First, I will never be anywhere near 35 below voluntarily. If it gets much colder than 35 above I'm contemplating hibernation. God made me a southern boy for a reason. I don't do cold. The very idea of it makes me hurt. No, I won't be needing those socks, thank you very much, even if I wore socks with the sandals that are my normal. Which of course I don't, because I'm not quite that old yet.
Spam seems to be everywhere these days. Sometimes moments after I post that Leah and I are watching some movie or another, before my friends have time to see it, some spammer has commented with some, virus laden I'm sure, link to watch movies online. Spammers who obviously don't know how amazing and perfect for me my wife is, try to make me open emails that promise satisfaction and contentment from finding a Russian or Asian bride. These are all easy to spot when the spam filter misses them. Some are more difficult, like the spamming done by companies that are legit. Amazon has started spamming me lately, which is frustrating because I don't want to put Amazon on my spam list and miss something about an order. Some spammers even manage to try to make you think it's you! Seriously, I got a phone call the other day from my own number. I didn't answer it as I felt fairly positive I didn't call myself.
Spammers are cunning and baffling. Oh sure, some of that is easy to spot and so off target that you almost have to laugh. But it must work some or they'd quit. Still, if you relax your guard, you will soon find you missed something. I accidentally opened one email not too long ago and, evidently, I won a Walgreen's gift card. Moved to spam since I didn't enter any contest and a five-dollar gift card to Walgreen's is not nearly tempting enough to risk opening the floodgates to further spam and viruses. I wish it was as easy with the spam that comes mentally promising success and relief and happiness with a link to the old way.
Some of it is as easy to spot as an advertisement to a Texas guy about 35 below socks. Hey, why don't you do something stupid and burn those bridges you've rebuilt and maybe die or go back to jail? Um, no thanks. Brain filter catches incoming and moves it to spam folder. But there are times when our old master's siren calls are much more subtle, tricky and enticing. Cunning, baffling and powerful, we are unable, at certain times, to bring into our consciousness with sufficient force the memory of the suffering and humiliation of even a week or a month ago. We are without defense against the first drink or drug or....
We can't rely on memories of viruses past to protect us from dangerous spiritual links. We can't rely on how much better life is today or satisfaction with our current situation to protect us from grandiose promises of pleasure and contentment. We can't trust our ability to spot them. We can't rest on the efficiency of our mental spam filter. The only defense we have against the temptation of mental spam is the maintenance of our spiritual condition. Our relationship and communication with the Spirit is the only hope we have of overcoming all of which calls to us of an easier, softer or better way than God's will. But the spam comes in such quantity at times and so sneaky at others, always updating the approach and probing for weak spots. Yesterday's program isn't strong or good enough. It must be updated daily. We need the latest protection, the latest understanding, wisdom and guidance. We need to update our spam protection every day by spending time improving our conscious contact with Daddy.
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