It was a hard week. A week of sleepless nights, tossing and turning. Days of thinking. To be honest, I was tired of thinking. So I did what anyone would do.

I turned to HGTV and House Hunters for a little bit of mindless TV.

“I am sorry, God. I don’t want to think about You, circumstances, integrity and choices. I am shutting it all off and hopefully, all out for a little bit.”

Or so I thought.

House Hunters. The program where a realtor shows a potential buyer three homes and they hopefully select one to purchase. They seemed to be a pretty normal couple. Married five years. She now expecting their first child.

She wanted a colonial style home as she liked that the home would have curb appeal, looking symmetrical from the street. He wanted a split level type home as he liked a home that was different, multi-levels.

First home they were shown was neither as it was a cape style. They walked through the rooms and then the show became interesting. Weird in fact.

They both began talking in voices not their own. He called her Lucinda. She called him Luciano. It was neither of their actual names. He spoke with an Italian accent. She as if she was an evil stepmother out of a fairy tale.

They explained when they married, they never wanted to argue so they took on alter egos by which to have their disagreements. In so doing, they felt like they never argued. It was someone else who had the arguments. Needless to say, I sat and watched to the end.

And somewhere in the middle of the half hour, it began to hit me ….

Alter ego as per dictionary.com:

• a different version of yourself
• a second self
• the opposite of who you really are

It was the last definition which struck hard. I no longer must live by my old emotions and thoughts …

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. (Galatians 5:19-21, NLT)

By the power of the Holy Spirit living in me and influencing my life, and my behavior, I can live differently …

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
(Galatians 5:22-23, NLT)

Right into the middle of House Hunters, He stepped in. He would not be shut out or shut off. Even in the middle of the mindless, He is there, guiding my thoughts ….

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
(Galatians 5:24-25, NLT)

In essence I have an alter ego as well.

He enables me to be less like me.

And more like Him.

Today I am joining … Unforced Rhythms and Mon. Musings and Making Your Home Sing and Create with Joy and Motivation Mon. and Sharing His Beauty and Inspire Me Mon. .