two people in it aren't roughly equivalently important to, and committed to, each other.

Yet I am also convinced that this is true in our relationship with God. His love and His nature are such that we are far more important to Him than even the most devoted of us allow Him to be to us.

Today's words

risorgimento /ree-zor-jih-MEN-toh/ - 1. often capitalized, the 19th century movement for Italian political unity 2. a time of renewal or renaissance : revival

Nice word with an interesting history

inchmeal /INCH-meel/ -  little by little, gradually

New word that I understood instantly.

Vacation

Really nice time visiting the New England area last week. First time in Massachusetts, New Hampshire (briefly), Maine, and Rhode Island. More to share later.