"Self-control: the governing of one's desires; the ability to avoid excesses, to stay within reasonable bounds." "Self control is the exercise of inner strength under the direction of sound judgement that enables us to do, think, and say the things that are pleasing to God."

Sunday morning through a long train of events, some of them dramatic, I got to use the car again. I drove out to Columbia Evangelical Church, partly to meet Andrea, another Cadence missionary who is currently raising support for a two-year trip to Japan. And also partly because CEC is a Reformed church that the H's spoke well of(Reformed Churches for the win!). CEC is smaller than my church back home, and is situated next to several USC buildings. The church itself is made of a traditional sanctuary and then a Victorian-era house around the back that was converted to classrooms. I enjoyed the service and even more so the Sunday School. It didn't hurt any that our class was in one of the old bedrooms in the cool old house, with a really neat fireplace. Our Sunday school teacher spoke on Biblical Self-control, and I brought away two pages of great quotes and verses.

"Self control involves a much wider range of watchfulness than merely control of our bodily appetites and desires. We must also exercise self control of thoughts, emotions, and speech."

"The person without self control is easy prey to the invader: he yields himself to the first assault of his ungoverned passions, offering no resistance. Having no disciplines over himself, temptation becomes the occasion of sin, and hurries him on to fearful lengths that he has not contemplated."

Today's boring photo: Whether I travel across the ocean or just across the country, my dresser-top essentials stay the same.

By the time I got home Sunday, we were all pretty worn out from the weekend. Monday was only interesting in that Boy and Girl H were stressing over PSAT prep, the hot water heater broke, and the electricity went out. We also had surprise guests, which is, I keep reminding myself, normal.